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Val de Loire · Anjou · Sweet white

Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire — terroir, soils & grape varieties

Downstream of Angers, on the schist hillsides bordering the Loire, this small appellation produces off-dry to sweet chenins of fine richness. A little-known gem of Anjou Noir.

The Hillsides of the Anjou Loire

The appellation occupies an exposed hillside on the right bank of the Loire, downstream of Angers, as far as the outskirts of Ingrandes. Granted AOC status as early as 1946, it is devoted to off-dry and sweet chenin whites, with a high minimum natural alcohol level that reflects the ripeness sought.

Terroir and Style

The well-exposed, well-ventilated hillsides carry shallow soils — the bedrock is never far below the surface — derived from the Palaeozoic formations of the Armorican Massif: schist and schistose sandstone. On these Anjou Noir soils, overripe-harvested chenin gives concentrated, fresh sweet whites, ranging from lightly sweet to fully sweet, with fine ageing potential.

The grape varieties of Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire

Chenin →sole variety — richness, acidity and longevity
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Sources: Wikipédia — Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire (AOC)