Five Loire Valley Wines to Tempt Your Taste Buds

The Loire Valley in France is home to some of the most well-known wines in France. Made from the Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc grapes, the white wines are some of the most desirable French wines and age very well. There are over seventy appellations in the Loire Valley, so the wines from this area represent a broad range of tastes and styles.

Prices for French wines in the United States have been higher recently due to the devalued dollar. Of course, the least expensive place to sample the Loire valley wines is while on vacation in the area. The last listing in this article includes information on wineries whose production you can sample while visiting the Loire Valley in France. Otherwise, you can find the selections of Loire Valley wines below in the region of $15-20. To get you started on your exploration of Loire Valley wines, here are five bottles to try.

Sanserre la Clochette is crisp and dry with a fruity flavour. It is a light white wine, perfect for an ideal pairing with seafood or salad. You can find 2006/2007 bottles for around $20.00.

Vouvray is another classic wine from the Loire Valley. Many wine sellers stock a variety of examples of Vouvray. For instance, you can find Champalour Vouvray for around $15.00. It has a subtle taste with hints of pear, apple, honey and caramel.

Cremant de Loire is a regional sparkling wine which has a unique and refreshing flavour. Although sometimes hard to find, this wine is priced from $15-25 depending on the year.

Château de Villeneuve 2006 Saumur costs around $15-20. It has a floral and fruity taste and fragrance. It is a perfect match for seafood.

Wines from Loire France include the Domaine de Bellivière Hommage à Louis Derré 2000 Coteaux du Loir. This, like the other wines above, has a fruity fragrance but also a spicy, distinctive edge. It costs around $20.

The Loire Valley wines above are light and aromatic, a perfect match for seafood such as mussels, fish or shrimp. Finally, if you have the opportunity to visit the Loire Valley in France, check out some local wineries to sample wines and get first hand experience of how Loire Valley wines are produced. For instance, the Michel Redde winery, which produces Pouilly-Fumé , Pouilly-sur-Loire and Sancerre sells its wines in a local stores.