Vouvray is the most famous and most respected appellation of the Loire Valley's Touraine growing region. The title covers white wines of various styles (sweet wine, dry, still and sparkling), from eight villages around the medieval town of Vouvray, on the northern banks of the Loire river.
Vouvray is the flagship wine of the Chenin Blanc grape (or Pineau de la Loire as it is known there), followed ever-closer by Savennieres and the sweet whites of Anjou. Few wine regions in the world use Chenin to the same extent.
None showcase the variety's aromas and flavors with such focus and diversity. South Africa's annual Chenin Blanc production far exceeds that of France. However only the very best South African Chenin Blancs have anything like the textural balance or aromatic depth of Vouvray. (© Copyright Wine-Searcher)
One key characteristic of quality Vouvray wines is their remarkable long life.
Many bottles more than 30 years old often show stunning freshness and life. This is largely down to Chenin Blanc's naturally high level of acidity, which acts as a preservative and allows the wine to develop for decades. Also vital is Chenin's intense aromatic composition, which is sufficiently robust to survive extended ageing.
In their youth Vouvrays are characterized by aromas of acacia blossom, quince and green apples.
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
sparkling wines from the region of Vouvray go well with generally quite well with dishes of shellfish, lean fish or fruity desserts such as recipes of brochette of scallops and prawns, fish with cream sauce or rice with milk.
On the nose in the region of Vouvray often reveals types of flavors of cream, bruised apple or melon and sometimes also flavors of lime, white peach or stone fruit. In the mouth in the region of Vouvray is a powerful with a nice vivacity and a fine and pleasant bubble.
Prices have been rising on California fine wines, and especially Screaming Eagle, said Liv-ex this week. Its California 50 index, which tracks the price performance of Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Dominus, Opus One and Ridge Monte Bello, has increased by around 32% in the last year. ‘High quality and heightened demand have led to rising prices,’ said Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade. Its figures provide more evidence of a strong 12 months for the fine wine market in general, and fol ...
Lucio Tasca d’Almerita died in Palermo this week, on 25 July, aged 82. In Sicily he was known simply as ‘Conte Lucio’, such was the reputation of the Count and the amount of respect and affection people had for him. Lucio was one of the pioneers of winemaking on the island from a technical point of view, but moreover he was able to demonstrate how effective the modernisation of Sicily could be from a cultural standpoint. Born in Palermo on 9 January 1940, he was an athlete in his youth and even ...
The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) invites you to a survey of this vineyard where the 27 geographical denominations of the Mâcon appellation are produced. A unique journey to discover this region where the Romanesque churches punctuate the landscape and are the witnesses of the link between the vines and Christiannity. Cluny is the gatekeeper. Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneWines/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vin ...
