Wine

Regions

Old World

France

Loire

TOURAINE

Touraine

The wine growing district around Tours dates back to Roman times, as does the town itself. Tours was a place of pilgrimage as early as the sixth century and famous for its production of silk in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Cabernet franc, known locally as Breton, was flourishing in the vineyards of the abbey of Bourgeuil a thousand years ago and, as recently as five hundred years ago, Chenin blanc, today's predominant Touraine grape, acquired its name from Mont Chenin in the south of the district.

TOURAINE'S WINE REGIONS

With the possible exception of Saumur-Champigny the best red wines in the Loire come from the appellations of Chinon and Bourgueil which face each other across the river Loire, just west of Tours. Made predominantly from Cabernet franc, good vintages aged in oak may be complex and comparable to claret, while the more everyday shines have the fresh-picked aromas of strawberries and raspberries and can be drunk young and cool. To the east of Tours, Vouvray and Montlouis produce rich, sweet long-lived wines from over ripe Chenin blanc grapes in sunny years. North of Tours, the wines produced in Jasnieres are from the same grape but the dry style is distinctly different. Jasnieres is a singular white sub-appellation within a wider red, white and rose AOC called the Coteaux du Loir. The Loir is not a typographical error for Loire, but a confusingly spelt tributory of the great river. Also grown on the banks of the Loir, the larger VDQS area Coteaux du Vendomois produces the full spectrum of wine styles, as does Cheverny to the east, including a distinctive dry white wine from the obscure Romorantin grape. In addition to its still red, white and rose, Cheverny also produces sparkling red, white and rose, the only VDQS methode champenoise. Touraine Sauvignon blanc makes a good alternative to Sancerre, while the fruity Gamay makes attractive reds and roses. Other reds are made from the local Grolleau, or from the Pineau d'Aunis. The Chenin blanc is still the most dominant variety and, as in Anjou-Saumur, the tradition has been to produce naturally sweet wines in great years when these grapes are full of sugar. But with the demand for lighter wines, production of drier styles is growing.