The Loire valley has a wide range
of wines, from some 59 Appellations and 22 VDQS areas. Most grapes
are grown in the 230 miles running west/east from the outflow
at Nantes, to Pouilly-sur-Loire home of the famous Sancerre.
Muscadet is the name of the grape
in the wine and is recognised as an early ripening variety with
relatively low acidity. It is also known locally as Melon de Bourgogne,
relating to its original source. Often bottled off it's lees without
fining or filtration (to reduce oxidation to which the wine is
susceptible) the wine often has a slight spritz, is generally
neutral in flavour and a good match for the local Fruits de Mer.
(On offer at £4.19)
The second wine was a budget sauvignon blanc.The Loire is considered to be the home of this grape. While not an intense wine, it was nevertheless clean tasting with good fruit flavours. The wine was compared to the 4th wine 'the Sancerre' to help contrast the typical smoky steeliness of the latter with the fruitiness of the Touraine wine. A good summer wine. (On offer at £2.95)
Vouvray is to the east of Tours and one of the many homes of the chenin blanc grape. This demi-sec wine was a good example of the 'sweet and sour' character of the grape, with the initial sweetness followed by a firm acidity to keep the wine from cloying. Vouvrays can age spectacularly, with wines still lively after 40 years. Vintages are arguably more important than growers in this area (though when the summer is poor a high proportion of the grapes are used for sparkling wines, in view of their low sugars and high acidity). (£4.99)
Sancerre is well known as a steely dry white, and is made from the sauvignon blanc grape. Nothing at all like the New Zealand versions, the nose being more restrained and often described as 'gunflint',though I struggle to know what that means. The wine had a certain finesse but with good depth of flavour. (£6.99)
The rose wines from this area have a wonderful colour, similar to an onion skin (hence the term 'pellure d'onion'). They are made by the 'saigne' method whereby there is a light maceration and the juice is run off taking with it only a slight hint of the skin colour from the cabernet franc grape. Tasted quite fruity and fresh. (£3.99)
Chinon is just to the west of Tours and is home to some light and fresh cabernet franc reds. They are generally best drunk young, bright and purply - like a Beaujolais in terms of fruitiness and low tannins. Very sound if not exciting. (£4.99)
Bourgeuil is just across the river from Chinon but often makes more substantial wines. Couly-Doutheil is a well known company with some 190 acres of vines on both the flatter, sandy/gravel near the river and the slopes (coteaux) which have clay/limestone underlying. This wine was very fine indeed, with a great depth and complexity of flavour that would have cost a good deal more if sourced from Bordeaux. (£5.99)
This mature wine was sweet but with a good acid balance and many layers of flavour. Made by Jean Beaumard is considered to be one of the all-time greats in Loire winemaking from chenin blanc grapes in a year which had a reasonable 'hit' from botrytis, a fungus (beneficial!) which concentrates the sugars and acids to help produce a sweet wine of considerable charm. (bought some 15 years ago for around £4).