Best Loire Valley wines to buy

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• What is Loire Valley white wine?
• What is Loire Valley red wine?
• Main grapes to know from the Loire Valley
• What food to pair with Loire Valley wine
• Loire Valley wine regions
• Best Loire Valley wines to buy

What is Loire Valley white wine?

Known as the ‘garden of France’, the dreamy, bucolic Loire valley is dotted with hundreds of turreted châteaux, dating from the late 15th century when the royal court was based here, as well as thousands of vineyards producing great-value wines.

Crisp muscadet whites are made from the melon de bourgogne grape and are dream matches for the oysters and other seafood found on the nearby Atlantic coast, while sauvignon blanc is used in the classy dry wines from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé at the eastern end of the valley, and in the central Touraine region where better value is often found.

Sancerre's whites are famed for the finesse and purity of their elderflower and grassy notes, as well as their racy minerality that comes from the limestone and flinty soils found in the area. Land is expensive here, hence the more hefty price tags, but a good sauv blanc from Sancerre is really hard to beat, especially if it’s matched with goat’s cheese or grilled asparagus.

Chardonnay is also grown, but chenin blanc is the Loire’s flagship white grape, and is the one currently exciting me most. Chenin’s inherent acidity gives it great versatility, so it’s used successfully to make sparkling wines (look for crémants de Loire, made the same way as champagne) and all styles of still wines, from bone dry to lusciously sweet, sometimes fermented and/or aged in oak for extra complexity. Some, most famously from Vouvray, are often made off-dry, a style also known as sec tendre. These can be tricky to get to know but are well worth attention; many of us shy away from sweetness in table wine, and it’s true that cheap vouvray can be unpleasantly cloying, but the best of these are a revelation with creamy or cheesy dishes that are often hard to match with wine – mac ’n’ cheese or fish pie are perfect partners.

What is Loire Valley red wine?

When it comes to reds, trendy cabernet franc is the star attraction, medium-bodied and prettily perfumed, with crunchy berry fruits given structure by an energetic minerality rather than by burly tannins. Pinot noir and gamay also appear, soft and whispery, and lovely for spring drinking, especially if slightly chilled.

Sancerre’s reds and rosés are less well known than its whites – they make up only 20% of its total production – but are well worth seeking out. Made from pinot noir, the refined elegance of the reds can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those from Burgundy, while the rosés make a pleasing, often more fruity, change from the more ubiquitous Provençale styles, and are an ace match for summery dishes such as poached salmon.

The complexity of the Loire’s different appellations and the many wine styles they produce can be confusing, and often labels aren’t much help – levels of sweetness are rarely indicated, for example – so it’s worth doing a little research before dipping your toes in its lesser-known waters.

Main grapes to know from the Loire Valley

White: Melon de bourgogne, chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay.

Red: Cabernet franc, gamay, pinot noir, côt (malbec) and pineau d’aunis.

What food to pair with Loire Valley wine

Muscadet cries out for seafood, especially oysters and fried fish. The same goes for all the Loire’s sauvignon blancs, which also suit summery salads, while richer chenin blancs sit well with river fish in beurre blanc, a classic local dish. Cabernet franc is an excellent foil for rich, meaty dishes and brilliant for a barbecue when served slightly chilled.

Loire Valley wine regions

The key to Loire wine is knowing the three main sub-regions along the valley and the wines they’re famous for which, confusingly, are often labelled with the place they come from (the appellation) rather than grape variety.

Coastal Pays Nantais is best known for muscadet, made with melon de bourgogne. Look for sur lie on the label, which means the wine has been aged on its lees (the dead yeast cells) after fermentation to give complexity and creaminess.

Anjou-Saumur makes fantastic fizz and whites with chenin blanc (especially good from Savennières), as well as rosés and reds with cabernet franc and/or gamay.

Touraine also has more restrained and less grassy sauvignon blanc, along with chenin blancs from Vouvray made sweet and dry, and crunchy cabernet francs from Chinon and Bourgueil. Further east are Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre, both famed for sauvignon blanc but in the latter’s case also making fine pinot noirs.

Best Loire Valley wine to buy

The Society’s Saumur Brut NV

• Available from The Wine Society (£10.76)

Founded in 1864, Gratien & Meyer buys grapes, juice and wine from producers in the heart of the Anjou region to make some of its most reliable wine. This traditional method sparkler, made with chenin blanc and just a little cabernet franc, has generous, peachy fruit, creamy bubbles and a refreshing lemony finish – this is fantastic value for money and great for a party.

Available from:
The Wine Society (£10.76)

Domaine des Herbauges, Fief Guérin Muscadet Côtes De Grandlieu Sur Lie

• Available from Waitrose (£10)

Muscadet rather fell out of favour in recent years but deserves attention for well made, characterful wines at excellent prices such as this. Made by the leading estate in the Côtes de Grandlieu appellation with grapes from the Fief Guérin, one of the oldest vineyards in the region, this super sur lie is bright and breezy with zesty fruit and a little yeasty, salty savouriness.

Available from:
Waitrose (£10)

La Niverdière, Renaissance Chinon 2019

• Available from Modal Wines (£31.50)

Martine Budé is a self-taught winemaker who set up this domaine in 2015 where she ages natural wines in concrete vats rather than the more usual oak barrels, which gives a certain elegance. Cabernet franc, fragrant with violet scented fruit, can be a bit tight and green in its youth but here has evolved into a wonderful wine with lifted layers of brambly fruit, herbs, wood smoke and wet leaves.

Available from:
Modal Wines (£31.50)

Morrisons The Best Touraine Rosé

• Available from Morrisons (£8.50)

Cabernet franc and gamay are blended in this bargain rosé. Full of summery berries and sunshine, it’s a top match for honey masala chicken with tangy corn and mango.

Available from:
Morrisons (£8.50)

Bouvet-Ladubay Blanc de Blancs Crémant de Loire

• Available from Majestic (£16)

A smart choice for lovers of blanc de blancs champagnes (meaning they’re made with 100% chardonnay grapes) – fantastic value for some very
classy bubbles.

Available from:
Majestic (£16)

Tesco Finest Sancerre Rosé

• Available from Tesco (£16)

Prettily pale but with plenty of vibrant raspberry and redcurrant fruits, a great example of Sancerre rośe that comes with the region’s trademark crisp minerality. Try it with our spiced fish cakes with carrot and cucumber salad.

Available from:
Tesco (£16)

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