It’s Harvest Time in the Loire Valley!

Often referred to as the ‘Garden of France’ due its flourishing green landscape, Loire is full of natural beauty. Running along the Loire river from Nantes to Blois, the Loire Valley is much further north in comparison to other famous French regions, and therefore enjoys a slightly cooler climate. This really shapes the grape varieties that thrive here. Due to its size, the region is divided into a number of key winemaking areas.

Pays Nantais is responsible for 20% of the total wine production in the Loire Valley, with 95% of these being white wines. Located near the coast, the climate is maritime in this area, with cool springs followed by warm humid summers, however the coastal influence and oceanic climate keep wines screaming with freshness. The rocky, sandy soils found in this area have excellent drainage which help to produce wines which are beautifully light with a distinct minerality. Arguably the most famous AOP in this region (and also the largest in the Loire Valley) is Muscadet, where the grape Melon de Bourgogne really thrives, known for its dry and refreshing style.

Anjou-Saumur is slightly further inland and is a stunning part of the region with undulating hillsides and picture perfect scenery. The climate here is fairly constant meaning it doesn’t endure harsh temperature drops. Home to five sub-regions, soil types vary across this area from dark, sandstone soils in Anjou to light and chalky soils in Saumur. 50% of the wines produced in this region are rosé, with the other 50% being fairly evenly split between red, white and sparkling. Chenin Blanc takes the spotlight here, used in both still and sparkling wines, along with Cabernet Franc which is a popular little grape used here in  red and rosé wines.

Touraine is even further inland and has a similar myriad of soils to Anjou and Samur, with a range of sandy and clay soil types along with some light gravel found on the banks. The climate here is a combination of oceanic and continental with relatively constant temperatures. Around half of the wines produced in Touraine are red, with Cabernet Franc also being a key variety along with Gamay. White and sparkling wines are also produced in abundance, most commonly from Sauvignon Blanc.

Take a look at the map below which shows the sheer size of the valley.

With such variety in the Loire Valley and with many different micro-climates, harvest is a drawn out process lasting over two month. Earlier varietals such as Melon de Bourgogne and Folle Blanche begin to be harvested in early September followed by varieties intended for sparkling wine such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Finally Cabernet Franc grapes used for red wines and Chenin Blanc grapes used in demi-secs and sweet wines are harvested last, well into November.

Winemakers harvest their grapes either by hand or through using machinery, depending on appellation requirements. It can also depend on the location of the vineyard with some being planted on steep slopes where only manual harvesting is possible. Given the lower cost and the quality achieved, machine harvesting is widespread, particularly for dry white wines. Sweet wines however are produced from grapes harvested in successive passes to ensure they are at the right stage. This can therefore only be performed by hand.

Check out the video below for more info on grape harvesting in the Loire Valley.

Harvesting this year has been well underway for a few weeks now, with winemakers and their teams working hard to pick all of the juicy grapes whilst they are perfectly ripe. Most of those used in still white wines will have been harvested now, whilst those used in sweet wines will continue to be picked. After a couple of difficult years with mother nature throwing all sorts of challenges at grape growers, this year’s more favourable conditions were very much welcomed. Frosts last year caused some issues early in the season which resulted in a pretty small vintage, however that is certainly not the case for 2022.

Loire endured a very mild spring with few frosts and a very warm summer, with little rainfall. This prolonged hot weather meant grapes were able to ripen perfectly, whilst strong root systems meant the vines were able to find enough water despite the lack of rain. However, by the end of August and into early September things changed with a majority of the region receiving some much needed rainfall at the perfect time. This helped to balance out the grapes, allowing sugars to reduce and acidity to rise, giving the grapes a lovely roundness.

The vintage in areas such as Vouvray in Touraine have been particularly impressive. Grapes here are of excellent quality and balance meaning there are very high hopes for some exceptional wine to come. Regions closer to the coast such as Muscadet have also produced an excellent crop, despite this part of the region receiving the least rainfall. The fruit is of unbelievable quality with perfect alcohol levels and great acidity.

Not only is this good news for winemakers in the Loire Valley, but it’s also brilliant news for us too! We cant wait to get our hands on some of the wines from this year’s vintage very soon. In the meantime, why not have a little browse of our current wines from this diverse part of France.