Loire Valley is not only producing wines!

You will find an interesting post about "triple sec". Post is written by Liquor.com. It is a great website: it is my encyclopedia about any kind of liquor. I do learn something every week including about wines in France and Europe!

Here is an abstract of the post about Combier, based in Saumur, one of the oldest producing Triple sec in France.

" In scouring the annals of cocktail history, the team over here at Chilled Magazine noticed that orange liqueur is one of the most frequently used liqueurs in recipes. Unfortunately, though, just picking up some orange liqueur and dosing it into a drink isn’t as simple as it sounds.

There are numerous orange-based liqueurs out there, from proprietary recipes to generically named, thus making one’s choices quite perplexing..."

Combier is based in Saumur, city with an elegant castle on the side of the Loire river (Saumur could be visited with our Ronsard tour on Tuesday).

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Loire Valley: Wines are in its nature

Excellent article about the Loire valley and its treasures. Coming to the Loire valley, with the Loire chateaux and the landscape, is to discover the largest UNESCO World Heritage site in the world. Our Ronsard tour will offer you the opportunity to discover part of this heritage and.... if we talk about wines mostly everything about Cabernet Franc: Chinon, Bourgueil, Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, Saumur Champigny... and some outstanding castles.

"Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its landscapes and chateaux, the Loire Valley has a unique lifestyle and world-famous vineyards. Its 1,000-km wine route reveals historic monuments and prestigious wine districts".

"From Nantes to Sancerre, the Loire Valley vineyards stretch along the majestic river of the same name. You will follow it along the longest wine route in France. Underground villages, chateaux, gardens and royal abbeys are revealed in a landscape of hills and plains. Hidden behind each renowned wine district is a famous Loire chateau: Chenonceau, Chambord, Brissac, Saumur, and Chinon. More than one thousand vineyards are open to the public, including 400 specially accredited wine cellars, where you will meet the winemakers and taste their numerous types of Loire Valley wines. Massive wine cellars, wine-tasting walks in the vineyards, trips on traditional boats, stays in the vineyards, entertaining wine events: the Loire Valley is a fabulous destination for numerous wine tourism trips."

Unfortunately a life time will not be long enough to visit those 400 wine cellars!

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Best Wineries of Loire Valley

Even if we don't agree with some comments about the Chinon wines (I do invite the author to some tasting tours at some wineries in the area... and lunch at home!), please read, it is very informative. I do have trouble to explain to my American family and friends that wines over here are not totally about varietals but about blendings and not only varietals... every winemaker has his own recipes just like a chef!

"Did you know that the Loire is the longest river in France? Stretched along the mountains of central France right out to the Atlantic, it is a fascinating region for wine-making. The Loire Valley is split into four key sub-regions. The Nantais is nearest the Atlantic and has a fully maritime climate with short, mild winters and warm summers"....

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An excellent paper about the history of the Loire Valley

The Loire River

History is also poetry; Ronsard, poet of the XVIth century... is one of the proof :

See, Mignonne, hath not the Rose,
That this morning did unclose
Her purple mantle to the light,
Lost, before the day be dead,
The glory of her raiment red,
Her colour, bright as yours is bright?

Mignonne, allons voir si la rose
Qui ce matin avoit desclose
Sa robe de pourpre au Soleil,
A point perdu ceste vesprée
Les plis de sa robe pourprée,
Et son teint au vostre pareil.

Ronsard, 1550

"The Loire is at the heart of France, its land and culture. The Loire is the longest river in France. It runs 1,012 kilometres to its mouth at Saint Nazaire, draining over 20% of France's land area into the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. Its lower valley from Orléans to Nantes is the home of much of French culture, especially its language. The Académie Française considers the form of the French language spoken in the lower Loire valley to be the standard."...

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The 6 White Wines You'll Be Sneaking to the Park This Spring

Even if Montlouis is more known overhere in France for its sparkling wine, don't forget the dry white Montlouis, it is an excellent Chenin!

Loire Valley, France
When you’re looking for something a little more complex but still super sunny, “Le Petit Cray” is a great bet for you. It smells like bright apple, orange marmalade, honey, and a touch of cream, atop one of those slate cheese boards you didn’t need but bought while waiting in line at Cost World Plus. It’s a really fragrant and fancy snack spread, basically"....  "Domaine Jaulin-Plaisantin “Le Petit Cray” Montlouis, Chinon Blanc 2012

Enjoy! Please, enjoy! Some suggest white meat such as poultry, I would rather suggest white (sea) fish with a hollandaise sauce !!!

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Loire Valley Wine

An excellent article about the Loire valley wines on frenchholiday.co.uk

"Wine tasting is an informative and pleasant pastime, and part of learning about the rich culture and history of the Loire Valley. The local wines are good and plentiful – Bourgueil, Chinon, Saumur Champigny and Anjou Rouge are just some. Within easy reach there is a great variety of red, rosé and white wines – and sparkling versions of all three – plus some little known and interesting dessert wines. The sparkling wines of Saumur are widely recognized and much enjoyed...."....

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