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Loire
The Loire is the longest river in France. It flows from the mountains of the Massif Central, up towards Orléan before turning west towards Nantes and the Atlantic coast. As you might imagine, the wines it produces along the way are many and varied. They come in all guises from red to rosé and white, still and sparkling, bone dry to unctuously sweet. Its most famous wines are white and they include Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray and Muscadet. The one thing they all have in common is deliciously refreshing acidity.
The towns of Sancerre and Pouilly are old rivals, facing each other on either side of the river south of Orléan. The principal white grape grown here is Sauvignon Blanc and unless you are something of an expert on the subject, there is little to tell the two apart. Both are aromatic and citrus-fresh - some of the finest examples of Sauvignon in the world.
A short distance away in the region of Touraine, you can also find very expressive examples of Sauvignon Blanc. While few have quite the same gravitas as Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé, they are delightful wines for everyday drinking and offer excellent value for money.
The Loire also produces lovely supple reds and fragrant rosés from Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Gamay.
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