Bourgueil Loire Valley Wine

The vineyards of Bourgueil, on the north bank of the Loire River lies between Saumur and the city of Tours, are planted mostly to Cabernet Franc, with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vines have been cultivated here since Roman times, but the founding of the Abbey of Bourgueil, in 990, marked the beginning of the development of viticulture and wine making.

The vineyards are planted on two kinds of soil: lighter, warmer soils with high percentages of sand and gravel yield supple, fruity wines that can be drunk young; and vineyards on the south-facing hillsides where the soil contains more clay and limestone yield richer, earthier wines that take longer to reach their full potential.

Most of the wines are red, although there is some rosé as well. The vineyards benefit from being open to Loire, which carries the Atlantic's regulating influence inland. The slopes are south facing, with forests that protect vines from harsh north winds, creating a moderate climate for producing some of the best Cabernet Franc wines.

RiverLoire includes the visit of a wine cellar with wine tasting in most of our tours as our region is well renowned for the quality and diversity of the wines.In line with the values of RiverLoire, we have selected only the finest producers of the region. Feel free to have a look at our   Fully Guided Loire Valley Tours, Self Guided Loire Valley Tours our all of our Loire Valley wine tours far from the beaten track