Two wine treats from France’s Loire Valley

If you love great value in wine, you’ll be sure to find something to suit your palate from the Loire Valley in France. The Loire is the longest-running river in France and the Loire Valley follows the river from its origins in Cevennes through the Loire province.
The wine region, which is actually several regions, runs from the Muscadet region near Nantes on the Atlantic coast to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume regions — covering a lot of ground and a lot of climatic variations.
As a result, there isn’t a single predominant grape in the Loire region, but there are some that set the bar for the rest of the world: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Muscadet among whites and Cabernet Franc among reds.
I recently had a treat with a Pierre Chainier brut made from Chenin Blanc and Cab Franc that at $12.99 was a fantastic buy. I’d also recommend a sparkling made from 100% Cab, a 2009 Gratien & Meyer Saumur Premium Millesime Rose Brut, that was fantastic at $20.

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