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Val de Loire · Touraine · Red, white, rosé and sparkling

Touraine — terroir, soils & grape varieties

In the land of châteaux, the regional Touraine appellation comes in every colour: crisp, aromatic Sauvignon whites, Gamay or Côt reds, rosés and fine sparkling wines. A mosaic of grape varieties and soils, between the Loire and the Cher.

An appellation of a thousand faces

The regional Touraine appellation spans some sixty communes in Indre-et-Loire and Loir-et-Cher, around Tours, between the Loire and the Cher. It produces red, white, rosé and sparkling wines, and counts five complementary geographical denominations (Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Mesland, Chenonceaux, Oisly) that refine the origin of the wines.

Grape varieties and styles

In white, Sauvignon dominates, giving dry, firm, lively wines with aromas of blackcurrant and citrus; Chenin and Chardonnay round out the palette. In red, Gamay yields juicy, easy-drinking wines and Côt (Malbec) more tannic ones, alongside Cabernet Franc. Rosés and a fresh sparkling Touraine complete the range. Most are drunk young, for their fruit, though certain reds benefit from ageing.

The grape varieties of Touraine

Sauvignon →white — vivacity and aromas (blackcurrant, citrus)
Gamay & côt (malbec) →juicy, fruity reds
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Sources: Wikipédia — Touraine (AOC)