Loire

Loire
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The "royal river" (Breton Liger) sets from the Massif Central (Massif Central) in south-central France back to the Atlantic mouth of a path of 1,000 miles. He had this huge wine region with around 70,000 hectares of the name. Like all Waters he exerts a positive effect on the wine and creates the conditions for the formation of valley slopes. The Loire rises south of Lyon, first flows in a curve to the north and then turns westward near Orléans. They crossed a total of twelve departments and takes on ten tributaries. A significant wine production on both banks of the Loire on a stretch of 400 kilometers. The Romans planted vines here as early as the beginning of the era. In the 11th Century, the wines of the Loire in England and Holland were very popular and exported to these countries. In the 12th Century laid the Cistercian at Savennières a vineyard in the famous present-day situation Coulée de Serrant .

On the banks of the Loire, the French kings and aristocrats built many palaces and hunting lodges, the best are from the Renaissance under Francis I (1494-1547). It took Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) to his court, who eventually died at Amboise. And Jeanne d'Arc (1412-1431) met at Quinone the first time with King Charles VII (1403-1461) together in order to motivate him to fight against England. The UNESCO in 2000, the "Val de Loire" (Loire Valley) to World Heritage appointed.

The region is due to the size of continental climate conditions in the Massif Central to the Atlantic Ocean on the Loire estuary. In combination with different soil conditions result also various types of wine. And yet they have a commonality of fresh acidity, fruitiness and delicacy of flavor, which is due to the location of most of northern appellations. The region is primarily a white wine region. The two main varieties Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc (Pineau de la Loire) provide dry to lusciously sweet wines developed. Above all, the sparkling wines are famous, the area Saumur developed after the Champagne For the second sparkling wine center of France. The most important red grape varieties are Cabernet Franc (Breton), Gamay, Malbec (Côt) and Grolleau. From this, rosés, Vin gris won fruity red wines that are mainly intended for rapid consumption.

The great Loire region can be divided for clarity into four sections from west to east. To the west on the Atlantic coast of the lower reaches of the Loire is situated around the city of Nantes, the great range Pays Nantais the lie to the method produced Muscadet Sur-whites. The second section is the area of Anjou-Saumur with numerous enclaves. The third section is dominated by the Touraine area, also with numerous island-appellations. The fourth chapter in the historic province and former duchy of Berry in central France from the other three sections clearly demarcated and situated at the southernmost. East of here is the wine region of Burgundy and Beaujolais . The main appellations are:

* Anjou A. Coteaux de la Loire, Cabernet d'Anjou-Villages A., A.-Villages-Brissac
* Bonnezeaux
* Bourgueil , Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
* Châteaumeillant
* Cher (Vin de pays)
* Cheverny , Cour-Cheverny
* Quinone
* Coteaux d'Ancenis
* Coteaux de l'Aubance
* Coteaux du Giennois , Coteaux du Giennois Cosne-Sur-Loire
* Coteaux du Layon , Coteaux du Layon-Chaume, Coteaux du Layon-Villages
* Coteaux du Loir
* Côte Roannaise
* Côtes d'Auvergne
* Cotes du Forez
* Cremant de Loire
* Fiefs Vendéens
* Gros Plant du Pays Nantais
* Haut-Poitou
* Jardin de la France (Vin de pays)
* Jasnières
* Menetou Salon
* Montlouis-sur-Loire
* Muscadet
* Muscadet
* Muscadet
* Muscadet
* Orléans
* Orléans-Cléry
* Pays Nantais (Region)
* Pouilly-Fumé
* Pouilly-sur-Loire
* Quarts de Chaume
* Quincy
* Reuilly
* Rosé de Loire
* Saint-Pourçain
* Sancerre
* Saumur , Cabernet de Saumur, Coteaux de Saumur, Saumur-Champigny
* Savennières , Savennières Coulée de Serrant, Savennières Roche-aux-Moines
* Vins du Thouarsais (Formerly VDQS, 2011 in AOC Anjou integrated)
* Touraine T. Amboise, Touraine Azay-le-Rideau-, Touraine Mesland, T. Noble Joué
* Valençay
* Vins du Thouarsais (Formerly VDQS, 2011 in AOC Anjou integrated)
* Vouvray