Collection: Buy Loire wines

The Loire Valley: diversity and freshness

Located in the central-west of France, the Loire Valley is a vineyard particularly renowned for the diversity and elegance of its white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines. With varied soils and a temperate climate with a strong oceanic influence for the most part, the region offers a terroir conducive to the cultivation of many grape varieties such as Chenin, Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc.Moreover, the vineyard accounts for nearly 23% of organically cultivated vines, one of the highest percentages in France !

Embark on a journey to discover the wonderful local AOPs such as Saumur, Bourgueil, Pouilly-Fumé, or Chinon and let's navigate together from château to estate, you will not be disappointed by the journey !

Terroirs, grape varieties, and appellations

The Loire region is divided into 5 sub-regions : Fiefs Vendéens, Pays Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, and the Centre-Loire area to the far east. Let's explore together the specificities of each of these vineyards.

Fiefs Vendéens: a vineyard between land and ocean

The Fiefs Vendéens, located in Vendée near the Atlantic coast, form a terroir increasingly sought after for the production of fresh and elegant wines at affordable prices. Created in 2011, the AOP Fiefs Vendéens remains a very young appellation.

The climate here is clearly oceanic and provides an ideal freshness to preserve the natural acidity of the wines. The main grape varieties cultivated for the production of red wine are Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Grolleau, and Négrette. For white wine, the key varieties are Chenin, Muscadet (or Melon de Bourgogne), and Chardonnay.

The soils of Fiefs Vendéens are varied, mixing schists, limestones, and gravels, which allows for the cultivation of multiple grape varieties. The white wines are often aromatic and lively, while the reds offer notes of spices and light red and black fruits.

The Pays Nantais: the land of Muscadet

The Pays Nantais, located near the city of Nantes and the mouth of the Loire, is the westernmost terroir of the vineyard. The vineyard is particularly famous for its flagship grape variety, the Melon de Bourgogne (or Muscadet), which produces a dry and mineral white wine, often aged on lees to give it a round texture and aromatic complexity. Also noteworthy is the presence of the Folle Blanche grape variety, allowing for the production of the white wine Gros-Plant, produced in the eponymous AOC.

The largest appellation of the Pays Nantais remains the AOC Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine. It is accompanied by many others such as the AOC Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire, the AOP Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu, or simply the AOC Muscadet, allowing for differentiation of all the subtle nuances of Muscadet according to the geological specificities of each terroir.

The soils here are mainly composed of schist, gneiss, and granite, bringing a distinctive minerality to the wines.

The oceanic climate dominates in the Pays Nantais, with mild winters and moderate summers, favoring the production of fresh, mineral, and light white wines.

The Anjou-Saumur: a vineyard with a thousand facets

Further to the East, the Anjou-Saumur vineyard is one of the most varied terroirs of the Loire. The region indeed allows the production of wines of all kinds: red, white, rosé, sparkling, semi-dry and sweet are on the agenda here.

Although all types of bottles are produced here, Anjou remains mainly renowned for its white wines made from the Chenin Blanc grape variety produced in appellations such as Anjou, Saumur, Savennières, Coteaux du Layon, or Anjou-Coteaux-de-la-Loire.It should also be noted that approximately 34% of the vineyard is organically cultivated, the highest proportion in the entire valley!

In red, Cabernet Franc is the star grape variety of the Saumur-Champigny and Anjou rouge appellations, producing smooth wines with notes of red fruits and spices. Cabernet Sauvignon is also present in smaller quantities, as well as Grolleau.

The Saumur region is also renowned for its fine bubbles, produced using the traditional method, with wines like Saumur Brut and Crémant de Loire, appreciated for their freshness and liveliness.

Within Anjou-Saumur, the climate is temperate, marked by oceanic and continental influences. The soils, very diverse, alternate between schists, limestones, and gravels. This variety of terroirs thus offers winemakers great freedom in crafting their bottles.

Touraine: the garden of France

Touraine, sometimes nicknamed the "garden of France," is another prestigious terroir of the Loire Valley. This vineyard located around the towns of Tours and Chinon benefits from a temperate climate, where Atlantic and continental influences meet.

The soils are mainly composed of tuffeau, limestone, and clay, offering ideal conditions for wines that are both elegant and complex. Along the Loire, some plots are also composed of gravel.

The reds, mainly from the Cabernet Franc grape variety, are renowned for their finesse and aging potential, like the Chinon (domaine Fabrice Gasnier), the Bourgueil (domaine Lamé Delisle Boucard), and the Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (domaine Amirault Clos des Quarterons), expressing notes of red fruits and undergrowth. Côt (Malbec), Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis, Grolleau, and even Pinot Noir are also present in small volumes.

In white, the most planted grape variety in Touraine remains Sauvignon, particularly for the Touraine and Touraine Chenonceaux appellations. These are dry, fresh, and aromatic, offering on the palate notes of citrus, exotic fruits, and sometimes flint.

Nevertheless, in terms of prestige, the most renowned white wines from the vineyard undoubtedly come from Chenin blanc. The renowned AOCs here are Vouvray (domaine François et Julien Pinon) and Montlouis-sur-Loire (domaine de la Taille aux Loups). Other wine regions are also worth a visit, such as the lesser-known IGP Coteaux du Vendômois and AOC Cour-Cheverny, offering excellent value for money.

The Centre-Loire: kingdom of Sauvignon blanc

The Centre-Loire, located around the towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire, is the easternmost region of the Loire Valley. This terroir is characterized by limestone hills and soils composed of flint, clay, and marl. The climate here is more continental, with cold winters and hot summers, contributing to the concentration of aromas in the wines.

About 80% of the bottles produced in the region are white. The Sauvignon is also the emblematic grape variety, producing wines of great purity with aromas of white fruits, citrus, and flint.

The Touraine appellations such as Sancerre (domaine Bernard Fleuriet & Fils, domaine Pascal & Nicolas Reverdy) and Pouilly-Fumé (Michel Redde et Fils) are among the most renowned in France. Other AOPs are also worth exploring, such as Menetou-Salon, Reuilly, or Quincy.The white wines here are always based on Sauvignon but generally offer less depth and aromatic complexity.

Red and rosé wines are also produced in the vineyard, mainly based on Pinot Noir.

Loire wine delivery at the best price

You will have understood, the wine richness of the Loire is remarkable and constitutes an unforgettable visiting experience. Its emblematic grape varieties, prestigious appellations, types of wines, and distinct terroirs make it a true wine jewel where you will certainly find bottles that match your tastes.

All you have to do is make your choice from our range... we look forward to hearing your feedback !

Additionally, don't forget that all the wines we offer on our site are in stock and perfectly preserved in our cellars. We also offer home delivery (standard and express) as well as delivery to a pick-up point to suit your needs, whether it's for an order of a single bottle or several cases !