A wine is not merely a product of its growing environment, but the result of hundreds of human decisions, from choosing the site and grape varieties to cultivation methods, pruning options, harvest dates, and the many choices available once grapes arrive at the winery. Compared to wine regions where grapes ripen more reliably, in the Loire there is an added emphasis on the role of the individuals responsible for tending the vines and making the wines.
Key to quality at every stage of wine growing are the men and women who dedicate their time and energies to this profession – it is people who make the difference, and in whose hands success or failure lies. The best vineyard in the world will not produce great wine all on its own (despite the protestations of those winemakers who claim to ‘do nothing’). Although the place where the grapes grow could be considered the soul of a wine, its character is very much determined by human intervention.
From grape growing to winemaking, things are a lot more natural than they used to be in the Loire Valley
There have been significant changes in approaches to wine growing in the last two decades. A move towards more conscious production has taken the form of more controlled yields and greater recognition for the environment and biodiversity. Some appellations (such as Saumur-Champigny) now require growers to include green cover between their vines, and growers across the region are planting trees and hedges, or creating wildlife ‘corridors’ to increase biodiversity.
Changing styles
Winemaking styles have also changed and, although not universal, there is a noticeable shift towards making wines that are more suited to the region – vins ligériens (see below) – as well as to the modern palate. Towards the end of the twentieth century, there was a trend to produce red wines with heavy oak influence, emulating the style of France’s more famous growing region for Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux. But growing conditions in the Loire are very different from those further south, and the wines were often distinguished by rather weedy fruit accompanied by astringent tannins from extended maceration and pumping over during winemaking, in addition to powerful aromas and tannins from lengthy oak ageing. But in the last twenty years, growers have turned away from trying to emulate Bordeaux and have instead focused more on playing to their natural strength of being able to produce naturally lighter, fresher styles. Extractions have been reined in: more producers refer to ‘infusion’ now, and not just for Cabernet Franc, but across all red wine varieties. Helped by a string of warm vintages, growers have realized that easing off on the extraction allows for more transparent wines that reveal the true nature of the fruit and reflect more accurately the place in which they were grown.
Le style ligérien
A word you hear quite often in the Loire Valley is ligérien, which literally means ‘coming from the Loire’. When a winemaker describes a Loire wine as ‘un vin ligérien’, they are not simply stating a self-evident truth, but talking about a particular style of wine. A ligérien wine is one that is refreshing and light on its feet, balanced, with no excess of alcohol or oak, other obvious winemaking manipulations, or overripe grapes. Flavours will be at the crunchy fruit end of the spectrum, rather than tropical or confit. Ligérien is not a descriptor of quality, although it is invariably used in a positive sense. Essentially, it is a recognition of a style that is classically, and uniquely, of the Loire.
A natural approach
From grape growing to winemaking, things are a lot more natural than they used to be in the Loire Valley. The number of producers embracing an increasingly chemical-free approach is growing every year. France, Spain and Italy lead the world in terms of hectares certified organic, and within France the Loire is one of the most important regions for organic viticulture. In the decade from 2011 to 2021 the area of vineyards farmed organically here rose by nearly 300% and now accounts for 23% of the total land area. This compares to the French national average of 14%. It is often the organic growers who are making the most interesting wines, too. In their search to make the best decisions for their vines, for the environment and for their wines, more and more see organic viticulture as a natural choice. It’s no coincidence that these wines are often the best.
