Wine-Searcher. Human race only please ... Find and price wines, beers & spirits across all online stores. Are you a real person? To keep Wine-Searcher running smoothly, we've added some extra security measures to make sure you are a real person and not a robot . Please complete the form below, click 'Continue' and we'll have you back on the site in no time. We do not allow automated software to read our website. If you would like to learn more about accessing Wine-Searcher's data, please contact us at feedback@wine-searcher.com. © 2015 all rights reserved, Wine-Searcher™ The Loire Valley: French White Wine Heaven - dummies The Loire Valley: French White Wine Heaven The Loire Valley: French White Wine Heaven The Loire Valley: French White Wine Heaven By Ed McCarthy, Mary Ewing-Mulligan If you’re looking for white wine alternatives to Chardonnay, discover the Loire (l’wahr) Valley wine region. For the record, you can find red wines and some dry rosés, too, but the Loire region is famous for its white wines.

The Loire Valley stretches across northwest France, following the path of the Loire River from central France in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The rather cool climate, especially in the west, produces relatively light-bodied white wines. The Loire Valley has three sections, each of which features different grape varieties. Credit: Illustration by Lisa S. Reed The wine regions of France. The Upper Loire In the eastern end of the Valley (called the Upper Loire), just south of Paris, are the towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire, located on opposite banks of the Loire River. Here, the Sauvignon Blanc grape makes lively, dry wines that have spicy, green-grass and minerally flavors. The two principal wines in this area are Sancerre (sahn-sair) and Pouilly-Fumé (pwee-foo-may). Sancerre is the lighter and more vibrant of the two. It’s perfect for summer drinking, especially with shellfish or light, freshwater fish, such as trout. Look for the Sancerres of Domaines Henri Bourgeois or Lucien Crochet.

Pouilly-Fumé is slightly fuller than Sancerre and can have attractive flinty, mineral flavors. Pouilly-Fumé can be quite a fine wine when made by a good producer, such as Didier Dagueneau or Ladoucette. Because of its fuller weight, Pouilly-Fumé goes well with rich fish, such as salmon, or with chicken or veal. Most Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines sell in the $24 to $40 range, but a few of the better Pouilly-Fumés can cost $50 or more. These wines are at their best when they’re young; drink them within four years of the vintage. The central Loire Valley The central Loire Valley is known for both its white and red wines. The white Chenin Blanc grape makes better wine here than it does anywhere else in the world. These wines can be dry or sweet, and carry the names of the areas where they are made. Savennières is arguably the world’s greatest dry Chenin Blanc wine, (starts at about $23). Coulée de Serrant is a great dessert white wine made from Chenin Blanc.

Bonnezeaux and Quarts-de-Chaume are two other well-known dessert whites. Vouvray wines come in three styles: dry (sec), medium-dry (demi-sec), or sweet (called moelleux, pronounced m’wah-leuh). Vouvray sec is a less austere and less full-bodied wine than Savennières, however. Vouvray also can be a sparkling wine. The best wines of Vouvray, the sweet (moelleux), can be made only in vintages of unusual ripeness, which occur infrequently. These wines need several years to develop and can last almost forever, thanks to their remarkable acidity; their prices begin at about $50. Three renowned Vouvray producers are Philippe Foreau of Clos Naudain, Gaston Huet-Pinguet, and Didier Champalou. Less expensive Vouvrays, priced at about $15 to $17, are pleasant to drink young. Even the drier versions are not truly bone-dry and are a good choice if you don’t enjoy very dry wines. They go well with chicken or veal in cream sauce, spicy cuisines, or fruit and soft cheese after dinner.

The central Loire Valley also boasts the region’s best red wines. Made mainly from Cabernet Franc, they carry the place-names of the villages the grapes come from: Chinon (she-nohn), Bourgueil (boor-guh’y), St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (san-nee-co-lah-deh-boor-guh’y), and Saumur-Champigny (soh-muhr-shahm-pee-n’yee). They’re all spicy, great-value ($18 to $40), medium-bodied reds that are famously food friendly. Pays Nantais Close to the Atlantic Ocean is the third wine district of the Loire Valley — Pays Nantais (pay-ee nahn-tay), named after the city of Nantes, right where the Loire River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. This area is the home of the Muscadet grape (also known as Melon de Bourgogne).

The wine, which is commonly known as Muscadet (moos-cah-day), is light, bracing, and very dry, with apple and mineral flavors — perfect with clams, oysters, mussels, and river fish (and, naturally, ideal for summer drinking). Most Muscadet comes from the Sèvre-et-Maine AOC zone, and those words appear on the label. Frequently, you also see the term sur lie, which means that the wine aged on its lees (dead fermentation yeasts) and was bottled straight from the tank. This procedure gives the wine liveliness, freshness, and sometimes a slight prickle of carbon dioxide on the tongue. Muscadet is a terrific warm weather white and a great value. You can buy a really good Muscadet for $10 to $15. Vouvray (wine) - VOUVRAY Wines - Vouvray wines information with the French Wine Guide in the Loire Valley - Chenin Blanc Wine Information. VOUVRAY. Vouvray is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France.

The Loire Valley surrounds the longest river in France, and encompasses the most appellations in any classical wine region. Near its eastern edge lies the city of Tours, and just to its east, the town of Vouvray. Vouvray is well known for its white chenin blanc wine, named aptly "Vouvray". These wines are made 100% from the chenin blanc grape. There are seven townships in this appellation, which falls in the touraine district of the Loire. The Vouvray appellation was only created in 1936, although monasteries worked with wine for centureis before that time. Note that chenin blanc wines in the other parts of the world are called merely chenin blanc. "Vouvray - famous white Touraine, exclusively from the Chenin Blanc, in the field of eight municipalities in the Loire Valley immediately east of Tours produced: Vouvray, Rochecorbon, Vernou, Sainte Radegonde, Chancay, Noizay, Reugny and a part of Parcay - Meslay. Vouvray can vary depending on the vintage and cellar treatment.

It can be fruity, very dry (sec) and slightly tart or intense color and fruit and halbtrocken (demi-sec) or full, gold and moelleux (sweet) like a Sauternes, he can bright, appetizing and sparkling (petillant) but also - most commonly-foaming (mousseux), and then he is among the best sparkling wines of France. Together, at St. 100000, and more are produced, and it is very well to do, the label on the type of the wine and its producer to be considered very carefully. As the leading producers Marc Bredif, Poniatowski, Huet, Jarry, Chateau Montcontour the in Vouvray" Vouvray dry (sec), off-dry (tendre), semi-sweet (demi-sec), sweet (moelleux), sparkling (pï¿½tillant) Vouvray can be affected strongly by terroir, or the composition of the soil the grape is grown in. Those from clay soil might tend towards a fruity flavor, while those made on perruches (flinty clay) soil might taste more of minerals.

Vouvray is typically drunk young, within 6 months of bottling, around 3 years from when the grapes are picked. However, fine years of Vouvray have been known to last up to 100 years in excellent condition. "Vouvray, Loire, vineyards and hillsides". Vouvray tends towards a sweet but dry flavor, again, affected by where it is grown. Typical flavors include lemon, fruit, and minerals. Some vouvray wines have flavors of apples and pears. The richer style of Vouvray is called moelleux. Moelleux tends to be a more pure gold color, and has flavors of honey, caramel and prunes. Coordonnï¿½es : Vouvray goes very well with shellfish, lobsters, shrimp, and seafood. It should be drunk at around 47F - i.e. just warmer than fridge temperature. Vouvray is usually drunk within 2 years of its release.

Vouvray Wine - A Guide to the Wines of Vouvray Vouvray Wine Shop all wines from Vouvray Join the Vouvray group Vouvray Vouvray is a large, varied appellation in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley. The grape variety used is Chenin Blanc. Vouvray can be dry (usually labeled “sec”), demi-sec, sweet, or sparkling. In cooler years, most wines made are dry, off-dry, or sparkling; in the best years, the top producers come out with what Vouvray is really known for -- the exceptional, long-lived Moelleux or Liquoreux wines. Demi-Sec Vouvray can also be excellent and ageworthy. One reason the wines often benefit from a great deal of time in bottle is the extremely high natural acidity of the Chenin Blanc grape. Some of the top producers include Huet, Champalou, and Pinon. Their wines are up there with the best white wines in the world, and are very different from commercial Vouvray, which is usually a simple, off-dry white wine that does not benefit from time in bottle.

Tasting Notes: 2013 Monmousseau Vouvray, Loire, France 2013 Monmousseau Vouvray, Loire, France > Vouvray Vouvray is the most famous and most respected appellation of the Loire Valley's Touraine district. The title covers white wines of various styles (sweet, dry, still and sparkling), from eight villages around the medieval town of Vouvray, on the northern banks of the Loire. Vouvray is the flagship wine of the Chenin Blanc grape (or Pineau de la Loire as it is known there), followed ever-closer by Savennieres and the sweet whites of Anjou . Few wine regions in the world use Chenin to the same extent, and none highlights the variety's organoleptic qualities with such focus and impressive diversity. South Africa's annual Chenin Blanc production far exce... LEARN MORE Grape Variety Chenin Blanc is a versatile white-wine grape variety that has been cultivated in France for nearly 1300 years.

It is most commonly associated with France's Loire Valley , and its high acidity levels mean it can be vinified in a number of different styles: as lusciously sweet, botrytis -affected dessert wines, light, honeyed sparkling wines and as full-bodied, still white wines. The variety has had its ups and downs throughout its long history. Official French documents first mention Chenin Blanc as early as 845, and the variety has appeared in various parts of the Loire under a multitude of synonyms since. The grape fell out of fashion somewhat in the early 20th Century, but renewed interest in the 1980s has reinvigorated Chenin Blanc's position as a classic and noble grape variety... LEARN MORE Share this page: Get Over The Confusion, Drink Vouvray Get Over The Confusion, Drink Vouvray comments, called-out At their best, wines from Vouvray offer the complete package: Excellent value, complexity, food-friendliness and ageability. Unfortunately, Vouvray can be confusing; upon seeing the bottles on the shelf, the lay consumer probably doesn’t know much about the wine other than that it’s white.

The good news, though, is that confusion leads to less hoopla, meaning Vouvray (especially single-vineyard Vouvray) tends to be undervalued. And within the category, there’s enough variation to satisfy just about any white-wine drinker. In Depth: Tyler Colman’s Vouvray Picks Vouvray is a small growing area near famous castles on the north banks of the Loire Valley in France. The main grape variety here is Chenin Blanc. Like Riesling, Chenin is a delicate, transparent grape that benefits from an excellent site. Although it is grown in places as far flung as South Africa and California, too many of those renditions taste dilute or uninteresting compared with Chenin Blanc’s ancestral home in the Central Loire. Further adding to the confusion are the four manifestations of Vouvray: dry, off-dry, sweet and sparkling. While dry means simply that the wine doesn’t contain residual sugar, off-dry–demi-sec or tender are the phrases you’d see on the bottle–means half-sweet; adding to the confusion, however, is that some producers drop these terms from the label, opting instead for no indication of sweetness.

Although some producers feel the terms to be a vague netherworld anyway, a bit of residual sugar makes the wine more aromatically intense and adds to the weight of the wine as it balances with the acidity and the stony minerality. Pair the off-dry wines with goat cheese or pork belly and prepare for pleasure. The warmer the weather during the growing season in this northern region, the more natural sugars are in the grapes. Francois Pinon, a grower and winemaker in Vouvray, told me recently that he makes more sparkling wine in cooler years and more still wine in warmer years since sparkling wines dont need as much ripeness (Champagne, due east, is a cool region). In 2006, three quarters of his wines were sparkling, but only 25% were in 2007 and 2008. Pinons sparkling wine is an excellent bargain at about $19. Pinon says that in the 22 vintages he has worked in Vouvray, the wines have become easier to drink and more accessible in their youth. But are the wines robbing Peter to pay Paul by taking away from their longevity to provide accessibility?

Pinon thinks not. Lets hope he’s right, since what makes Chenin Blanc lay good claim to nobility is a legendary ability to age. While wines from all the degrees of sweetness can improve with bottle age, the sweetest wines, known as moelleux, have the ability to tack on decades in the cellar. The sugars mellow and the wines gain a beautiful richness and delicacy. The producer Huet has a stash of older vintages deep in its caves; collectors particularly covet the 1947. But given the rarity of that particular wine, a more recent vintage, the 1996, can provide a glimpse into Chenin with age. Try it now or tuck it away to try with the grandchildren. While you’re waiting, pop open one of the reasonably priced sparklers any night of the week. Tyler Colman is the author of the practical guide A Year of Wine: Perfect Pairings, Great Buys and What to Sip with Each Season . He also writes the agenda-setting wine blog DrVino.com .

Tyler Colman’s Vouvray Picks Francois Pinon, brut NV ($19) The Pinon sparkler is a top from Vouvray (with Huet and Foreau). Although it is a nonvintage sparkler, the base wine likely came from 2006. To add richness, Pinon keeps the wine on the lees (spent yeast cells) for 18 months; the resulting wine has delicious acidity with faint sweetness. Enjoy it in the next year or two. Domaine des Aubuissieres, brut NV ($20) Bernard Fouquet cultivates 55 acres of vines, all planted to Chenin Blanc. His sparkling wine is dry and a refreshing aperitif. Enjoy it in the next year or two. B&G Vouvray 2008 ($9) This wine comes from the negociant B&G, which blends grapes from 40 different growers. The rich, sweet wine will not likely make you want to get Vouvray tattooed on your arm the way the 47 Huet might, but this is an affordable introduction to the region’s wines.

Francois Chidaine, Montlouis-sur-Loire, “Les Tuffeaux” 2005 ($23) One of the top growers of Vouvray actually has most of his vines in Montlouis, just across the river, where the soils are similar but the rent is lower. Francois Chidaine grows his old vine Chenin Blanc organically even though he refuses to put this information on the label. This bottling is rich and powerful (and off-dry), and makes for a perfect aperitif with goat cheese or mildly spicy food. Chidaine also makes wine in Vouvray at Clos Baudoin. Foreau, “Clos Naudin” demi-sec 2005 ($30) This wine has a gorgeous balance between good acidity and minerality, as well as a faint sweetness. Philippe Foreau runs this 30-acre estate and makes a range of wines that are excellent. While this wine is drinking well today, the warm vintage means that the wine will likely be drinking even better in 2015, so buy some to stash away if you can.

Francois Pinon “Silex Noir” 2007 ($24) This conscientious and disciplined grower and winemaker not only is certified organic and harvests the grapes by hand, but also uses only natural yeasts in the fermentation. The wine has lovely notes of granny smith apple layered with quince and white flowers. Drink now, or cellar it. Huet “Le Mont” Moelleux 1996 ($80) Huet is the granddaddy of all Vouvray estates and their moelleux wines, in particular, are the stuff of legend. The dry and off-dry wines are particularly delicious for drinking while waiting for the moelleux to age. This 1996 is already starting to come into its own as the 80 grams of residual sugar meld with the acidity into a beautiful harmony. Wines of the Loire Valley, France Our tours visit a number of these regions...... Touraine Touraine is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the Loire Valley wine region in France that produce dry, white wines and red wines rich in tannins.

The wine-growing area extends over 5,300 hectares (13,000 acres) departments of Indre-et-Loire, Indre and Loir-et-Cher and comprises a total of 70 communes. This area covers several communes with AOC's in their own right. The white wines are made from Chenin Blanc grapes (known locally as Pineau Blanc de la Loire), Sauvignon and Arbois grapes. The white Touraine wines are dry, fairly firm, lively, fruity and full, and keep well when bottled. The sparkling wines are allowed to use the designation "Touraine mousseux" (sparkling Touraine wine). Up to 20% of Chardonnay grapes may be included in the mixture of varieties grown. The red wines are produced from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Côt, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, Pineau d'Aunis and Gamay grape varieties (Gamay is used for wines marketed in the first year after production and those sold as primeur or nouveau). These wines are flavoursome and tannic in character.

Touraine wines sold in the first year or production are light and fruity, as well as rustic. The rosé wines are made from Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon, Côt, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, Pineau d'Aunis, Gamay and Grolleau grape varieties. These wines are dry in character. Valencay Valencay is a recently promoted AOC wine appellation (it gained AOC status in 2004) that adjoins the Touraine appellation. While it extends across fourteen communes in two départements (Indre and Loir-et-Cher) its total extent is only 142 hectares. Red wines are made from Gamay and Malbec (Cot), with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. Roses are made from the same blend of grapes and are light with ripe. soft fruit flavours. White wines (still and sparling) are made from Sauvignon Blanc, Arbois and Chardonnay. They are excellent with the local AOC goats cheese.

Quincy Quincy is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) of the Central Vineyards of the Loire region, which produces dry white wine. It grows in two communes: Quincy and Brinay in the department of Cher. The AOC is only used for dry white wine. It can be delicate and fruity (citrusy), with hints of white flowers and pepper. It is a wine which keeps its quality for up to 4 or 5 years, although ageing does not improve the initial quality. This wine is best accompanied with seafood and fish from the Loire or after a meal with goat's cheese from the region such as Valençay, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre or Crottin de Chavignol. Vouvray AOC Vouvray is located in the Touraine district just east of the city of Tours in the commune of Vouvray. Wine production in this area is dependent on climate conditions, with cooler years promoting the production of dry (sec) and sparkling Vouvray, while warmer, more favorable vintage encourages the production of sweet moelleux or liquoreux styles, produced by noble rot in a manner similar to the sweet dessert wines of Sauternes.

PUNCH | How Montlouis and Vouvray Became a Chenin Blanc Battleground News How Montlouis and Vouvray Became a Chenin Blanc Battleground For at least a decade, two of the greatest white wine terroirs have been quietly locked in a sort of Kanye vs. Wiz Khalifa-style feud. Jon Bonné on Montlouis vs. Vouvray and how their battle symbolizes the past and future of the Loire's greatest white grape, chenin blanc. March 9, 2016 Hi, I thought you might like this article - [url]. Enjoy! Send The villages of Montlouis-sur-Loire and Vouvray face each other across a particularly appealing stretch of the Loire River, just east of the city of Tours. This is the land of grand châteaux and tranquil countryside—the clean fuel powering the myth of la belle France. Picturesque cliffs of the chalky limestone known as tuffeau line each side and, for centuries, caves have been carved into these cliff walls—for homes, wine cellars, safe haven.

In fact, one of my favorite words, “troglodyte” (“cave-dweller”), is often used here, although not as a putdown. In these parts, people literally dwell in caves. Quite often, the local troglodytes are drinking chenin blanc. Both Vouvray and Montlouis built their reputations on this most versatile grape—Vouvray, especially—and on either side of the river, the villages interpret the grape in diverse forms: both sparkling and still, sweet and dry. For at least a decade, the two have been quietly locked in a sort of Kanye vs. Wiz Khalifa-style feud. Vouvray fired the most stinging shot in 2009: a new rule decreeing that, after 2013, anyone wanting to make a wine called Vouvray had to vinify it inside the appellation’s boundaries, which encompass eight villages, or in the neighboring town of Nazelles-Négron. The notable omission? Montlouis, which happens to be where two exceptional talents working with chenin blanc, Jacky Blot of Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups and François Chidaine , have their wineries.

That both men owned land in Vouvray didn’t much impress local officials, who finally visited their cellars last year and made clear: Rules were rules. Blot and Chidaine vowed to fight back , but as of the 2014 vintage, their Vouvrays—some of the most profound examples of that wine—now wear the lowly “vin de France” label. French wine usually thrives on just this sort of idiocy; it contributes to the mystique. But this one was a whopper . Even by French standards, l’affaire Vouvray seemed illogical. In other regions, including the Rhône, Bordeaux and even Burgundy, small domaines routinely make wines from other appellations located 15 or 30 miles away. And as Chidaine pointed out, it was no big thing for his fellow Loire winemakers to produce Chinon in the nearby town of Bourgueil.

Montlouis is charging forward, happy to rally, while Vouvray, as Jacky Blot puts it, has been “sleeping on its laurels.” The new law seemed bizarre, especially considering the two towns had long been culturally entwined, with Vouvray playing the posh older brother, Montlouis the ragtag little sister. Perhaps local nabobs had forgotten their own history: For several years before it received its own appellation in 1938, Montlouis was bottled under the Vouvray name. And when Blot began acquiring parcels of Vouvray in 1998, including the Clos de Venise with its 80-year-old vines, he easily received permission to vinify his wines across the river. As he put it to me, when he wakes up in the morning in Montlouis, his Vouvray plots are “the only vines I see from my window.” So why had this most obvious thing become such a battle? The answer is, of course, that this was payback—one of those Gallic twists of the dagger meant to put two strivers, two egoïstes, in their places.

But really, the spat represents something more stark: the divide between France’s uglier bureaucratic tendencies, which have kept many appellations almost frozen in time, and a need for progress that acknowledges the future without throwing away tradition. At their best, both villages show the full possibility of chenin blanc—one of the world’s most versatile grapes. Montlouis is typically fully dry, and in past times was considered the more carefree and simple of the two; Vouvray is variable in its style, from dry to slightly sweet (or very sweet, for its dessert wines). Sparkling versions proliferate on both riverbanks. And the best examples, regardless of sugar, always reveal the presence of fresh fruit—autumn apples in particular—alongside a more subtle, earthier side that leans on flavors of pine resin and what is sometimes described as a “woolly” note, a scent you might recognize as that of a sweater in the rain. If some chenin expressions made farther west, like in Savennières, today can be a bit too ripe and alcoholic, good Vouvray and Montlouis thrive on their freshness.

Read On → Of the two, Vouvray is certainly more famous; its wines are virtually a household name, nearly as well-known as Sancerre—that other standard-bearer of Loire popularity. It is home to some of the Loire’s greatest wines, from the likes of Domaine Huet , the most legendary of Vouvrays, which still produces examples from parcels like Le Mont and Le Haut-Lieu that will age up to a half-century. Huet’s success, built on the hard work of the inveterately old-school Gaston Huet, continued after its 2003 purchase by an American, Anthony Hwang. (Although it faced a ruffle when longtime winemaker Noël Pinguet left in 2012, citing differences with the owners.) The appellation is similarly home to quality-minded producers like Catherine et Pierre Breton and pioneers like François Pinon, an early advocate for organic farming. Pinon’s wines, grown in the slightly colder Vallée de Cousse, show off a different, vivacious side of Vouvray. But Vouvray’s fortunes have changed, and not for the better.

That conclusion cuts rather deep for me; at age 13, during a family tour of the Loire, Vouvray was the first place I visited. My sips of local wine with a seafood lunch remain a seminal taste memory. I’m not alone in this sentimental fondness. Sommeliers rhapsodize over still-kicking bottles of 1950s Vouvray. But in a way, even those ancient bottles of Foreau or Huet (or producers now gone, like Prince Poniatowski) making the rounds reinforce a sense that Vouvray’s happiest years may be in the past. Nearly 40 percent of Montlouis’ 385 hectares are organically farmed, compared to an estimated five percent of Vouvray’s more expansive 2,200 planted hectares. And while Montlouis is mostly home to small producers, much of Vouvray’s 110,000-hectoliter annual harvest is bought and distributed by large producers, including most of the 60 percent of Vouvray that’s made into middlebrow sparkling wine. In 1924, the wine authority H.

Warner Allen was prophetic when he warned that demand for simple sparkling Vouvray was subsuming its dry wines, which he considered a shame, because the wines “lose their distinctive qualities and most of their charm when they are [C]hampagnised.” I don’t think things are nearly so dire—Pinon’s Vouvray Brut with Korean fried chicken is one of the world’s great pairings—but the proliferation of cheap sparkling Vouvray has definitely dragged down its reputation. Meanwhile, Montlouis is charging forward, happy to rally, while Vouvray, as Jacky Blot puts it, has been “sleeping on its laurels.” His wines, including his not-anymore Vouvray, are the perfect example: They’re bone-dry, less fruity than complex and austere. He believes sugar blurs chenin’s ability to transparently reveal its best qualities, which is why his winemaking is almost fanatically Burgundian, although he prefers to describe it as “the school of Montlouis.” He ferments all his whites in barrels.

And rather than a cold, quick fermentation meant to highlight aromas, he borrows from Burgundy’s elite cadre, winemakers like Jean-François Coche (of Coche-Dury) and Jean-Marc Roulot (of Domaine Roulot): he exposes the grape must to oxygen before a long, slow fermentation and leaves the finished wine in steel tanks for months before bottling, which firms up the texture. The resulting wines have little in common with old fruity Vouvrays or perky Montlouis. They are something new altogether. His Clos Michet exudes an austere chalkiness, while the opulent Clos de Mosny has such dense and complex fruit flavors that you’re almost deceived into believing it tastes sweet. (It’s fully dry.) I found equally determined efforts all over Montlouis—in the cellar of Frantz Saumon, for instance, another vigneron devoted to dry wines. Saumon uses inert gas to minimize his sulfur use and a special curved concrete tank (not an egg!) to enrich the wines’ texture, and dabbles in forgotten local grapes like menu pineau.

And, of course, there is Chidaine, perhaps Montlouis’ most visible presence, who pioneered biodynamics and built a reputation for single-vineyard bottlings (as Huet did in Vouvray). There’s a raft of young talent, too, including Lise & Bertrand Jousset , and Damien and Coralie Delecheneau, who make wine at La Grange Tiphaine in nearby Amboise. Montlouis’ most symbolic move toward the future came nine years ago, when the French government approved the bottling of Montlouis pétillant original—one of France’s only appellations for what we would come to call pét-nat, a wine with no sugar or yeast added to make it sparkle. Pushed by vignerons like Jousset and Chidaine, it was a perfect example of how you could succeed within an often broken French system, all while Vouvray was busy churning out tanker-truck bubbles. To be clear, this is not meant as an opportunity to pick on Vouvray.

It remains vitally important to French wine, and even today a great Vouvray is an immensely pleasurable thing, full of energy and that woolly, earthbound side that makes chenin, chenin. The last thing I’d want is for the wines to slip into the stasis that has turned appellations like Sancerre into museum pieces. But the question of whether it can truly become current remains. There is at least a partial answer in Vincent Carême , who inherited a bit of land from his parents and, in 1999, and began building his own organically farmed domaine, which now encompasses 17 hectares. Before that, Carême was an itinerant winemaker, traveling as far afield as South Africa. He has brought to Vouvray the same forward-thinking techniques—some malolactic fermentation, which is all but unheard of there; using an amphora made from sandstone—that proliferate across the river. Along with a handful of other ambitious young winemakers, like Sebastien Brunet and François Pinon’s son Julien, Carême is confident that Vouvray can turn its gaze forward.

One afternoon last October, he insisted on showing me his prized parcel, Le Clos, above the town of Vernou-sur-Brenne, a vineyard that yields wines with intense, autumnal flavors. We drove up past his cellar, crested one of the yellow tuffeau cliffs and located a plot of his 70-year-old vines, poised over the Loire, which rippled back reflections of the late afternoon sun. The vines had, sadly, just endured their final vintage; come spring, it would be time to replant. Carême was wistful, but he also knew that he couldn’t wait any longer. Even in Vouvray, the time comes when the past needs to be left in the past. Related Vouvray: A Chenin Blanc for the Ages | Into Wine Vouvray: A Chenin Blanc for the Ages by Stephen George Among Americans, the Loire Valley is most often associated with gardens and castles and not much else.

We journey the 150 kilometers southwest from Paris and take a day or two visiting Chateau de Chambord and Chenonceau, all the while enjoying the delightful flora and thinking of bygone days when princes and noblemen still roamed the cavernous halls in this ancient land. But the French know better. They know what we foreigners are just beginning to discover—that some of the most interesting, delicious, and affordable wines in the world hail from the chalky soil on which those famous castles stand. The Loire Valley, France’s largest geographical wine growing region, meanders along the Loire River from Orléans all the way to the Atlantic. It contains a number of sub-regions, many possessing their own AOC designation and growing wines unlike any other on earth. One of the best of these sub-regions, Vouvray (Voo-VRAE), is adored by wine lovers for one thing above all—producing the best darn chenin blanc you’ll ever taste. At the mention of chenin blanc—a white grape indigenous to the Loire Valley—some of you may recoil with distaste. And for good reason.

Upon singing the virtues of Vouvray recently to my mother-in-law and using its chief grape as a selling point, I was given a brief history lesson. It turns out that most chenin blanc was in the 1970s what most white zinfandel is today: pallid, generic alcoholic juice produced in bulk by corporations rather than vintners and consumed in mass by post-teen party-goers rather than wine enthusiasts. But I assure you that real chenin blanc from the land that put the grape on the map is nothing like its slanderous imitators. Good Vouvray chenin blanc is charming, firm, and delicate, exhibiting a nutty, floral, honeyed character whose rich flavor is balanced by palpable acidity and bracing minerality. Like all great wines, Vouvray tastes like the place in which it was made, its flavors reflecting the flinty clay of the soil and varying with the finicky northern weather. As a result, though not every Vouvray is good, almost every Vouvray is unique. The best cuvées from the best vintages constitute some of the most haunting, complex, long-lived white wines produced anywhere.

Chenin blanc done well is a seductive pleasure enjoyed by few outside of France, but available to all in today’s global economy. So even if you’ve been burned by the California commercial chenin blanc of yore, consider giving the grape another shake by becoming acquainted with the place where it all began. At least three things need to be said about Vouvray in order to convey a basic sense of the uniqueness of the region and its wines. Here goes: 1. Vouvray comes in multiple styles: don’t be caught unaware Essential to buying and ordering Vouvray is knowing that it comes in five styles: dry (sec) Guided tours of Loire Valley vineyards Guided tours of the vineyards of the Loire valley . Our tours of the Loire Valley and its wines The Loire Valley is a huge region and you could spend years discovering it....as we have! Many of our clients do not have the luxury of so much time and we have arranged a number of tours to condense what we have learned into a day or more of visits. These are just an idication of what we offer- the choice is yours.

If you are day-tripping from Paris we will collect you at the railway station, give you a great day out and drop you back so that you can spend the night in your hotel. The fast TGV train to St. Pierre des Corps is a polular option, opening the doors to the whites of Vouvray and Touraine and the reds of Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil. Arriving at Vierzon station allows us to visit Quincy in addition to Valençay and the Touraine, a real bonus for those who wish to experience a wider range of wines and attractive countryside. If you want to stay for longer we'll have time to show you more. There are hotels of every type and for every budget in the region and we would be pleased to pick you up and drop you off at your chosen venue. For those with a taste for the finer things in life, the Loire Valley boasts many prestegious hotels and restaurants of the highest international standiing. Full day private tour €295 (inc.

lunch) Half and full-day private tours The Touraine Picking you up at the railway station or your hotel, we start our trip with a visit to one of the greatest wine regions of the Loire. The Touraine is a very large area with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine cultivation. Many grapes varieties can be used so the differences between the wines from individual producers can be quite great. All the more interesting for the wine lover, we always think! The day is spend exploring the area, enjoying the scenery and stopping off at a number of our favourite producers to compare their wines. Red, white, rosé, still, sparkling and sweet wines can all be sampled. AOP Touraine.... The Touraine contains a number of smaller appellations, often a step up in quality but rarely seen outside of France. Depending on the days' route, we visit and taste wines from a selection of these vineyards: Touraine-Amboise, Touraine-Azay-le-Rideau,Touraine Chenonceaux, Touraine-Mesland, Touraine-Noble-Joué, Touraine Oisly, Valençay. Both rare and delicious, there are many opportunities to buy these wines as we travel.

Lunchtime is a high-point for many visitors and we make a point of finding a perfect spot to enjoy locally produced delicacies. A local chateau is often included in your tour. AOP Vouvray Clients staying in the region or travelling back to Paris by train will welcome the chance to taste wines from Vouvray and its little sister - Montlouis-sur-Loire. Situated on opposite banks of the Loire, they are renowned for their white wines produced from the Chenin blanc grape. Sparkling wines are world famous and are produced using the same techniques as in Champagne. Still wines are also appreciated and the sweeter versions- only produced in the best years - should not be missed. The traditional underground cellars make a fascinating visit. Themed day tours: The Loire Valley is rightly famous for its wines, but equally for its chateau and its gardens. These were key elements of the landscape which resulted in its classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We offer a number of themed tours highlighting the qualities of the region. Here is a selection of those which have been popular with guests: Best Loire reds - an exciting tour of the Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil vineyards.

Lunch in the medieval city of Chinon. Sauvignon Blanc tour - the region is the home of Sauvignon Blanc and offers, dry, sweet and sparkling wines; taste the full range of styles. Sparling wine tour - sparkling Touraine, Crémant-de-Loire, Vouvray and Montouise-sur-Loire, made in the same way as Champagne. Sancerre tour - high end Sauvignon blanc (white) and Pinot noir (red) wines, plus delicious cheeses from this world-famous region. (€50 suppl.) Wine and gardens - some the finest gardens of France are to be found in the Loire Valley, and many are also wine chateaux! Chenonceau chateau, park and wine - one of the great chateaux of France lies in the heart of the AOC Touraine - Chenonceau vineyards Harvest time and en-Primeur wine - come in September, October and November to experience grape picking and the newly made wine. Half day tour pricing and availability : €200 per person including local pickup. Tours available all year 'round - please contact us to check as availablity is limited. Lunch is not included.

Chateau visit optional and extra. Minimum 2 guests per trip. Typical tour schedule: pick-up 1.30pm, drop-off 5.30pm

Question: The Vouvray district of the French Loire Valley is famous for its white?
Answer: Wine