Enjoy hidden gems on a journey down the Loire

Best known for its splendid riverside chateaux and troglodyte caves, the Loire remains one of France’s hidden gems when it comes to wine. Everyone has heard of the river itself, but few realise what great value some of the lesser- known wine appellations can offer.

Along 600 miles of river, the Loire’s climate varies west to east from oceanic to continental, growing a considerable variety of grapes with a prodigious range of wine styles – including crisp, sleek, sparkling; fruity, rosé sparkling; flinty, dry white; pale, light rosé; edgy, herby reds and sensationally fresh sweet dessert wines.

This is one region that will certainly benefit from climate change with a rise in summer temperatures helping it to ripen its red grapes in particular, but for now vintages can still be inconsistent varying considerably year to year, so this is one region where vintages really do matter.

In the last decade, 2010, 2015 and 2016 have been Loire’s best vintages – with 2016 offering fresher whites than the previous year and fabulous sweet wines. Frost badly hit 2017, but there are still very good sauvignon blancs from central Loire and charming reds from Touraine.

White sparkling

The main Loire fizz, Crémant de Loire, is made anywhere from Ancenis, west of Anjou, to Blois in Touraine. The best come from chenin blanc grown on tuffeau chalk around Saumur. Made by the same method as champagne, they offer excellent value – but are at their best in their first year, not for cellaring. Sleek crisp Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Crémant de Loire (£ 11, Sainsbury’s) is made under stricter regulations than normal sparkling Saumur. If you prefer rosé fizz, the vividly fruity Crémant de Loire Rose NV Chateau de Champteloup (£ 7.99, Aldi) made from cabernet franc is worth snapping up.

My favourite Loire fizz is Vouvray. The richness, intensity, honeyed notes and minerally character of their chenin blanc- based fizz is by far the best in the region. Try Vouvray Brut Petillant 2012 Domaine Huet (£ 24, The Wine Society; Armit Wines); petillant indicates it has a soft, elegant, light mousse, racy acidity and long intense flavours.

Dry white

Huge diversity here from muscadet made from melon de Bourgogne, savennières and vouvray to chenin blanc through to sancerre and pouilly- fumé made from sauvignon blanc.

For good value, Muscadet is hard to beat. This large area has fallen from fashion, but it can offer superb bargains like lemony fresh Muscadet de Sèvre- et- Maine sur Lie 2017 (£ 5.69, Aldi) which acts like a squeeze of lemon matched with Atlantic shellfish.

For the richest most intense dry whites, chenin blancbased minerally Savennières Sec 2015 Chateau d’epire

(£ 18.75, Yapp Bros) is made on Loire’s north bank west of Angers. If you prefer sauvignon blanc, look for unusual bargains like aromatic quince flavoured Cheverny 2018 Domaine du Salvard (£ 9.50, The Wine Society) made predominantly from sauvignon – it has a limey, zesty flavour but can be softer than many Loire sauvignons due to its addition of a little chardonnay in the blend. For flinty, smoky 100 per cent sauvignon blanc, head to the red flint soils of PouillyFumé for a grassy, sleek, zippy Pouilly- Fumé 2017 Domaine de la Loge (£ 16.99, Raeburn Wines).

Rosé

Loire is known for mediumdry rosé styles like Rosé d’anjou, but many Loire rosés are actually bone dry. If you prefer a pale, light, dry rosé – head to Sancerre. Historically, the red pinot noir grape used to dominate, but this tricky grape lost favour after phylloxera to sauvignon – and only 20 per cent of its vineyards are now red. David Sautereau’s Sancerre Rosé Les Epsailles 2017

(£ 17.95, Berry Bros, www. bbr. com) from Crezancy village is typically pale with light berried aromas, light tannins and a lovely crunchy natural acidity – serve with salmon, jambon, lamb tagine or simple summer salads.

Red

Loire can struggle to ripen its red grapes: cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, gamay and pinot noir. They can have a raw bite with crunchy acidity, making them ideal partners with rich charcuterie or hard cheeses. The most intense and concentrated Loire reds are made from cabernet franc- based Chinon, Bourgeuil and St Nicolas de Bourgeuil – much loved by those who often discover these edgy reds in situ. For an easier fruit- forward style, try unoaked SaumurChampigny Tradition, Clos des Cordeliers 2016 Domaine Ratron (£ 14.95, Berry Bros & Rudd) from cabernet franc grown on tuffeau soil near Saumur in Anjou. Loire reds are often best drunk in their youth – served slightly chilled.

Sweet

Sweet wine is highly prized in the region – but barely known in the UK. Coteaux du Layon with its famous crus Bonnezeaux and Quarts de Chaume in Anjou are hidden gems, but Vouvray’s sweet Moelleux or Liquoreux styles can often be better value.

A clear favourite at our recent Loire tasting was the beautifully mature, honeyed, luscious Vouvray Moelleux 2005 from Domaine Pichot (£ 25.99 for 75cl bt, Raeburn Wines, Edinburgh) from a superb sweet wine vintage. n