Known as “The Garden of France,” the Loire Valley is France’s most exquisite wine region. Winding between vibrant cities, charming small towns, and illustrious castles is the Loire River—the longest in France and the lifeblood of the surrounding vineyards. From crisp Muscadet to fruity rosés, savory Chenin Blanc to floral Cabernet Franc, and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc to lively Gamay, this diverse and authentic region will change the way you think about what French wine can be!
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DESCRIPTION: We'll start our journey to the beautiful Loire Valley in the city of Nantes near the Atlantic coast. After seeing the massive robotic animals at the Les Machines de l'Île and chatting about Loire's history and geography, we'll have lunch at one of the prettiest Brasseries in France, La Cigale. I meet winemaker Francois Lieubeau to drink some beautiful Cru Muscadet wines and pair them with local seafood. Next, no trip to Loire is complete without seeing the stunning Châteaux, or castles, of the region. I'll teahc your about the grapes of Loire, including the white grape Chenin Blanc and the red grape Cabernet Franc, and what flavors to expect from each. After that, we head to the Anjou-Saumur area to drink some rosé at Leduc-Frouin, including some Cabernet d'Anjou and Rosé d'Anjou. In the same area, I stop at Château de Brissac, meet the Duke there, and go exploring in the castle exploring all it's nooks and crannies. Venturing further into Loire, I head to the Bourgueil region and meet Francois of Masion Audebert et Fils to drink 3 Cabernet Francs: a Chinon, a Saint-Nicholas-de-Bourgueil, and a Bourgueil. Then, we grab lunch at the homey restaurant Le Moulin Blue and drink a few more vintage Bourgueil wines that blow my mind! After exploring the gardens with my wife Lisa at Chaumont-sur-Loire, I head to Vouvray, the famous area known for Chenin Blanc in all different styles! There I meet Celine Champalou from Domaine Champalou and try 5 different Chenin Blancs, including a sweet style that is pretty life changing! Afterwards, I go fishing on the Loire River before having dinner at La Cabane à Matelot with Lisa, tasting some perfect seafood dishes with ingredients from the Touraine area. Finally, Lisa and I bike along the river and end our Loire adventure!
CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:59 Nantes (Geography and History)
00:07:02 La Cigale & Muscadet
00:13:24 Châteaux (Castles)
00:16:11 Grapes of Loire
00:21:00 Rosé at Leduc Frouin
00:26:53 Château de Brissac
00:28:58 Cabernet Franc at Audebert et Fils
00:35:26 Lunch at Le Moulin Bleu
00:40:22 Gardens at Chaumont-sur-Loire
00:41:43 Chenin Blanc at Domaine Champalou
00:49:39 Chef Ambroise Voreux
00:51:19 Fishing on the Loire River
00:52:46 Dinner at La Cabane à Matelot
00:57:55 Outro
WINES FEATURED:
(in order)
Famille Lieubeau - Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Bel Abord
Famille Lieubeau - Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson
Leduc-Frouin - Rosé de Loire
Leduc-Frouin - Rosé d"Anjou
Leduc-Frouin - Cabernet d'Anjou
Maison Audebert et Fils - Chinon "Cuvée les Perruches"
Maison Audebert et Fils - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil "La Contrie"
Maison Audebert et Fils - Bourgueil "Le Grand Clos"
Domaine Champalou - Vourvray Brut
Domaine Champalou - Vourvray Sec
Domaine Champalou - Les Fondraux
Domaine Champalou - La Moelleuse
Domaine Champalou - Les Tries
M. Plouzeau - Les Devants de la Bonnelière (Sauvignon Blanc)
Domaine Timothée Delalle - Pl. 1953 G (Gamay)
Domaine Nicholas Paget - Brut Méthode Traditionnelle
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