By country :: France :: Loire
The Loire river is France's longest, and it connects some of the country's most majestic châteaux, once the playground of the French élite. In fact Touraine claims to be the birthplace of the national language.
Some of France's most well-known representatives such as Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and Saumur lie within the boundaries of the Loire Valley. It is geographically situated on the very limits of commercially viable viticulture, and so one of the wines' trademarks is relatively high acidity. It is a very varied region, and can seem quite complicated at times in terms of names and labels.
Generally speaking, the Loire can be divided into three main parts; the upper Loire, which plays host mainly to Sauvignon Blanc vineyards, the middle Loire, which is the Loire's most diverse viticulturally, and the Muscadet region, which sits around the mouth of the Loire river and is distinctly oceanic. Grape varieties planted in the Loire valley include Gros Plant, Melon de Bourgogne, Pineau d'Aunis, Grolleau, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Gamay, Côt, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir, to name but a few.
Richard
Found 19 products.
Côteaux du Layon St. Lambert Domaine Vincent Ogereau 2010Our price: From £15.75Vincent Ogereau is currently considered one of this dynamic region's most outstanding producers. This appellation, in the region around the medieval city of Angers, produces its high-quality sweet white wines from grapes grown along the Layon River. The climate, soils and grape type are ideal for producing some of the world's finest sweet wines. The early morning fog that rises off the Layon creates the high humidity necessary for developing Botrytis Cinerea, the famous 'Noble Rot' which makes great sweet white wines such as Sauternes. The warm afternoon sunshine and long harvest season allows full ripening of the grapes, which shrivel and concentrate the sugars. The village indication 'Saint Lambert' on the label indicates a higher level of quality.
Chinon, Domaine Herault 2009Our price: From £9.90Based in Panzoult, in the heart of the appellation, this family estate spans 24 hectares and solely cultivates Cabernet Franc, also known locally as Breton. The estate is split between two terroirs, gravel in the valley, and limestone/clay on the hillside. Thanks to a full southern exposure, the grapes benefit from great ripening potential. This is translated into a typical but ripe, round and juicy Chinon with lovely raspberry notes. Furthermore, the wines benefit from maturing in the large underground cellars that were dug up during the thirteenth century. The local stone is called "Tuffeau" (a kind of limestone) and was used to build the fabulous Chateaux all along the Loire Valley during the Renaissance, including Chenonceau where Mary Queen of Scots grew up.
Cremant de Loire NV Domaine LangloisOur price: From £13.41Under the auspices of Bollinger, this wine is made from Cabernet Franc. The flavours are of ripe raspberry and blackcurrant with a deliciously fresh and dry finish.
Cremant de Loire Rosé NV Domaine LangloisOur price: From £13.95Under the auspices of Bollinger, this wine is made from Cabernet Franc. The flavours are of ripe raspberry and blackcurrant with a deliciously fresh and dry finish.
Gamay Pinot Noir de Touraine, Domaine de la Rochette 2010Our price: From £8.32Hidden amongst the most beautiful chateaux in the Loire, right in the heart of the region and close to the banks of the river Cher, Domaine de la Rochette comprises 46 hectares of vines used to produce both red and white wines. Now run by Francois Leclair, the latest of three generations of fathers and sons to control proceedings, the estate is part of the "Appellation d'Origine Controlee Touraine", indicating that all vines have passed quality control checks that render the wines they produce of a sufficient level to be bottled as "high quality".
Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine, Château Haute Carizière 2010Our price: From £7.87This area is experiencing a revival with quality-minded producers pushing for reforms in the appellation itself. Smaller yields and an understanding of the various terroirs have led to the production of much better Muscadets. Daniel Bideau and Marie-Béatrice Giraud are examples of such forward thinkers. Their estate is 'Terra Vitis' registered, meaning that they are committed to environmental sustainability in their winemaking. Their Muscadet is reminiscent of quality Trebbiano from Italy, with lovely floral and almond notes.
Pouilly Fumé Jonathan et Didier Pabiot 2010Our price: From £13.41Jonathan was one the very first producers we started to work with and he was certainly the youngest. His certified organic estate has grown to 27 ha and he is now being recognised by his peers as one of the best young producers of the appellation. His Pouilly Fumé is getting better by the vintage but his parcellar selections are attracting a lot of interest. Aubaine is made from a single parcel on very stony soils and Predilection is made from old vines on a very steep slope of poor Kidmerigian soil which produces very low yields. Both cuvees rest on their lees for 12 months in an underground concrete tank, at a constant temperature. These wines definitely need decanting. The Pouilly sur Loire is a new project for Jonathan and is made with the original and ancient Chasselas grape variety which is knowing a bit of revival. Eurythmie is made with the Predilection cuvee which has matured for 10 months in oak barrels.
Pouilly Fumé Jonathan et Didier Pabiot 2010 (half bottle)Our price: From £6.97Jonathan was one the very first producers we started to work with and he was certainly the youngest. His certified organic estate has grown to 27 ha and he is now being recognised by his peers as one of the best young producers of the appellation. His Pouilly Fumé is getting better by the vintage but his parcellar selections are attracting a lot of interest. Aubaine is made from a single parcel on very stony soils and Predilection is made from old vines on a very steep slope of poor Kidmerigian soil which produces very low yields. Both cuvees rest on their lees for 12 months in an underground concrete tank, at a constant temperature. These wines definitely need decanting. The Pouilly sur Loire is a new project for Jonathan and is made with the original and ancient Chasselas grape variety which is knowing a bit of revival. Eurythmie is made with the Predilection cuvee which has matured for 10 months in oak barrels.
Pouilly Fume Eurythmie Jonathan et Didier Pabiot 2008Our price: From £32.85Jonathan was one the very first producers we started to work with and he was certainly the youngest. His certified organic estate has grown to 27 ha and he is now being recognised by his peers as one of the best young producers of the appellation. His Pouilly Fumé is getting better by the vintage but his parcellar selections are attracting a lot of interest. Aubaine is made from a single parcel on very stony soils and Predilection is made from old vines on a very steep slope of poor Kidmerigian soil which produces very low yields. Both cuvees rest on their lees for 12 months in an underground concrete tank, at a constant temperature. These wines definitely need decanting. The Pouilly sur Loire is a new project for Jonathan and is made with the original and ancient Chasselas grape variety which is knowing a bit of revival. Eurythmie is made with the Predilection cuvee which has matured for 10 months in oak barrels.
Pouilly Fume Predilection 2008 Jonathan et Didier PabiotOur price: From £28.35Jonathan was one the very first producers we started to work with and he was certainly the youngest. His certified organic estate has grown to 27 ha and he is now being recognised by his peers as one of the best young producers of the appellation. His Pouilly Fumé is getting better by the vintage but his parcellar selections are attracting a lot of interest. Aubaine is made from a single parcel on very stony soils and Predilection is made from old vines on a very steep slope of poor Kidmerigian soil which produces very low yields. Both cuvees rest on their lees for 12 months in an underground concrete tank, at a constant temperature. These wines definitely need decanting. The Pouilly sur Loire is a new project for Jonathan and is made with the original and ancient Chasselas grape variety which is knowing a bit of revival. Eurythmie is made with the Predilection cuvee which has matured for 10 months in oak barrels.
Pouilly sur Loire Jonathan Pabiot 2010Our price: From £11.25Jonathan is l'Art du Vin's youngest wine producer, he comes from a family of extremely talented winemakers. Jonathan shows great promise, and he is already working towards a conversion to biodynamic winemaking. Jonathan only produces 12,000 bottles a year, and l'Art du Vin feels privileged to represent him in Scotland. Based in Les Loges, Jonathan has his own vineyard, whose soil is composed of clay, sand, limestone and silex. Vinification takes place at the family 'Chai'.
Sancerre Blanc 'L'Esprit de Rudolph' Domaine Vincent Gaudry 2010Our price: From £18.45Vincent's domaine is situated in Sury en Vaux (meaning the smiling Valley), a few kilometres from Sancerre. Certified Biodynamic since 2004, Vincent has received much attention from the organic and biodynamic farming community for his ground-breaking research into alternative methods for organic farming, to the extent that Domaine de la Romanée Conti have asked him to train their staff. Committed to every detail of the biodynamic process, Vincent even uses barrels fabricated with wood cut only on days suggested by the biodynamic calendar.His wines are a true expression of the Sancerre terroir at its best, and their quality makes them some of the best Sauvignon we have ever tasted.
Sancerre Blanc 'Tournebride' Domaine Vincent Gaudry 2010Our price: From £15.75Vincent's domaine is situated in Sury en Vaux (meaning the smiling Valley), a few kilometres from Sancerre. Certified Biodynamic since 2004, Vincent has received much attention from the organic and biodynamic farming community for his ground-breaking research into alternative methods for organic farming, to the extent that Domaine de la Romanée Conti have asked him to train their staff. Committed to every detail of the biodynamic process, Vincent even uses barrels fabricated with wood cut only on days suggested by the biodynamic calendar.His wines are a true expression of the Sancerre terroir at its best, and their quality makes them some of the best Sauvignon we have ever tasted.
Sancerre Blanc Domaine Yves Martin 2010Our price: From £13.27This Domaine is based in Chavignol, one of the best sites in Sancerre and known also for the production of a small goat's cheese called 'Crotin'. With Pierre Martin now at the helm, these wines are very straightforward and deliver all the elegance expected from Sancerre wines.
Sancerre Rouge 'Vincengetorix' Domaine Vincent Gaudry 2009Our price: From £17.10Vincent's domaine is situated in Sury en Vaux (meaning the smiling Valley), a few kilometres from Sancerre. Certified Biodynamic since 2004, Vincent has received much attention from the organic and biodynamic farming community for his ground-breaking research into alternative methods for organic farming, to the extent that Domaine de la Romanée Conti have asked him to train their staff. Committed to every detail of the biodynamic process, Vincent even uses barrels fabricated with wood cut only on days suggested by the biodynamic calendar.His wines are a true expression of the Sancerre terroir at its best, and their quality makes them some of the best Sauvignon we have ever tasted.
Saumur Champigny "Terres Chaudes" Biodynamic 2009 Thierry GermainOur price: From £17.32Serious wines are produced at this estate run by the charismatic Thierry Germain. His approach is closer to a Burgundy wine-maker than a typical Loire producer. This 50-acre domaine, situated in a superb viticultural location in the appellation of Saumur Champigny, has been a winery since 1850. Germain, from a long line of Bordeaux winemakers, arrived here in 1991, attracted by the region’s perfect balance of grape varietal, climate and terroir, which he considers one of the finest in France. The vineyard is worked in a natural way with the goal of keeping the vine and the soil at its healthiest (lutte raisonée). The harvest is manual, selecting grapes at their very ripest level. Vinification is handled in small batches with bottling unfined and unfiltered. Germain has garnered praise in the European press for his exciting wines, which are always filled with ripe, generous fruit and supple textures.
Sauvignon Touraine 'Fleur de Printemps' Domaine Rochette 2010Our price: From £8.32Hidden amongst the most beautiful chateaux in the Loire, right in the heart of the region and close to the banks of the river Cher, Domaine de la Rochette comprises 46 hectares of vines used to produce both red and white wines. Now run by Francois Leclair, the latest of three generations of fathers and sons to control proceedings, the estate is part of the "Appellation d'Origine Controlee Touraine", indicating that all vines have passed quality control checks that render the wines they produce of a sufficient level to be bottled as "high quality".
Savennières Roche aux Moines 2004Our price: From £17.10Monique Laroche and daughter Tessa run this very well-known estate. The Pineau de Loire, otherwise known as Chenin Blanc, is at its best here.
Vouvray Sec Champalou 2009Our price: From £12.82Another fine example of Chenin Blanc grape growing, the Vouvray Sec is dry but tender. It is ideal with one of the local specialities 'Rillettes', a potted meat made with pork.The Brut undergoes a secondary fermentation in bottle, and was traditionally known as 'petillant'. The cellars are typical of the Touraine region. They are dug into the local limestone, the 'Tuffeau', a stone that was used to build all of the famous Châteaux in the region, such as Chenonceau. These 'Troglodyte' cellars are ideal for ageing wine, as they keep a cool, ambient temperature and a certain level of humidity.
