These world class wines with brighten up any party or dinner. Peter Morrell gets a taste
As the holiday season envelops us in its warm embrace, there’s no better way to toast to festive cheer and new beginnings than with a glass of sparkling wine from the Loire Valley. This year, we celebrate the rich diversity and tradition of sparkling wines from this renowned region, each offering a unique taste of the Loire’s winemaking excellence.
The Loire Valley, with its picturesque landscapes and rich winemaking heritage, is home to a variety of sparkling wines that have been delighting palates for decades. With 6 appellations permitted to create sparkling wines (Anjou, Crémant de Loire, Saumur, Saumur Fines Bulles, Touraine and Vouvray), there’s a Loire sparkling wine for all tastes.
Winemakers in the Loire Valley have the freedom to blend from a selection of grape varieties, including Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay, among others. This diversity allows for a wide range of flavours and aromas, with each bottle capturing the essence of the region’s terroir and winemaking expertise.
This festive season, sparkling wines from the Loire invite you to join a global celebration. With millions of bottles sold annually across the world, these sparkling gems have become a beloved choice for those seeking elegance and effervescence in their celebrations. Whether you’re hosting a cosy Christmas gathering or planning a grand New Year’s Eve bash, sparkling wines from the Loire add a touch of sophistication and joy to every occasion.
Imagine the scene: a beautifully set table adorned with festive decorations, the air filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses. As you pour a glass of Loire sparkling wine, let the bubbles dance with a lively sparkle, mirroring the twinkling lights of the season. Each sip is a journey through the Loire, a celebration of tradition and innovation, and a promise of unforgettable memories.
So, as you deck the halls and prepare for the joyous festivities, let the sparkling wines of the Loire be your companion in creating moments of magic and merriment. Here’s to the joy of the present and to the promise of a bright and bubbly future. Raise your glass to a sparkling holiday season and a New Year filled with happiness and prosperity. Cheers!
See some wine suggestions below:
- Domaine des Hauts Perrays, Brut, Crémant de Loire AOC, £17.95 from Lea & Sandeman
- Domaine Sylvain Gaudron, Methode Traditionelle Brut, AOC Vouvray, £19.99 from Simply Wines Direct
- Langlois Château, Brut Rosé, Crémant de Loire AOC, £19 from Majestic
- Domaine de Bois Moze, Brut Tradition, 2020, Crémant de Loire AOC
Peter Morrell, Editor comments “The Loire Valley produces some of the freshest sparkling wines in the world. If I am looking for a Cremant they are always my first choice. I’ve recently tasted two, the first is the Langlois Château, Brut Rosé, Crémant de Loire AOC, made with my favourite grape, Cabernet Franc. The Langlois Château estate was founded in 1885, and joined the Bollinger family in 1973, so the wine comes with a long and illustrious pedigree. The wine was aged in bottles, on the lees, for 18 months before being released. It poured a salmon pink colour with good streams of fine bubbles. The bouquet offered a range of summer fruit aromas together with touches of lemon and good notes of yeast. In the mouth the body was medium with a very pleasant effervescence, a good creamy feel and balanced acidity. On the palate there was some minerality with citrus notes, soft fruits, and touches of brioche. The finish was dry, uplifting and fruity. Drink this with seafood and light summer salads.
“The second wine was the Domaine de Bois Moze, Brut Tradition, Crémant de Loire AOC. This is a white Cremant made with 100% Chenin Blanc grape, so I expected the fruits to be more tropical. On pouring tiny, fast-moving bubbles rose rapidly to the surface to create a fine mousse. As anticipated the nose had a good range of aromas that included peach, apricot, citrus and crunchy apple. The mouthfeel was excellent, with a creamy texture and the body was just north of medium. On the palate good yeasty/bread notes revealed themselves together with some floral touches and a good level of minerality. Pair this lovely wine with seafood and lightly cooked white fish.”
About InterLoire, Loire Wines
In the third-ranked wine region in France for protected designation of origin wines, the Loire wines council brings together 3,000 producers, including winegrowers, wine merchants and cooperative cellars, representing 75% of the wine volumes in the region. The Loire wines council represents 34 appellations and denominations from the Nantes, Anjou-Saumur and Touraine regions, as well as the PGI Val de Loire, which spans 42,000 hectares and 14 departments from Vendée to Puy-de-Dôme.
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