Wine for Normal People Radio: Episode 078 -- Loire Part 1

We're on a roll -- hitting the big regions of France. This week, we cover half the Loire. It's the largest region in France, so we had to break it in two.

Here's a link: PODCAST

• But first, we remind everyone of our amazing partnership with Vinport.com, for which I am selecting wines that I think are great examples of their regions.
• Free shipping on 6 or more bottles, great prices, and descriptions of six kick ass wines that will let you taste exactly the attributes M.C. Ice and discuss on the podcast (and as I say on the podcast, I get a small portion of the proceeds, but I selected Vinport as a partner because they let me pick what I wanted to present to you, not what was on their agenda).
• LINK to my page on Vinport (which features two awesome Alsace wines this month!): LINK TO WFNP PAGE with Alsace wines for purchase!

First a Loire overview, including Cremant (sparkling wine), the "branding" issue the region has, and two of the main areas:

1. Pays Nantais/Muscadet

• Featuring the Melon de Bourgogne grape, the best come from Sevre-et-Maine and are aged Sur Lie.

2. Anjou-Saumur featuring:

• Rosé d'Anjou, Anjou Villages
• Chenin Blanc sweet appellations: Bonnezeaux (Bon Zo), Quarts-du-Chaume (quart duh Sh-ahhhm), Coteaux du Layon (coat-oh duh lay-on), and lots of bad dry stuff from Anjou or Saumur, 
• Coteaux de l'Aubance (coat-oh day laub-ance)
• Chenin Blanc dry appellation: Savennières (sauv-inn-yere)
• Cabernet Franc in Saumur-Champigny (saw-muir shamp-in-ye)
• Sparkling wine in Saumur

And that's enough to get you started! We'll follow it up next time with the Touraine and Central Vineyards (Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé).

Enjoy! 

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Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license