Anjou-Saumur

The Anjou area’s vineyards are spread along the river and surrounding area with the city of Angers as its commercial centre. The maritime climate brings warm winters and comfortable summers without dramatic change of climate while the sunlight hours are abundant. Soil is predominantly limestone and ideal for white, red, rosé and sparkling wines of which there are various styles from dry to sweet. The city of Saumur is located 40km along the Loire to the east of the region. As the river heads away from the Atlantic, this area is protected by hills from the mild maritime influences leading to harsher winters but warmer summers. At this point, the river is met by numerous tributaries that run in various directions thus creating diverse meso-climates.  You will find many underground cellars with the ideal temperature for ageing wine are cut in the chalky limestone soil along the banks of the rivers. This area’s wines are also diverse including white, rosé, red and sparkling wines. The entire Anjou-Saumur region is known for late harvest noble rot wines and smooth semi-sweet wines with mild acidity including the Quarts-de-Chaume wines from the only Grand Cru site in the Loire. There are many vineyards in the region ideal for noble rot, being close to cool water that creates mist in the mornings while warming up during the day to keep the grapes dry. Most of the wine produced, however, is dry white and rosé or light red wines with good acidity, tannin structure and bright fruitiness. There is a modern trend for organic and biodynamic farming in the Loire that is producing interesting wines using more traditional methods.