introduction to the Loire Valley wines

The Loire Valley is an abundant vineyard country, rich with viticultural sites dating back to Roman times. The region provides 300km of fine vineyards, offering an exceptional range of Loire wines. The Loire Valley's total wine production makes it the third largest viticultural area in France; the second largest for sparkling wine and the largest for white wine.

The significance of wine in the Loire region is evident by the vast fields of vines which cultivate along river banks and the frequent roadsigns offering wine tastings (degustations). The region's rich soil and fine grapes develop Loire wines with a fine balance between acidity, exquisite fruit and alcohol. Loire Valley wines age excellently but they can also be enjoyed in their youth.

The Loire Valley offers a tremendously vast range of wine, with splendid flavors which greatly complement most styles of cooking.

Red Wines
The red Loire wines can be either light or full-bodied. The lighter, fruity reds are perfect for summer drinking; complementing a summer barbeque when served chilled. The fuller bodied reds, such as Chinon and Bourgueil, are perfect for autumn, often displaying their true worth after years in the cellar.

Rosé Wines
The refreshing rosé Loire wines  boast superb flavors and are exceptional for summer picnics and barbecues, such as the rosé wine of Anjou. Many rosé wines are slightly off-dry and pair perfectly with Asian cuisine.

White Wines
The fruity aromas and refreshing acidity of the Loire's white wines are ideal for spring and summer. The Loire Valley boasts an exceptional range of whites, ranging from sweet whites, such as Vouvray and Bonnezeaux, to dry/ medium whites, such as Savonniéres and Saumur; which can be enjoyed as an aperitif or as the final glass.

Sparkling Wines (Fine Bubbles)
The sparkling wines of the Loire Valley are perfect wines for the winter holidays, but can be enjoyed all year round; such as the sweet sparkling wine of Vouvray.

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