The Loire Valley is a sprawling, and very productive region of France, the country’s ‘3rd largest appellation region in France, comprising a total of 51 appellations and 4 IGP.  The area between Chalonnes-sur-Loire (Maine et Loire) and Sully-sur-Loire (Loiret) has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status – one of only ten European winegrowing regions distinguished in this way,’ (Source: Loire Valley Wines.)

Climate: Dave Broom (1996) points out how the Loire lies close to the northern and western limits of viticulture and wine growing is possible only because ‘the convectional cycle between the river and the land helps to raise temperatures a few degrees, reducing the chances of frost, as well as creating slopes that gather the sin’s rays, vital in such marginal climates.

Loire Valley Vineyard map: See here.

Departments: Loire Valley wines are produced in the following 14 departments (‘départements’): Loire-Atlantique, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres, Sarthe, Indre-et-Loire, Vienne, Loir-et-Cher, Indre, Loiret, Cher, Nièvre, Allier and Puy de Dôme.

Loire regions: Nantais. See here for info on Nantais from the official Loire Valley Wines website.

Loire appellations

Generic: Val de Loire AOC.

Anjou-Saumur: Anjou AOC. | Anjou Gamay AOC. | Anjou-Villages AOC. | Anjou-Villages Brissac AOC. | Anjou Coteaux de la Loire AOC. | Bonnezeaux AOC. | Cabernet d’Anjou AOC. | Coteaux de l’Aubance AOC. | Coteaux de Saumur AOC. | Coteaux du Layon AOC. | Coteaux du Layon-Village AOC. | Coteaux du Layon-Village AOC Beaulieu-sur-Layon. | Coteaux du Layon-Village AOC Faye-d’Anjou. | Coteaux du Layon-Village AOC Rablay-sur-Layon. | Coteaux du Layon-Village AOC Rochefort-sur-Loire. | Coteaux du Layon-Village AOC Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné. | Coteaux du Layon-Village AOC Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay. | Coulée de Serrant AOC. | Haut-Poitou AOC. | Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru. | Rosé d’Anjou AOC. | Saumur AOC. | Saumur AOC Mousseux or Fines Bulles. | Saumur Puy Notre Dame AOC. | Saumur-Champigny AOC. | Savennières AOC. | Savennières-Roche aux Moines AOC.

Auvergne: Côtes d’Auvergne AOC. | Saint-Pourçain AOC.

Centre-Loire: Châteaumeillant AOC. | Coteaux de Tannay IGP. | Coteaux du Cher et de l’Arnon IGP. | Coteaux du Giennois AOC. | Côtes de la Charité IGP. | Menetou-Salon AOC. | Pouilly-Fumé AOC. | Pouilly-sur-Loire AOC. | Quincy AOC. | Reuilly AOC. | Sancerre AOC.

Pays Nantais: Fiefs Vendéens AOC. | Fiefs Vendéens AOC Brem. | Fiefs Vendéens AOC Chantonnay. | Fiefs Vendéens AOC Mareuil. | Fiefs Vendéens AOC Pissotte. | Fiefs Vendéens AOC Vix. | Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOC. | Muscadet AOC. | Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC. | Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC. | Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC. | Coteaux d’Ancenis AOC.

Touraine: Bourgueil AOC. | Cheverny AOC. | Chinon AOC. | Coteaux-du-Loir AOC. | Coteaux-du-Vendômois AOC. | Cour-Cheverny AOC. | Jasnières AOC. | Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC. | Orléans AOC. | Orléans-Cléry AOC. | Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC. | Touraine AOC. | Touraine Amboise AOC. | Touraine Azay-le-Rideau AOC. | Touraine Chenonceaux AOC. | Touraine Mesland AOC. | Touraine Oisly AOC. | Touraine Noble-Joué AOC. | Valençay AOC. | Vouvray AOC.

IGP Wines

Production of Loire Valley  IGP wines is permitted across 14 Departments in the  Loire Valley winegrowing region, namely Loire  Atlantique, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire, Deux- Sèvres, Sarthe, Indre-et-Loire, Vienne, Loir- et-Cher, Indre, Loiret, Cher, Nièvre, Allier and Puy de Dôme.

Regulations specify that the following geographical names may be  added  to the Loire Valley IGP descriptor  where applicable: Allier, Cher,  Indre,  Indre-et-  Loire,  Loir-et-Cher,   Loire-Atlantique,  Loiret, Maine-et-Loire, Nièvre, Sarthe, Vendée, Vienne, Marches de Bretagne and Pays de Retz.

Production of Loire Valley  IGP wines is permitted across 14 Departments in the  Loire Valley  winegrowing region, namely Loire  Atlantique, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire, Deux- Sèvres, Sarthe, Indre-et-Loire, Vienne, Loir- et-Cher, Indre, Loiret, Cher, Nièvre, Allier and Puy de Dôme.

Regulations specify that the following geographical names may be  added  to  the Loire Valley IGP descriptor  where applicable: Allier, Cher,  Indre,  Indre-et-  Loire,  Loir-et-Cher,   Loire-Atlantique,  Loiret, Maine-et-Loire, Nièvre, Sarthe, Vendée, Vienne, Marches de Bretagne and Pays de Retz.

Departmental: Cher IGP. 

Official website: www.vinsdeloire.fr/en.

Bibliography

Dave Broom, ‘Catching its Drift’, Wine Magazine, March 1996, p.29-30.