Wine Tours of the Loire Valley
(Appellations of Anjou and Saumur)
Wine - "A cultural delight
Wine is an eternal fascination, a joy and an intellectual exercise. It is also, here in the wine regions of the Western Loire, a thing which underpins much of everyday life and culture. In this region wine appreciation is, however, rarely snobbish and, refreshingly, the locals never forget that wine is made for drinking, being just as happy drinking a fresh, vibrant rosé "au bar"on a hot summers afternoon as they are discussing the finer points of a fine Anjou Rouge or a luscious Coteaux de Saumur over a long Sunday 
Lunch or cocooned in one of the many wine chais which abound in the area. Drinking wine is a social occasion, to be done in company, in convivial surroundings and, for preference, accompanied by good food. We have lived in this region of the Loire for 10 years, have many friends amongst the winemaking community and would hope to be able to shine a light into a hidden corner of the ethos, techniques and the sheer delight which goes into the making of these unique wines. Wine is an eternal fascination, a joy and an intellectual exercise. It is also, here in the wine regions of the Western Loire, a thing which underpins much of everyday life and culture. In this region wine appreciation is, however, rarely snobbish and, refreshingly, the locals never forget that wine is made for drinking, being just as happy drinking a fresh, vibrant rosé "au bar"on a hot summers afternoon as they are discussing the finer points of a fine Anjou Rouge or a luscious Coteaux de Saumur over a long Sunday Lunch or cocooned in one of the many wine chais which abound in the area. Drinking wine is a social occasion, to be done in company, in convivial surroundings and, for preference, accompanied by good food. We have lived in this region of the Loire for 10 years, have many friends amongst the winemaking community and would hope to be able to shine a light into a hidden corner of the ethos, techniques and the sheer delight which goes into the making of these unique wines.
The Glory of the Loire
The Loire Valley is one of the most exceptional cultural landscapes in the world. This has been recognised by the United Nations and our region is now one of an elite few on Unesco’s World Heritage list. 
Thus, when you come to the Loire to taste and study the wine you do it within a unique and historical background. For over two thousand years man has worked the region to produce the harmonious balance that now exists. In addition to producing its famous wine the Loire has it's own excellent cuissine but also, because of the influence of Royalty and the aristocracy for whom the Loire was a haven, there is a tradition importing food influences from as far away as Italy. Their other, more obvious, legacy is the truly amazing chateaux which crowd the region. Nowhere else in the world does such an amazing collection of medieval and renaissance monuments exist.
A Personal Note
The Loire Valley is over 630 miles long. But we have no intention of trying to visit all of The 65+ appellations which range along its length. In the past we have raced up and down between the famous appellations, spending more time travelling than actually discovering the wine itself. This is not my idea of a wine tour which should be to impart a deeper understanding of the wine in question. You cannot do this in a couple of days by tasting a glass or two and then racing on to the next appellation. Because of this we now tend to concentrate on the western Loire and the appellations of Anjou and Saumur which is one of the most diverse, progressive and exiting wine regions in the whole of France . 
It is also, coincidentally, the region where our heart lies in terms of both wine and the character of the people. It is the region I know most about and more importantly the region where winemakers know more about me. So, to be frank, if your idea of a wine tour is simply to visit as many wineries in as short a time as possible, then you are probably on the wrong website. If, on the other hand if you have a real love of wine and wish to spend most of an afternoon tasting great wines at your leisure, to go away with a real memory of the essence of the region and then perhaps to drink and discuss the same wines over excellent food in the evening then we await your arrival with anticipation!
But don't think that your experience of different types of wine will be restricted; Anjou/Saumur contains 27 Appellations covering the whole gamin of wine production, many of them hidden gems which you are unlikely to find on the market in your respective countries. For example the superb Rosé; "Cabinet de Saumur" is only grown on 70 hectares of a particular type of Limestone whilst the luscious "Coteaux de Saumur" is restricted to a mere 17 hectares. The maximum yield for this legendary wine is a paltry 400hl., This level is rarely approached and, in some years, none whatsoever is produced After many years, both in working in the wine industry and studying wine and, of course after living here for ten years, this part of the Loire, in its approach to wine and in its unpretentious, understated way has always held a fascination for me and I sincerely hope that you can join us to discover some of its hidden gems.
à bientot
Brian
Accommodation
You will stay in our gites at Le Clos des Guyons. Thus giving you all the facilities of our rental accommodation. Le Clos des Guyons was formally the home of La Domaine de Guyons but the wine is now made in a larger chai on the other side of the village. 
Depending on numbers meals are taken in the large central dining room or in the Salon in front of the huge stone chimney. Whilst retaining all the character of the original building our gites now contain all modern conveniences including en-suite rooms and satellite TV.
about our wine tours
The video below is the first of a series of four which introduces you to the appellations and then goes on to taste all the various types of wine which you can find in this part of the Loire Valley.
We believe that for our guests to get the best out of our tours it is better that we restrict the numbers to a maximum of 6/8 people. Because of this we can be very flexible and although we will prepare a schedule of visits etc. this can always be changed to suit your needs.
The link on the menu bar at the top of the page is an example of what we have frequently arranged for a short tour. Please contact us if you wish to do a longer or shorter visit. The short tour can also be linked to a longer stay so that you can spend the rest of the week relaxing in the unique ambiance of the Loire Valley.
some notes on french wine production
To a french winemaker, more than any other in the world the concept of "terroir" is vitally important. To them the governing factor in the final taste of wine is that peculiar combination of soil and micro-climate which combine in that mystical concept - "le goût de terroir"., literally, the taste of the land. The Loire is uniquely placed to demonstrate this concept. Many appellations use the same grapes but the difference in the bottle is enormous. We will demonstrate this difference by tasting wine of the same appellation but grown on slightly different soil types. Even the various types of limestone can lead to vastly different flavours. In a village like Le Puy Notre Dame with an ancient wine making tradition stretching back to at least the 11th. century and with over 50 wine making families each wine maker manages to introduce his own individuallity into his bottles making the difference in the final product even more marked.
What is an "Appellation"?
An "appellation" sits at the top of French quality wine production and an understanding of the way the system works is integral to an understanding of French wine. Many people think that a region's appellation is determined by its geographical location and to a point it is. But the rules are much more complex than that. Appellation often overlap or one may sit within another. For example winemakers within the Saumur appellation are also in Anjou and may call their wines "Anjou Rouge" or "Anjou Blanc" if they so desire. Another example is the appellation for Coteaux de Saumur, not all growers within the larger appellation will be able to produce the sweet "Coteaux". This depends on them having the authorised type of limestone on which the vines must grow and, as the required rock comes to the surface at irregular intervals, the appellation of Coteaux de Saumur is in fact a series of "islands" within the sea of the Saumur appellation. 
But the severity of the rules do not stop there; even if you have the correct soil type, you must use the authorised grape vines, the pre-determined method of prunning, the correct number of vines per hectare, you can only start the vendage, (the harvest), when you are given permission and you can only pick the grapes from vines of the required age, the wine must then be left in its tank, barrel or bottle for the required time before being offered for sale. All these draconian rules are of course designed to protect quality and the greater the belief that a particular appellation is going to be marketed on the fact of its superior quality than the more onerous the rules become. For example, here in Le Puy Notre Dame, you can only grow vines for the new appellation on certain types of limestone covered by between 10 and 30cms. of soil. The result of this and other demanding regulations mean that many winemakers cannot produce Saumur-Puy Notre Dame even though their vines appear to be at the heart of the vineyards. Harsh? Yes, mais c'est la vie!
How do I know which grapes are used in each appellation?
The short answer to this often asked question is simple - learn about the appellation in question! This is because the history of French wine making is vastly different than that of the New World. Although the regulatory system now demands the use of certain grapes, these grapes were already in use by local growers well before the rules were imposed, centuries of wine making having selected the best varieties for that particular region. 
Thus every one involved in a particular wine knew exactly what grapes went into making it and that is the ethos which still pervades. Thus, when one talks about Anjou or Saumur Rouge, Chinon and Bourgueil it is by their names and the knowledge that all these famous wines are made from cabernet Franc is, rightly or wrongly, just assumed. Of course, after a great deal of trenchant opposion, many bottles now carry a back label with the required information , if you can read the minute writing! You will however rarely find an bottle of appellation wine which shouts out its grape on the front label. One exception is actually Anjou-Gamay but that is only because it is a relatively new entrant into Anjou winemaking.
Some miscellaneous facts on French Winemaking
Did you know that irrigation of vines is not allowed in France, in fact it is not allowed in Europe, the only exceptions being new or experimental vineyards.
In 2009 France regained the title of the world's largest producer of wine from Italy which held the accolade in 2008.
"This Wine Tour is an absolute must do. Brian has a vast knowledge of everything about wine and its cultivation/production and he is happy to share it. You will gain a whole new appreciation of all aspects of this industry".
Chris and Cathy Dymond (Canada) 2009
