(lwahr)Stretching across northwestern France, this region’s rather cool climate, especially in the west, produces light-bodied white wines. In the eastern end of the Valley, just south of Paris, the Sauvignon Blanc grape is cultivated to make Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines. Both of these lively, dry white wines are grassy and spicy. Sancerre, the lighter and drier of the two, is perfect for summer drinking, especially with fish. Slightly fuller in body and less spicy, Pouilly-Fumé can have flinty, mineral flavors that pair well with chicken, veal, and richer fish. The town of Vouvray, in the central Loire Valley, is the best place in the world to grow the Chenin Blanc grape. The Loire Valley’s best red wines come from the Central Loire and are made mainly from Cabernet Franc. They are usually reasonably priced, medium-bodied wines that can be eaten with lighter meat and fish dishes. Right where the Loire River empties into the Atlantic Ocean is the Pays Nantais (pay ee nahn tay). The Muscadet grape, also known as the Melon, grows here, producing inexpensive wines that are light and very dry, with apple and mineral flavors that make them the perfect companion to shellfish. Sometimes the label contains the term sur lie, which means that the wine was bottled straight from the fermentation tank. This technique gives the wines freshness and often a slight carbonation.
Few white wines age as well as the still dry and sweet wines that are made from the Chenin Blanc grape in this part of the Loire Valley. Fine examples of either style should be complex, full of floral and nutty flavors. Vouvray comes in three styles: dry (sec), medium-dry (demi-sec) or sweet (called moelleux, as well as a sparkling version. The sweet wines are made with only the ripest grapes, and they need years to develop.
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