At 600-plus miles, the Loire is France's longest river, running from its source in the Auvergne ("deepest" France, southeast of Clermont-Ferrand), through château country, and on to the Atlantic. In French cultural life, the Loire is considered by many to be the heart of France, evoking its history, even giving birth to the purest form of its language. Wine is grown along a whopping 250 miles of its banks. Understandably, given the enormous surface area involved, the region hosts a plethora of appellations; but with relatively few grape varieties and not many more styles of wine, getting a grip on the Loire   More

At 600-plus miles, the Loire is France's longest river, running from its source in the Auvergne ("deepest" France, southeast of Clermont-Ferrand), through château country, and on to the Atlantic. In French cultural life, the Loire is considered by many to be the heart of France, evoking its history, even giving birth to the purest form of its language. Wine is grown along a whopping 250 miles of its banks. Understandably, given the enormous surface area involved, the region hosts a plethora of appellations; but with relatively few grape varieties and not many more styles of wine, getting a grip on the Loire and wines is not as challenging as one might assume.

In the upper Loire (i.e., east of Tours in the areas surrounding Bourges), Sauvignon Blanc dominates and is responsible for crisp, refreshing whites like Pouilly-Fumé, Sancerre (from which some reds and rosés are made from Pinot Noir), Quincy, Reuily, and Menetou-Salon. Heading west to the vineyards around Tours, one encounters whites derived from Chenin Blanc: Vouvray, Montlouis, and Jasnières, which can range from extremely dry to very sweet; Savennières, which is always bone dry or close to it; Saumur, dry and either still or sparkling; and Côteaux-du-Layon and Quarts de Chaume, both of which are always rich and sweet. The reds here—Chinon, Bourgueil, St. Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, and Saumur-Champigny—are some of the most engaging examples of Cabernet Franc anywhere. Finally, as one nears the Atlantic and the pays nantais, Muscadet—the quintessential dry shellfish wine—asserts its dominance.   Less