I recently took a trip down the Loire Valley, thanks to Vins de Loire and Earl’s Kitchen and Bar in Yaletown. My mission, as if I didn’t want to accept it, was to taste 10 French wines and enjoy them with a delicious luncheon specially prepared for the event.
The valley is so close to Paris that it attracts many tourists who revel in its beautiful gardens, chateaux and castles.
The Loire River is the longest one in France, starting near the Mediterranean and flowing to the north Atlantic.
Because of its length, the Loire has the most extensive vineyards and the greatest diversity of grapes of any French region.
It is the third largest wine producing region, the top producer of AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) white wines, and the second largest producer of AOC rosés and sparkling wines.
To begin the luncheon, we sipped the Cremant de Loire de Chanceny Brut Rosé ($24.95).
Produced from cabernet franc grapes, the salmon-coloured dry wine has delicious strawberries and red currants with those tiny bubbles. Cremant refers to sparkling wines produced in the traditional style of Champagne but are not from the Champagne region. The brut rosé was a great way to toast the special event and summer-like weather we’ve been enjoying.
If you love oysters on the half shell, then Muscadet is for you. Made from the melon grape, the Chateau de la Gravelle Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie ($15.99) is an affordable delicious example.
Produced near the mouth of the Loire near Nantes, it captures the essence of France’s Atlantic coast. It is light with a fragrance of pink grapefruit and minerals. The flavour is melony with a creamy texture due to the wine lying on the lees, the yeast sediment that falls to the bottom of the barrel.
There is a tangy, bone-dry finish with a hint of sparkle. Ideal with light seafood.
For the calamari appetizer, the Monmousseau Touraine Cuvée JM Brut 2011 (23.99) was a delightful match. It’s made in the Touraine region from Chenin blanc grapes, aged in the bottles for up to three years.
The bouquet is floral and has a chalk characteristic from the limestone soil it is grown in. The flavour is fresh from the natural acids with honey and a fine mousse. Perfecto with the squid!
The next wine, the Touraine Sauvignon Domaine ROC de Chateauvieux 2015 ($28.99) is made from Sauvignon blanc grapes. There is a gorgeous bouquet of passion fruit with flint, minerals, and gooseberry in the flavour.
Besides going well with the calamari, the Chateauvieux would also work wonders with chèvre cheese, which the Loire is famous for.
Next time, more on the luscious wines of France’s Loire region. À bientôt.
Eric Hanson is a retired Richmond teacher and local wine expert
