Wine Art in France

Although Bordeaux and Burgundy wines still rule the roost in the world, Loire Valley wines are not far behind, at least in France. Three statistics highlight this fact gloriously. You may not be aware that the wine most ordered in restaurants in France comes from this region. Otherwise too the Loire Valley is the third largest wine region in France, behind only Bordeaux and Burgundy. It is also the second largest wine growing region in France known for sparkling white wines.

About 75% of the wine production in the Loire Valley in France is made up of white wines. These are charming and light as well as pleasant and soft. Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc grapes are widely cultivated to produce the sparkling whites. You do not see the much touted Chardonnay grapes in this major wine growing region, which closely follows the Loire River expanse and other rivers that flow into Layon, Cher, and Loir.

The viticulture (grape plant cultivation) in the region is much influenced by the presence of the Loire River. It adds the much needed extra few degrees of temperature needed to grow the grapes in comparison to locations North and South of it. Terroir conditions facilitate more than 185,000 acres under wine cultivation there with about 1,800.vines per acre cultivation density on an average.

The Loire Valley wine cultivation is divided into three groups, namely Upper Loire, Middle Loire, and Lower Loire. The Sauvignon blanc grapes are widely cultivated in the Upper Loire. Cabernat franc and Chenin blanc are grown more in the Middle Loire. The Melon de Bourgogne grapes dominate the farms around the Muscadet region in the Lower Loire valley.

These regions have some important towns that form centers of wine production. Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire on opposite sides of the Loire River ferment the famous Pouilly- Fumé white wine variety in the Upper Loire valley while Sauvignon blanc and Pinot Noir are the chief grape varieties cultivated in and around these towns. On the other hand, the Chasselas grape gives to Pouilly white wines much of their reputation. Sancerre boasts more of mechanized means of grape harvesting rather than by hand picking and also of the use of organic grape farming.

The Middle Loire valley wine growth is concentrated around Angers, famous for Anjou rosé wines such as the Cabernet d'Anjou and Rosé d'Anjou and Saumur. A famous AOC (Appellation d'origine controlee) wine designation to look for Angers wines is Anjou-Villages. Saumur of course is known as the third largest sparkling wine cultivation region in France. Saumur Mousseux is the most produced wine variety of this region that uses Chenin blanc grapes.

Vouvray and Touraine also are centers of wine cultivation in the Loire Valley. Although you can see Chardonnay cultivations there infrequently, the main white wine grape is still Chenin blanc that is grown en masse around the villages of Vouvray and Montlouis.

Chinon, Bourgueil, and Muscadet wine varieties round up the principal areas of wine cultivation in the Loire River valley. While Bourgueil wines are firm and tannic, those of the Chinon variety are rich and softer. Most varieties of Loire Valley wines are characterized by high acidity.