Wine Region Report - Loire Valley

Loire Valley and the rest of France

France's major wine regions

The Loire Valley wine region is essentially located in the middle of France, a little to the south of Paris, along the Loire River. It extends all the way to the western part of France and a little to the south, going all the way to its origin at the Atlantic Ocean. Its sub-regions include Anjou, Muscadet, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, Saumur, Bourgueil and Chinon. The actual Loire Valley follows the river through the Loire province all the way to the river’s origins in the Cévennes but the majority of the wine production takes place in Anjou, Saumur, Bourgueil, Chinon, and Vouvray. 

 

Sub-regions of the Loire Valley

Approximately there are 185,000 acres of planted vineyards in the Loire Valley, and majority of the vineyards are small, family owned operations. Evidence shows that there has been wine in the Loire Valley since the 1^st century AD and it was around the 11^th century that the wines form the Loire Valley were the most esteemed wines in England and France. 

Loire Valley in comparison to the world and its subregions

            They produce grape varieties many grape varieties, specifics such as Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Franc, Melon de Bourgogne, Gamay, and Pinot Noir. Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir are the principal grapes of the region that is centered around Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, which can be considered the Upper Loire. Chenin blanc and Cabernet Franc are the two major grapes found in the Middle Loire, which consists of Touraine, Saumur, Chinon, and Vouvray. Finally, the Melon de Bourgogne grape dominates the Lower Loire area which includes the area around the Atlantic Ocean and Muscadet. The majority of their grape production is Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne, there are also red wines productions, especially about the Chinon region, especially Cabernet Franc. They produce still wines, sparking wines, dessert wines, and rosés. Many of the Loire wines have high acidity. They are also the world’s leading producer of Chenin Blanc, and are the only region to specialize in Cabernet Franc. 

Sauvignon blanc grapes in the Loire Valley

            The overall quality of a vintage has a dramatic effect on the quality of the region’s wine due to location and marginal climate, more so than other French wine regions. This climate is much cooler than other areas in France and its summers don’t get nearly as warm either, so the climate isn’t exactly ideal, and sometimes it prevents grapes from ripening fully, which is why the grapes are known for being especially acidic.

            This region is majorly like rolling hills and flat lands along a river bank, like a traditional river bed area. This is helpful to wine makers because it is good to have lots of acres of land to play vineyards and the river nearby for a water supply, as well as these hills protect the vineyards from winds. 

Hills to protect from winds

Although, as mentioned before, the climate is less than perfect, so that is what causes a lot of grow problems. It can stay cold for longer periods of time here and the summers aren’t warm long enough for grapes to always ripen enough. Generally the major problem this region has is under-ripeness of grapes. The winters can also be especially wet and produce a lot of bunch rot issues. 

Loire Valley Vineyard

            This region is often referred to be the French as the “Garden of France” due to its natural beauty, fertile soil, and mild weather conditions. In April and May, the days begin to get longer and temperatures get up to around 20 degrees Celsius, with some days of rain but not usually long spells of rain. Usually these days start out crisp in the mornings and give way to sunny, “normal” spring days. These are better months for visiting because there are actually less tourists with still good weather.

            June to September is their late spring and summer months with long dry spells and average temperatures around 24 degrees Celsius. It doesn’t get nearly as warm as some other summer areas do in France, and there are typically 11 days of rainfall during this period.

            October and November starts to get colder and is their Autumn. Generally temperatures range from 12 degrees Celsius on the cold side and 17 degrees Celsius on the warmer side. They occasionally get frosts, which can hurt the vines.

            December to March is relatively cold time with lows of 8 degrees Celsius and highs of 11 degrees Celsius. Rain actually can be most heavy during these months and they generally say these are the worst weather months.

            Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut national des appellations d’origine, and it is based on the concept of terrior. Vin de pays is a French term meaning “country wine”. Although, Vins de pays are a step in French wine classification that is above the table wine classification, but below VDQS and AOC. Essentially this classifications means it is of “average quality”, not poor but not great like the AOC wines.  

 

Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure label

Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure which means Delimited Wine of Superior Quality, usually abbreviated as VDQS is the second highest category of French wine, below the AOC. The VDQS was created in 1949 to bridge the gap between AOC and VdP, but it actually has been pretty much phased out since 2011. The Appellation d’Origine Contrȏlée (AOC) is the “stamp of approval” for French wines, and the Loire Valley has more than 60 AOCs. AOC was born out of a phylloxera outbreak, and the French were looking for a reassurance of quality in their wine. Throughout the Loire Valley there are 87 appellation under the AOC, VDQS, and Vin de Pays systems, which all help regulate the quality of wine within the region.

            Labeling in the Loire Valley can be broken down into two designations. The Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France includes any varietal-labeled wine, like Chardonnay, that is produced in the region outside of an AOC designation. Then there is the Crémant de Loire which refers to any sparkling wine made according to the traditional method of Champagne.

Loire Valley wine label with apellation

 These labels are included with the descriptions within the AOC, VDQS, and Vin de Pays systems labels to distinguish between quality and types of wines. Wines from this region will also have “sec” written on the bottle if it is a dryer wine and “moelleux” for sweeter wines. They have a variety of blended and non-blended wines from their sub-regions.  For example Chinon is known for its Cabernet Franc wines, but Saumur makes a sparkling wine based on a similar blend to Champagne, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Chenin Blanc. They are experience wine makers in this region so they are able to make wines that are 100% of a blend or make their own variety.

Loire Valley Wine Label - Vouvray

            The major grape variety in the Western Loire is the crisp Muscadet (also known as Melon de Bourgogne) that performs excellently when accompanied by Fruits de Mers or other seafood dishes. The principal white grape in the Middle Loire is Chenin Blanc, which is characterized by its full flavors and naturally high acidity. Chenin Blanc makes wines that range in style from dry to sweet in both still and sparkling form. Although the Loire is best known for its white wines, the Middle Loire is also famous for its Cabernet Franc, which is made into dry red wines and rosés. The Central Vineyards to the east are home to the world-famous Sauvignon Blanc-producing regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. This cool-climate region produces crisp wines with searing acidity that are sometimes even mistaken for the wines of nearby Chablis in Burgundy.