Soils Pays Nantais
Gravel & sand
(granite & schist)
Soils Anjou-Saumur
Tuffeau limestone -
porous, retains heat (Chenin)
Soils Touraine
Mix: tuffeau, sand, clay, flint
(Chenin & Cab)
Soils Central Valleys
Chalky limestone & Silex (flint)
(Sauv Blanc)
Pays Nantais - climate & varietals
Cool Maritime
Melon de Bourgogone
Anjou-Saumur - climate & varietals
Warmer Atlantic bold text
Hillsides protect, Loire reflects
Chenin - all styles
Cab Franc - light & rosés
Gamay - rosés (Anjou)
Touraine - climate & varietals
More continental
Cab Franc
Chenin all styles
Sauv blanc begins
Central - climate & varietals
Cooler continental
Sauv - flinty/smokey
Pinot Noir - elegant, mineral
Sauvignon wines
Sancerre - refined, chalky, floral
Pouilly-Fumé - flint, mineral
Menetou-Salon - softer, approachable
Chenin wines
Vouvray - all styles
Savennières - structured, long-lived
Quarts de Chaume & Bonnezeaux AOP - Crus
Coteaux du Layon - botrytis
Saumur Brut / Vouvray Mousseux
Melon wines
Muscadet
M. Sèvre et Maine - crisp, bone dry, sur lie
Cab Franc wines
Saumur-Champigny - elegant, aromatic
Chinon - fresh
Bourgueil + St. Nic. - earthy, structured
Cabernet d’Anjou - off-dry to med sweet
Labelling
- Primeur/nouveau - early release
- Appellation + colour/region
- Village only
- Grape: blanc, rouge, rosé
- Sec, demi-sec, moelleux, doux
Muscadet:
- Cru communale (longer lees)
- Clos
- Chateaux vs Domaines
Pays Nantais AOPs
Muscadet AOP
Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOP
Anjou-Saumur AOPs
Anjou AOP
Coteaux du Layon - botrytis
Bonnezeaux & Quarts de Chaume - “Grand Crus”
Savennières
Saumur AOP - plush reds
Saumur-Champigny - elegant, perfumed
Saumur Brut + Crémant de Loire
Touraine AOPs
Touraine AOP - 3 colours
Vouvray AOP - all Chenin
Chinon AOP - fresh Cab, some Chen
Bourgueil & St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil - structured
Crémant de Loire AOP
Central AOPs
Sancerre AOP - crisp, mineral; light and rosés Pinot
Pouilly Fuissé AOP
Menetou-Salon AOP - both, more Pinot
Reuilly & Quincy - good value Sauv
