Friday Fact: Hanging out

Did you know that the Loire Valley has one of the latest harvests of all wine-producing regions in France?

It takes an average of 120 days for grapes to ripen. In very warm years, winemakers in the Loire Valley may harvest earlier to prevent overripe fruit. In cooler years, they hope for a couple of extra dry, sunny weeks at the end of September and even into early October to give the grapes extra “hang time,” helping them reach optimal ripeness.

Typically, that range of harvest dates falls somewhere in September or October. However, this year, winemakers in the Loire Valley (as...

2010: A strong vintage across the Loire

The first major tasting of 2010 Loire wines occurred earlier this year at the Salon des Vins de Loire. Reports from the Salon have confirmed that conditions were favorable throughout the year, producing wines with great aromatic character and bright acidity.

Pays Nantais: Nature has certainly agreed with the Nantais this year. Spring brought sunny days, but without extreme temperatures, allowing even bud break and slow, even ripening of grape bunches. The temperature difference between day and night was particularly marked this year, allowing grapes to keep their fresh acidity....