(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.
Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.
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