The Loire Valley is a key wine region in western France. It follows the course of the Loire River on its Long journey through the heart of France, from the inland hills of the Auvergne to the plains of the French Atlantic coast near Nantes (Muscadet country). Important in terms of quantity and quality, the region produces large quantities (about 4 million h/l each year) of everyday wines, as well as some of France's greatest wines. Diversity is another of the region's major assets; the styles of wine produced here range from the light, tangy Muscadet to the Sweet, honeyed Bonnezeaux, the Sparkling whites of Vouvray and the juicy, Tannic reds of Chinon and Saumur.
It's quite telling that this brief overview of the region's wines doesn't even mention the Loire Valley's two most famous wines - Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. White wines are clearly the strong point of the Loire Valley and represent the vast majority of production. A significant proportion of these are produced under PGI appellations, most commonly the IGP Loire (formerly Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France), which covers the whole region. The main white Grape varieties used for the production of white wines in the Loire Valley are Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne and, more popular than the traditional, Chardonnay.
Duckhorn Portfolio said it has acquired around 20 hectares (50 acres) of Napa Valley vineyards via separate deals. This includes 16 hectares (40 acres) of the Stanly Ranch vineyard in Los Carneros and the four-hectare (10 acre) Red Wing vineyard in St. Helena, said the group, which is listed under the ‘Napa’ ticker on the New York Stock Exchange. ‘As our portfolio has evolved to include 10 renowned luxury wineries, our commitment to having a robust estate vineyard programme continues to be centr ...
The estate, which comprises the Gimblett Gravels (Hawke’s Bay) and Te Muna Road (Martinborough) vineyards, will be represented at La Place by two of the oldest négociants, CVBG and Mähler-Besse, in both Europe and Asia. The 2020 vintage of Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah and Craggy Range Aroha Pinot Noir will join the ranks of some of the world’s most renowned wines. La Place ‘made sense’ for Craggy with the estate focused on expanding its distribution reach within the world of fine wine, ...
The final 11-strong shortlist includes four drink books – Wines of the Rhône by Matt Walls; The South America Wine Guide by Amanda Barnes; Inside Burgundy by Jasper Morris MW and Foot Trodden by Simon J Woolf & Ryan Opaz. Commenting on the shortlist, Nicholas Lander, chair of the André Simon Memorial Fund, said: ‘A number of this year’s food and drink nominees, including Wines of the Rhône, address the urgent environmental and global issues of today in ways that are original, inspiring an ...
