WINES: the Regional Appellations of the Loire Valley and the Centre

It is a large region within which we can identify four sub-regions:

the Centre Vineyards
the Touraine
the Saumurois and the Anjou
the Nantes Region

The CENTRE VINEYARDS

In Centre Region there are the following appellations:

Châteaumeillant
	color	red; rose
	vine	gamay black, pinot black, pinot gray
	accomp.	duck, goat cheeses
	temperature	17° C

Côte-Roannaise
	color	red; rose
	vine	gamay black
	accomp.	cold cuts, white meat, fish
	temperature	12-15° C

Coteaux-du-Giennois
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rose: gamay black, pinot black white: sauvignon
	accomp.	fish (squid, salmon, crab, tuna, seafood), cheese
	temperature	10° C

Côtes-d’Auvergne
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rose: gamay black, pinot black white: chardonnay
	accomp.	poultry, pork, rabbit, vegetables
	temperature	10-14° C

Côtes-du-Forez
	color	red; rose
	vine	gamay black
	accomp.	pork, cheese, vegetables
	temperature	10-14° C

Menetou-Salon
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	white: sauvignon red and rose: pinot black
	accomp.	fried fish, rabbit
	temperature	8° C

Pouilly-Fumé
	color	white
	vine	sauvignon (or smoked white)
	accomp.	shrimps cocktail, fried fish, scapes with mayonnaise
	temperature	8° C

Pouilly-sur-Loire
	color	white
	vine	chasselas
	accomp.	fish, vegetables
	temperature	12° C

Quincy
	color	white
	vine	sauvignon
	accomp.	oysters, salmon
	temperature	8° C

Reuilly
	color	red; rose (gray); white
	vine	white: sauvignon red and rose: pinot black, pinot grigio
	accomp.	fish, desserts
	temperature	12° C

Saint-Pourçain
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red: gamay (majority), pinot black rose: gamay
	accomp.	calf, goat cheese
	temperature	10-12° C

Sancerre
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	white: sauvignon red and rose: pinot black
	accomp.	cold cuts, poultry, fish, goat cheese
	temperature	13° C

The TOURAINE

In Touraine we find the following appellations:

Bourgueil
	color	red; rose
	vine	cabernet franc or breton, cabernet-sauvignon (10% max)
	accomp.	rabbit, lamb, beef, pheasant, game
	temperature	14-16° C

St-Nicolas de Bourgueil
	color	red; rose
	vine	cabernet franc (cabernet-sauvignon10% max)
	accomp.	chicken, lamb, veal, duck, porc, salmon, thon, cheese
	temperature	14-16° C

Cheverny
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red: gamay black, pinot noir, cabernet franc, côt rose: gamay black, pinot noir, cabernet franc, côt and chenin or pineau d’Aunis white: sauvignon, chardonnay
	accomp.	cold cuts, veal, porc, vegetables, lentils, mushrooms, soups
	temperature	10-14° C

Cour-Cheverny
	color	white
	vine	romorantin
	accomp.	fish, oysters, shellfish, goat cheese, asparagus, artichokes
	temperature	10° C

Chinon
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rosé: cabernet franc almost completely (10% of cabernet-sauvignon) white: chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	beef, duck, lamb, game (pheasant, pigeon)
	temperature	14-16° C

Coteaux-du-Loir
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red: pineau d’Aunis, cabernet franc, gamay black rose: côt, groslot
	accomp.	porc, cold cuts, vegetables
	temperature	14-16° C

Coteaux-du-Vendômois
	color	red; rose (gray); white
	vine	red: pineau d’Aunis, gamay, cabernet franc, pinot black white: chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	rabbit, poultry, cheese, exotic kitchen
	temperature	15° C

Jasnières
	color	white
	vine	chenin (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	vegetables (courgette, aubergines, endive, mushrooms), sausages, fish, goat cheese
	temperature	10-12° C

Montlouis-sur-Loire
	color	white
	vine	chenin (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	vegetables (courgette, aubergines, endive, asparagus), poultry, cold ham, cheese
	temperature	8-12° C

Orléans
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rose: pinot meunier, cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon white: chardonnay
	accomp.	duck, rabbit, red and white meat, salmon, sardine, pizza mediterranean
	temperature	6-8° C

Orléans-Cléry
	color	red
	vine	cabernet franc
	accomp.	red and white meat
	temperature	16° C

Touraine
	color	red; rose; white
	vite	red: gamay black, cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon, côt white: sauvignon, chenin white (Loire pineau)
	accomp.	lamb, ham, sausages, bowel, mushrooms
	temperature	8-10° C

Touraine Azay-le-Rideau
	color	rose; white
	vine	rose: Cinq-Mars grolleau, gamay black, côt, cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon bianco: chenin blanc (pineau della Loira)
	accomp.	veal, salmon, sole, pasta, tagliatelle, tortellini
	temperature	10-12° C

Touraine Amboise
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rose: gamay black, cabernet franc, côt white: chenin white
	accomp.	chicken, rabbit, cheese
	temperature	10-14° C

Touraine Mesland
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rose: gamay black, cabernet franc (or breton), côt white: chenin white (Loire pineau), sauvignon, chardonnay
	accomp.	chicken, rabbit, cheese
	temperature	14-16° C

Touraine Noble-Joué
	color	rose
	vine	pinot meunier (50-60%), pinot grigio or malvoisie (30-40%), pinot black(10-20%)
	accomp.	white or red grilled meat, shrimps, mussel, fried fish, eggs
	temperature	8-11° C

Valençay
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rose: gamay black, pinot black, côt, cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon white: sauvignon, chardonnay
	accomp.	lamb, rabbit, poultry, cheese
	temperature	12-14° C

Vouvray
	color	white
	vine	chenin white (Loire pineau)
	accomp.	aperitive or for dessert; sausages, molluscs, grilled fish, got cheese
	temperature	8-12° C

The SAUMUROIS and the ANJOU

In Saumur and Anjou regions we find the following appellations:

Anjou
	color	red; white
	vine	red: cabernet franc (breton), cabernet-sauvignon white: chenin white (or Loire pineau), chardonnay and sauvignon
	accomp.	rabbit, poultry, veal, fish, seafood
	temperature	16°; 10-12° C

Anjou-coteaux-de-la-Loire
	color	white (liqueur)
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	cold cuts, desserts
	temperature	12-14° C

Anjou-Gamay
	color	red
	vine	gamay black
	accomp.	veal
	temperature	13° C

Anjou-villages
	color	red
	vine	cabernet franc (breton), cabernet-sauvignon
	accomp.	beef
	temperature	14-16° C

Anjou-villages-Brissac
	color	red
	vine	cabernet franc (breton), cabernet-sauvignon
	accomp.	beef
	temperature	14-16° C

Bonnezeaux
	color	white (liqueur)
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	fish, cheese, desserts
	temperature	15° C

Cabernet-d’Anjou
	color	rose
	vine	cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon
	accomp.	lamb, desserts
	temperature	8-10° C

Cabernet-de-Saumur
	color	rose
	vine	cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon
	accomp.	poultry, spicy dishes
	temperature	8-10° C

Chaume
	color	white (liqueur)
	vine	chenin white
	accomp.	chicken, eggs, fruits and desserts
	temperature	7-8° C

Coteaux-de-l’Aubance
	color	white (liqueur)
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	seafood, fish, goat cheese
	temperature	12-14° C

Coteaux-de-Saumur
	color	white (soft)
	vine	chenin white
	accomp.	fish, vegetables
	temperature	8-10° C

Coteaux-du-Layon
	color	white (liqueur)
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	seafood, fish, goat cheese
	temperature	7-9° C

Quarts-de-Chaume
	color	white (liqueur)
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	rabbit, poultry, desserts
	temperature	12-14° C

Rosé-d’Anjou
	color	rose
	vine	cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon, Aunis pineau, gamay, côt, grolleau
	accomp.	fish
	temperature	8-10° C

Saumur
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red: cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon, Aunis pineau white: chenin white (or Loire pineau, 80%), chardonnay, sauvignon
	accomp.	beef, fish
	tamperature	12-14° C

Saumur-Champigny
	color	red
	vine	cabernet franc, cabernet-sauvignon
	accomp.	cold cuts, beef, veal, pork, poultry, rabbit, fish
	temperature	12-14° C

Savennières
	color	white
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	seafood, fish
	temperature	16° C

Savennières-coulée-de-Serrant
	color	white
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	fish
	temperature	16° C

Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines
	color	white
	vine	chenin white (or Loire pineau)
	accomp.	rabbit, poultry
	temperature	16° C

The NANTES REGION

In this district we find the following appellations:

Coteaux-d’Ancenis
	color	red; rose; white (soft)
	vine	red and rose: gamay black (dominant), cabernet franc white: chenin, malvoisie (pinot gray)
	accomp.	beef
	temperature	8-12° C

Fiefs-Vendéens
	color	red; rose; white
	vine	red and rose: gamay black or pinot black (50% minimum), cabernet franc or cabernet-sauvignon, négrette white: chenin (50% minimum), chardonnay, sauvignon (Vix), Bourgogne melon (Pissotte), grolleau gray (Brem)
	accomp.	seafood, fish
	temperature	12° C

Gros-plant-du-Pays-Nantais
	color	white
	vine	gros plant (folle white)
	accomp.	seafood
	temperature	8-9° C

Muscadet
	color	white
	vine	melon white
	accomp.	seafood, fish, salads, exotic cuisine
	temperature	8-11° C

Muscadet-coteaux-de-la-Loire
	color	white
	vine	melon white
	accomp.	seafood, fish, eggs
	temperature	8-11° C

Muscadet-côtes-de-Grand-Lieu
	color	white
	vine	melon white
	accomp.	fish
	temperature	8-11° C

Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine
	color	white
	vine	melon white
	accomp.	seafood, fish
	temperature	8-11° C

Bibliography:

Hachette des vins de France

Menu

WINES: the Regional Appellations of the Loire Valley and the Centre