You may feel that it's a bit too late in the season for the wines of the Loire Valley, but hear me out. One of the most incredible voyages of my life was a week through paradise in central France. Navigating this place would be nearly impossible if you didn't have friends or family to guide you, so I was lucky enough to travel with a Loire local. Venturing through quaint areas such as Restigne and Angers were just as rewarding as visiting the larger provinces like Sancerre.
I began my tour through the vast Touraine, which is the central most appellation in the Loire. Famous for goat cheese (Chevre de Sante Maure), beautiful sunflower fields and rillettes, or potted meat, this area harvests mostly light bodied reds. As for any American tourists, my first request is to visit at least ONE of the Chateaux de la Loire (c'mon ladies...). Lucky for me, almost every castle had a vineyard on land, so my chaperone was occupied as I pranced around in my own fantasy world. Château Villandry was by far my favorite, quite possibly for the reason that as you walk through the grounds, you can eat the grapes fresh from the vines!
The areas near Chinon A.O.C. produce the majority of reds in the Loire, primarily from the Cabernet Franc (or Breton) varietal. Traveling to Restigne near St.Nicolas de Bourgueil and meeting local legend Pierre Caslot of Domaine de la Chevalerie, a family owned vineyard of almost 400 years, was THE highlight of my trip. What a personality! While many of the Loire reds are consumed young, some have the potential to last for years. After trying Monsieur Caslot's 1941 'Galichets', I am now a believer..
Leaving the Touraine and entering Sancerre left me with a bittersweet feeling. Not only was the weather better in the Touraine, but the old world charm of single proprietors and 100 year old family establishments wasn't as dominant in the Sancerre. I came to appreciate that this didn't matter, simply because the wines were astonishing. The lovely floral bouquet with honeydew and sea salt combined with breathtaking acidity and striking minerality were some of the characteristics in a lot of the whites I tasted around Pouilly. Locals designate the "flinty" feature as a combination of the three types of unique soil. Take the late Didier Dagueneau as an example of an Eastern successor. He singlehandedly perfected the balance to acidity ratio of Sauvignon Blanc and is rightfully recognized as one of the greatest producers in the history of this appellation.
The wines of the Loire valley have been coined as "the bargain garden" of France by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and for good reason. As with many great values, a careful consumer will question quality. I can assure you, based on my aforementioned personal experience, that the quality is great. I was made into a believer, and I bet that you will be too. Check out some of our in stock Loire's today - your palate AND your wallet will thank you.
- 2007 Chasseloir Comte Leloup de Chasseloir Sur Lie Cuvee des Ceps Centenaires, 92 RP at $18.95 - Don't let the name stop you. This is the perfect wine for oysters.
- 2009 Domaine Claude Riffault Sancerre les Boucauds, 92 RP at $24.99
- 1996 Rene Renou Bonnezeaux Cuvee Zenith, 97 RP at $95 - Great value and ready to drink!
- 2003 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly Fume Silex, 93 WS at $149 - a legend.