09/06/05 Loire Valley Whites

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today we are exploring the white wines made in the French Loire Valley. The Loire Valley follows the flow of the Loire River across the northwest portion of France. The white wines produced there are varied and interesting. In the towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire wines are made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. They are wines meant to be drunk when they are youthful, say within three years of the vintage. The wines from and named for the town of Sancerre are crisp light and somewhat herbaceous or grassy. The wine from Pouilly-sur-Loire is known as Pouilly-Fume. You may be familiar with it as it has a great following in many wine circles. Compared to Sancerre it is fuller bodied and a bit spicier and richer. In the central part of the Loire Valley is the town of Vouvray. Here is where the well known wine made from Chenin Blanc is produced. If you invest in wine from some of the better Vouvray producers, they can have a considerable lifespan. Ask your wine merchant for recommendations. And finally in the wine district known as Pays Nantes (pay ee nahn tay) grows the grape which also names the wine Muscadet. Look for wines that have been aged on the lies. It should indicate this by having sur lies s-u-r l-i-e-s written on the label. These wines as the Sauvignon Blanc we talked about are not ageworthy so drink then when they are young. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at Vine to Wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.