In 1912, Edouard Langlois and his wife, Jeanne Château, founded the firm of Langlois-Château. Bollinger, of Champagne fame, acquired the company in 1973, which helps explain the consistent success of their Crémant de Loire. A few years ago, they changed the name to simply Langlois to avoid confusion because people kept wondering where the château was!… Read more

The joys and frustrations of Vouvray are the same. Here is an appellation that makes stunning wines from Chenin Blanc that range from dry to sweet. The challenge for the consumer is to know what style is in the bottle before pulling the cork.… Read more

Vattan, a family-run estate founded in the 1930s, is now run by Pascal and Nathalie Joulin, who took over from the founder’s son, Michel, in 2008. They opted to keep the family name on the label. The “O-P” designation indicates that the grapes come from vines planted on a combination of Oxfordian and Portlandian limestone, common to Sancerre and to Chablis as well.… Read more

Vouvray, known especially for dry and sweet still wines made from Chenin Blanc, also produces unique sparkling wines from that grape. This still family-owned estate has been making sparkling wine using the traditional method of fermentation — as in Champagne — since 1959.… Read more

The joy of Vouvray is that the appellation makes a glorious array of dry and sweet wines – and everything in between – from Chenin Blanc. The frustration of Vouvray is not knowing which style will emerge before pulling the cork.… Read more

Wines from Vouvray, which can vary from dry to sweet, can be confusing for consumers because the level of sweetness is not always clear from the label. Here, the back label correctly identifies this winsome wine as dry. Made entirely from organically-grown Chenin Blanc, the ripe and round Silex d’Orfeuilles reflects the warmth of the vintage.… Read more

Vouvray, the famous appellation in the Loire, makes lovely sparkling wines from Chenin Blanc in addition to their still wines. Alain Robert’s refreshing one combines a delicate and restrained fruitiness — Chenin Blanc speaking — with a firm minerality that comes from the terroir.… Read more

White wines from Saumur are typically dry even though they are made from Chenin Blanc, a grape many people associate with sweet wine. Inexplicably, these racy white Saumur fly under the radar. I call them the Chablis of the Loire for their crisp and stoney signature.… Read more

Savennières, a small appellation just west of Angers in the Loire Valley, produces the most prized dry wines made from Chenin Blanc. Clos du Papillon is one of the top vineyards in the appellation. Add to that Baumard, one of the best producers in the region, and it’s no surprise that you wind up with a sensational bottle of wine.… Read more

Though not an officially delimited area, Brézé is the unofficial “grand cru” area of Saumur. Saumur is an outlier in the Loire because it makes dry wines from Chenin Blanc, the region’s signature grape. One of the beautiful aspects of Chenin Blanc is that it can make both enticingly dry and voluptuously sweet wines, which, of course, presents a question for the consumer: How do you know what you’re getting?… Read more

La Pépière, a consistently good and reliable producer of Muscadet, comes through with another winning example with their 2022 La Pépie. Crisp, clean, saline-tinged acidity makes this well suited to light-bodied summertime drinking with anything from the sea. You can’t beat it at the price.… Read more

The white wines of Saumur, with their harmonious combination of minerality and delicate fruitiness, are undiscovered treasures. Here Chenin Blanc is planted on limestone and produces an entirely different style of wine compared to Chenin planted elsewhere. This one from Château de Villeneuve, for example, combines an enticing fine tropical fruitiness with a bracing minerality and enlivening saline-like acidity.… Read more

For over a decade now, Muscadet has a cru system, analogous to the Beaujolais crus. That is, identification of towns that have the potential to produce more distinctive and noteworthy wines. Wines from the Muscadet cru must have lower yields and be aged on the lees longer.… Read more

($45, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant):  For over a decade now, Muscadet has a cru system, analogous to the Beaujolais crus.  That is, identification of towns that have the potential to produce more distinctive and noteworthy wines.  Wines from the Muscadet cru must have lower yields and be aged on the lees longer. … Read more

($32):  The appellation needs some explanation.  But first, what needs no explanation is La Pépière, one the finest producers of Muscadet.  They are so consistent, it is safe to say if you see their name on a label, you should buy the wine. … Read more

($28):  Mountlouis-sur-Loire lies across the Loire River from Vouvray and uses the same Chenin Blanc grape for its captivatingly delicious wines.  Similar in style to Vouvray, they vary from dry, like this one, to sweet.  A waiter at GrandCoeur, an exceptional new-wave bistro in the Marais section of Paris, recommended this one to me. … Read more

($24, Vintus):  First a bit of trivia. Note the absence of a “hat” accent over the a in Chateau.  That’s because it’s not a building but rather a proper name.  In 1912, Edouard Langlois and Jeanne Chateau founded what has become the standard bearer of Loire Valley sparkling wines. … Read more

($25):  Luneau-Papin, one of the top producers in the Muscadet region, farms all their vineyards organically and biodynamically.  They have may bottlings, each of which focuses on the unique soil, exposure, and microclimate of the specific site.  This one, Terre de Pierre, comes from the La Butte de la Roche site whose red ochre earth is “legendary” in the area, according to their website. … Read more

($48):  Savennières Roche aux Moines is one of two crus of the greater Savennières appellation (the other is Coulée de Serrant). Though the tiny area (80 acres) has been known for distinctive wines since the 12th century, it received its own appellation, carved out of the broader Savennières, in 2011. … Read more

($87, Vintus):  Quarts de Chaume, a tiny appellation of barely 75 acres, is the only Grand Cru in the Loire Valley.  It is arguably the “Montrachet of the Loire,” only it produces spectacular sweet wines from the Chenin Blanc grape.  What makes these wines so special is their elegance and lightness juxtaposed to their presence and persistence. … Read more

($20):  The Loire Valley produces a lot of sparkling wines under Crémant de la Loire appellation.  Often overlooked are sparkling ones from other Loire appellations, such as this one from Saumur, an appellation that predates that of Crémant de la Loire and mandates that the grape come a smaller area just around the town of Saumur. … Read more

($20):  Crémant de la Loire is a category of sparkling wines that consumers should embrace.  Many of these traditionally made (secondary fermentation in the bottle as with Champagne) bubblies provide great enjoyment at an affordable price. Take De Chanceny’s Brut Nature, for example. … Read more

($20):  The Loire Valley’s Saumur-Champigny appellation is a treasure trove for mid-weight Cabernet Franc-based red wines.  Cabernet Franc, a grape that doesn’t tolerate drought well, is perfectly suited to the sponge-like water retaining capacity of the tuffeau stone (local name for chalk, which is omnipresent in this appellation that surrounds the picturesque town of Saumur) and explains why that grape accounts for well over 90 percent of the plantings in the appellation. … Read more

($26, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants):  Chenin Blanc makes a wide range of wine, from this bone-dry version to fruity ones and lusciously sweet examples.  Although regulations for Savennières, a small 350-acre appellation on the north side of the Loire River just southwest of Angers, allow for sweet wines, in reality the vast majority of wines from the appellation are dry. … Read more

($19, Deprez Wines):  Looking for a wine with a cheese course?  Look no further.  Producers in the Coteaux de Layon, a small appellation in the Loire, transform the Chenin Blanc grape into lush sweet wines, such as this one.  Dark straw yellow, the wine delivers a honeyed richness first in its aromas and then on the palate. … Read more

($24, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants):  Cognoscenti know Reuilly, a tiny (300-acre) off the beaten track appellation in the eastern Loire, for its Sauvignon Blanc-based wines — kind of a mini-Sancerre.  Curiously, Denis Jamain has more Pinot Noir planted there than Sauvignon Blanc (~20 acres versus 15). … Read more

($70, Vineyard Road):  Thierry Germain at Domaine des Roches Neuves is one of the Loire’s young superstars.  He makes a range of reds from Cabernet Franc, as is the tradition in Saumur Champigny.  This one, one of his top cuvées, comes from a 4.5-acre terraced plot of 70-year old vines. … Read more

($16):  Bouvet Ladubay, one of the Loire’s largest producers of sparkling wine, is back under Monmousseau family control since 2015, after having been run by a succession of corporate enterprises.  This mid-weight rosé, made exclusively from Cabernet Franc grown in the Saumur region of the Loire Valley, delivers spice with a hint of sweetness. … Read more

($25, Vintus):  Langlois-Chateau, though best known for their sparkling wines, also makes noteworthy still wines, such as this Sancerre.  The appealing bite of Sauvignon Blanc is apparent, but it speaks of minerals and chalk rather than overt fruitiness.  Fresh, bright and clean, it’s a refreshing and graceful expression of that grape.… Read more

($23, Vintus):  Edouard Langlois and Jeanne Chateau founded their eponymous company in 1912 and has been a leading producer of Crémant de Loire ever since.  This, their standard NV Brut, is a blend of Chenin Blanc (at least 60%), and roughly equal parts of Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. … Read more

($30, Cynthia Hurley French Wines):  White wine from Chinon is unusual since 95 percent of the appellation’s output is red.  Couly-Dutheil, one of Chinon’s top domaines, consistently produces a fabulous example of white Chinon along with their stellar range of red Chinon wines. … Read more

($29):  To my mind, authentic Sancerre delivers more than simply Sauvignon Blanc bite and grassy fruitiness.  And this one does just that.  Though not as mineral-y as some — I suspect because of the ripeness of the vintage — a lovely chalk-y mineral component still peeks through and is especially apparent in the finish.… Read more

($26, Vineyard Brands):  Joost de Willebois, a Dutch financier, knows a business opportunity when he sees it.  In 2004, he found a small Loire winery owned by someone who had no successor and he bought it with the idea of transforming it into something larger. … Read more

($26, Vineyard Brands):  People often ask what is the difference between Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.  Regulations require that both wines are made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc.  Sancerre is on the west bank of the Loire while Pouilly sur Loire, the town that gives the wine its name, is about 10 miles away on the east bank of the river. … Read more

($20):  This wine shows that Muscadet, especially those from the subregion Sèvre et Maine, can develop with bottle age.  Most often, consumers think Muscadet should be consumed young with shellfish or other seafood.  And that’s correct.  Muscadet is a delightful — and affordable — wine for seafood. … Read more

($52, Oz Wine Company):  Most of the wine made from Chenin Blanc, the primary white grape in Saumur, went into sparkling wine or non-distinguished still wine.  That has changed over the last couple of decades, with talented and focused producers, such as Château Yvonne, and others. … Read more

($41, Becky Wasserman & Co.):  Domaine Guiberteau is one of Saumur’s top producers.  As much as I hate to say it because it diminishes my role as a critic, I will:  It’s hard to go wrong just picking their wines blindly. … Read more

($25):  Though the vast majority (>95%) of wine from Chinon is red and made from Cabernet Franc, noteworthy and distinctive whites made from Chenin Blanc also carry that appellation.  This is one of them.  Couly-Dutheil is one of the top Chinon producers, making a bevy of easy-to-recommend reds year after year, so it should come as no surprise that they can make this stellar white wine. … Read more

($28):  This wonderful sparkler is not your typical Crémant de Loire Rosé.  Made entirely from Cabernet Franc, it has all of the allure of the grape with power and depth.  It’s been aged on the lees for 36 months, which imparts a lovely texture. … Read more

($23):   Although made entirely from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, as required by regulations, Jolivet’s v never screams that grape.  Sure, you sense a bite, characteristic of the varietal, but the overall impression is one of a minty minerality with an enlivening citrus finish. … Read more

($17, Kobrand Wine & Spirits):  Taittinger, a top Champagne house, has owned Bovet-Ladubay since the mid-1970s and that likely explains, at least in part, the wine’s elegance and focus.  A blend of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, this bubbly is steely, crisp, and refreshing. … Read more

($13, Vintage ’59 Imports):  Claude Branger along with his wife, Thérèse, and son, Sébastien, run this family property, also known as Domaine Haut Févrie.  They are an exceptional team, insisting on hand harvesting, which is unusual in Muscadet, and committed to converting fully to organic production. … Read more

($13, Vintners Alliance):  Rosé d’Anjou always has a hint — sometimes more — of sweetness since regulations require a minimum of 7 grams of residual sugar per liter.  In my mind, the residual sugar in this rosé does what it does in German Kabinett wines: it amplifies the fruitiness without imparting a cloying sweetness because of the wine’s inherent vibrant and balancing acidity. … Read more

($13, Misa Imports Inc): Sooner or later, consumers will discover the joys of red wine from Anjou.  And of course, then the price will go up.  But for now, stock up on this mid-weight red.  Pleasantly austere, this Cabernet Franc-based wine focuses on herbal notes as opposed to just ripe fruity one. … Read more

($22):  Vouvray is potentially one of the world’s great wines.  Made from Chenin Blanc, a grape that, like Riesling or Chardonnay, can transmit the flavors of the site beautifully.  But sadly, buying it is tricky and can be frustrating because it has a wide range of styles, from sweet to dry and riveting. … Read more

($25, AP Wine Imports):  Jasnières, a tiny (161-acre) appellation, is well away from the river and the Loire’s northern-most outpost.  Similar to Savennières, another lesser-known Loire appellation, Jasnières uses only Chenin Blanc to produce its steely, impressive white wines. Les Maison Rouges, founded almost 25 years ago, in 1994, has rapidly become one of the area’s top producers. … Read more

($20):  In addition to still wines, Vouvray is also home to delightful sparkling wines.  Made exclusively from Chenin Blanc, this one combines the subtle fruitiness of that grape with a racy spine of bubbles.  Slighter fruitier than Champagne, but similarly enlivening, it’s a good choice this summer.… Read more

($20):  Three years aging on the lees of this Chenin Blanc-based sparkling wine explains its enormous depth and refinement.   It’s a lovely expression of Vouvray, with a perfect balance of lively fruitiness backed by a firm spine.  Elegant and long, it’s a good choice for simply grilled fish this summer.  … Read more

($40):  Thierry Germain is one of the most talented and enthusiastic winemakers in the Loire.  He makes small quantities of outstanding individualistic reds and whites that are always worth the search.  Take this one, for example, L’Insolite (unusual).  Made from 95-year-old Chenin Blanc vines planted on silex, it conveys a hint of white flowers, minerals combined with freshness and verve.… Read more

($26):  The wonderful thing about really good Sancerre is that, though made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, it doesn’t taste like most Sauvignon Blanc, which can be raspy and vegetal.  Good Sancerre, such as Mellot’s, has a chalky minerality underpinning the bite provided by the grape. … Read more