The Loire Valley wine growing region is one of the largest wine growing regions in France with its 70,000 hectares of vines that run along the Loire River and its tributaries. The climate is mainly oceanic with mild winters, often early springs and very wet autumns.Loire Valley wines cover a wide spectrum: dry, medium-dry and sweet white wines, red, rosé and sparkling wines. The wine growing region has 6 sub-regions with very different terroirs.Chenin and Sauvignon are the favourite grape varieties for Loire white wines along with Gamay, Cabernet-Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir for its red wines. The Loire Valley is also famous for its sparkling wines.
Filtrer
Appellations
- Cabernet d'Anjou
- Coteaux du Giennois
- Savenières
- Reuilly
- Anjou Coteaux de la Loire
- Anjou Villages
- Bonnezeaux
- Bourgueil
- Cabernet de Saumur
- Cheverny
- Chinon
- Côte Roannaise
- Coteaux de Saumur
- Crémant de Loire
- Jasnières
- Menetou Salon
- Montlouis sur Loire
- Muscadet
- Orléans
- Pouilly-Fumé
- Pouilly sur Loire
- Quincy
- Rosé de Loire
- Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil
- Sancerre
- Saumur
- Savennières
- Touraine
- Valencay
- Vouvray
- Val de Loire
- Anjou
- Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur Lie
Loire Valley
The Wines of the Loire Valley
Stretching along France's longest river, the Loire Valley is the most extensive wine region in France. Beginning on the Atlantic coast and following the Loire River to Orléans and Bourges, this region offers a wide variety of terroirs and climates. With its multitude of grape varieties, the region produces every type of wine—dry or sweet, red, white, rosé, sparkling, or still—with one common feature: remarkable freshness. Discover the vineyards of the Loire Valley through their history, appellations, grape varieties, and follow our tips to create the best food and wine pairings with Loire wines.
The History of Loire Wines
Although vineyards have existed in the Loire Valley since Roman times, it was during the Middle Ages that the Loire vineyards truly flourished. Under the influence of Saint Martin, a revered figure in the region, viticulture experienced significant growth due to the monasteries and abbeys. The Vouvray vineyard was recorded as early as the 8th century and Bourgueil in the 11th century. When Henry Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Duke of Aquitaine, ascended to the English throne, along with existing trade routes via the Loire’s many tributaries, the Loire wine trade expanded within France and across to England. During the Renaissance, the construction of the Loire Valley châteaux, such as Chambord, Blois, and Chenonceau, marked a turning point for the region, and the vineyards flourished, inspiring local writers like Rabelais to praise the vineyards in their works. Sparkling wines began to develop after the French Revolution, and the phylloxera crisis led to a restructuring of vineyards, with increased red grape plantings. Since the establishment of AOC designations in the 1930s, the Loire Valley has highlighted a wide variety of quality wines from diverse terroirs and climates.
The Climates and Terroirs of the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is an ancient vineyard composed of a mosaic of soils, landscapes, and climates, allowing for a wide variety of wines. To simplify, the Loire Valley vineyard can be divided into four distinct regions:
The Nantais Region
Derived from the eruptive and metamorphic rocks of the Armorican Massif, this region is predominantly composed of gneiss, mica schist, green rock, and granite. Heavily influenced by the Atlantic, the climate is oceanic with mild autumns and winters and warm, humid summers.
Anjou-Saumur
The soils consist of slate schist, sandstone schist, carboniferous schist, and volcanic rocks from the Armorican Massif. The hills shield the vineyards from the west winds, creating a semi-oceanic climate with more pronounced seasonal variations.
Touraine
The soils consist of tuffeau chalk, sand, and flint clay from the Paris Basin. The climate is a blend of oceanic and continental influences.
Centre-Loire
Mainly composed of limestone, clay-limestone, sand, and flint clay soils, the climate here is more semi-continental than the rest of the Loire Valley, without Atlantic influence.
The Different Appellations of the Loire
To distinguish each terroir and micro-climate, the Loire Valley established numerous appellations. First, two regional appellations cover a large part of the region: AOC Rosé-de-Loire and AOC Crémant-de-Loire. The communal appellations are then categorized by sub-region:
The Nantais Region:
- AOC Muscadet-Côtes-de-Grand-Lieu
- AOC Muscadet
- AOC Muscadet-Coteaux-de-la-Loire
- AOC Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine
- AOC Gros-Plant-du-Pays-Nantais
- AOC Fiefs-Vendéens
- AOC Coteaux-d’Ancenis
Anjou-Saumur:
- AOP Anjou
- AOP Anjou-Gamay
- AOP Anjou-Villages
- AOP Rosé-d’Anjou
- AOP Cabernet-d’Anjou
- AOP Coteaux-de-l’Aubance
- AOP Anjou-Coteaux-de-la-Loire
- AOP Savennières
- AOP Savennières-Coulée-de-Serrant
- AOP Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines
- AOP Coteaux-du-Layon
- AOP Bonnezeaux
- AOP Quarts-de-Chaume
- AOP Saumur
- AOP Cabernet-de-Saumur
- AOP Coteaux-de-Saumur
- AOP Saumur-Champigny
- AOP Saumur-Puy-Notre-Dame
- AOP Anjou-Villages-Brissac
- AOP Chaume
Touraine:
- AOP Cour-Cheverny
- AOP Touraine
- AOP Touraine-Amboise
- AOP Touraine-Azay-le-Rideau
- AOP Touraine-Mesland
- AOP Bourgueil
- AOP Chinon
- AOP Coteaux-du-Loir
- AOP Jasnières
- AOP Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
- AOP Montlouis-sur-Loire
- AOP Vouvray
- AOP Cheverny
- AOP Coteaux-du-Vendômois
- AOP Valençay
- AOP Orléans
- AOP Touraine-Noble-Joué
- AOP Orléans-Cléry
- AOP Touraine-Chenonceaux
- AOP Touraine-Oisly
Centre-Loire:
- AOC Châteaumeillant
- AOC Côtes-d’Auvergne
- AOC Côtes-du-Forez
- AOC Coteaux-du-Giennois
- AOC Saint-Pourçain
- AOC Côte-Roannaise
- AOC Menetou-Salon
- AOC Pouilly-Fumé
- AOC Pouilly-sur-Loire
- AOC Quincy
- AOC Reuilly
- AOC Sancerre
The Loire also has eight IGP classifications, with IGP Val de Loire being the most widely used.
The Signature Grape Varieties of the Loire Valley
Cabernet Franc
Often blended in Bordeaux and around the world, cabernet franc remains in the shadow of its sibling, cabernet sauvignon. However, in the oceanic climate and limestone soils of Touraine and Anjou, cabernet franc reveals its true character and complexity. When harvested at full ripeness, this demanding grape offers flavors of red and black fruit (blackcurrant) and delicate notes of violet and undergrowth. In the mouth, cabernet franc produces wines that range from rich and powerful to fresh and fruity, suitable for both casual drinking and long aging.
Chenin
Chenin is a versatile white grape that has long been cultivated in the Loire Valley and has found success in other regions (Languedoc, Southwest France) and abroad (South Africa, Australia, USA, etc.). It can be vinified in dry, sweet, still, or sparkling styles. In dry whites, chenin displays fresh, lively notes of white fruits (quince, apple) and white flowers. When used in sweet wines, such as those from AOC Quarts-de-Chaume, chenin produces flavors of apricots, orange marmalade, and honey, where acidity balances the sweetness perfectly.
Sauvignon Blanc
A key grape variety in the Loire, particularly in AOC Sancerre and AOC Pouilly-Fumé, sauvignon blanc is fresh and aromatic. Although widely grown worldwide, in the Loire, sauvignon blanc reveals its freshness and minerality, with aromas of fresh herbs, boxwood, citrus, and flint, underpinned by natural tension.
Melon de Bourgogne
Although it originated in Burgundy, as its name suggests, melon de Bourgogne is almost exclusively grown in the Loire, especially in the Nantais region. This grape variety is the backbone of the AOC Muscadet appellation. With its pale color and mineral, briny profile, melon de Bourgogne produces wines perfect for pairing with seafood.
Other indigenous grape varieties such as Grolleau, Pineau d'Aunis, Orbois and Romorantin are used in the vineyards of the Loire Valley but their production is more confidential.
Loire Wines: Best Food and Wine Pairings
Loire Wines with an Appetizer
There’s nothing like a bottle of AOC Sancerre blanc to accompany a goat cheese salad featuring Crottins de Chavignol. The freshness and citrus and honeysuckle notes of this wine enhance the goat cheese’s character and the salad’s vegetal notes. For a sweet-savory pairing, such as melon with cured ham, choose a fruity, tender AOC Cabernet d’Anjou.
Loire Wines with a Main Course
For roast beef, pair it with a cabernet franc-based red wine from AOC Chinon or AOC Bourgueil. The smooth tannins and notes of red and black fruits and noble vegetal elements in these wines will perfectly complement the red meat. For mussels in a marinière sauce, try a AOC Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine-sur-Lie. Its delicate, lemony aromas and minerality enhance the dish’s briny flavors.
Loire Wines with a Dessert
What better to accompany a tarte Tatin than a AOC Coteaux-du-Layon or AOC Quarts-de-Chaume? This sweet white wine with complex notes of acacia, candied fruits, and honey surprises with its balance of acidity and sweetness. This food-wine pairing with tarte Tatin is always a winner! For a raspberry tart, opt for a AOC Crémant de Loire rosé with red fruit notes, fine bubbles, and a slightly sweet finish—a perfect match for those with a sweet tooth.
With its diverse grape varieties and terroirs, as well as an unbeatable quality-to-price ratio, the Loire Valley is a must-discover region! At Avenue des vins, each wine is carefully selected, and our bottles are available for home delivery, direct from the winery or château of your choice. Whether you favor a Loire wine or wines from other regions in France, explore our bottles at the best prices, delivered to your home!