Friday Fact: We do things a little differently
Here in the Loire Valley, we are certainly unique. We are France’s longest and most diverse wine-producing region, producing wines in every style – red, white, rosé; still or sparkling; dry, off-dry or sweet. You name it, we make it.
Many of the varietals made famous by other regions, such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, are secondary varietals in the Loire Valley. Grown in small quantities, these varietals are used only for blending.
Unlike other wine regions in France, such as Burgundy and Bordeaux, the Loire Valley doesn’t really have predominant grape varieties. While our wines tend to be mainly single varietals, we don’t label them by grape but by place. And we often blend small quantities of other grapes to make the best final wine possible.
As such a large region, there is a wide span in climate and soil types across the region, which is why we can produce so many wines so well. We have 65 appellations, each specializing in the grapes that ripen best in that region. Our regional specialties vary from the recognized Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir to lesser known varieties, such as Melon de Bourgonge, Grolleau and Pineau d’Aunis – all three of which are grown nowhere else.
All grape varieties in the Loire have in common the ability to ripen fully in a short growing season and a relatively high level of acidity, a product of the region’s generally moderate climate. As such, in the Loire Valley we tend to have success here with grapes that may not typically achieve their full potential in a warmer climate.