Loire wine production is normally divided into four districts, running from west to east these are:- Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and Central Vineyards, a span of some 400 kilometres.

Touraine Region
From east to west, the vineyards of Touraine cover the hillsides overlooking the Loire River winding through the great châteaux (Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau and Villandry are all surrounded by vineyards). Aromatic and pleasurable AOC wines: Chinon, Bourgueil, Vouvray, Montlouis-sur-Loire and others conjure up the magic of the region.

In Touraine the most famous appellation is Vouvray and it comes in almost all conceivable styles: dry, medium, sweet versions and in addition sparkling and non-sparkling. There are three more red wine only appellations: Chinon, Bourgueil and Sain-Nicholas-de-Bourgueil based on the Cabernet Franc grape.

Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray - A co-operative of producers established in 1953 in the appellation Vouvray. They cultivate a unique grape variety called chenin and produce a range of white wines: dry, medium-dry and sweet, as well as sparkling wines.

Château de la Roche – This site includes descriptions of the vines, the cellar and wines. Azay-le-Rideau.

Château Moncontour - One of the most prestigious vineyards of Vouvray, producing sparkling and still wines.

Couly-Dutheil - Established some 75 years ago by Baptiste Dutheil, this estate has become one of the great names for Chinon.

Domaine de la Rochette - Located in the Touraine appellation, produces Cabernet, Gamay, Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau - Biodynamic producer of Vouvray. Includes a history of the domaine and region, maps, a panoramic vineyard view, and information about its wines.

Charles Joguet - This vineyard, entirely planted in Cabernet franc, dates back to 1830.

Central Region
In the Central Vineyards of the Loire, the dry white wines of AC Sancerre and AC Pouilly-Fumé have a massive following. There are three other less well known appellations within the Central Vineyards, capable of producing decent dry white wines made from Sauvingnon Blanc: Quincy, Reuilly and Menetou Salon.

Domaine de la Chézatte - A family business located close to Sancerre.

Domaine Henri Bourgeois - Produces Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé This site contains descriptions of wines, food-pairing suggestions, and online ordering.

Domaine Henry Pelle - Produces Menetou-Salon and Sancerre. Sections on history, vineyard and wines.

Fournier Père et Fils S.A. - Paul Fournier and his sons Claude and Jacques continue to run their vineyards in Sancerre with a strict respect for traditional vinification methods.

Pascal Jolivet - Producer of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume. Both English and French content.

Vincent Grall - Small estate on the slopes of Sancerre. This winemaker presents himself, his vineyard and his wines.

Nantais Region
The Nantais is the western most outpost of the Loire, lying just inside the border of Brittany. This cool, wet district produces Muscadet one of France’s most dry white wines, named after the name of the grape used to make the wine. As well as being dry, Muscadet tends to be very high in acidity and only moderate in alcohol. The fruit character is often tart and green. The basic designation for the wine is simply AC Muscadet.

Anjou-Saumur Region
Anjou-Saumur is most famous for its rosé wine. The AC Rosé d’Anjou covers fairly simple, inexpensive, medium dry rosés. The star local white grape is the Chenin Blanc. Anjou Blanc is the basic white wine appellation, and like the rosé this often appears as a medium dry wine. Saumur is most famous for its production of sparkling whites. These are made by the traditional method, but differ markedly from Champagne in being based on Chenin Blanc. Reaching right up to the border with Touraine is the appellation Saumur-Champigny, producing red wines, something for which the Loire is not particularly well known. In a warm summer, however, when black grapes can ripen properly, some decent (and occasionally a few fine) red wines can be made in the Loire. Their charm is based on elegance and freshness, rather than on richness or structure. In the Loire Valley reds the Cabernet France black grape takes a solo part and is not accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as in the Bordeaux.

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