| For fun forward, fruity, food-friendly wines | | | | world legendary for their stiletto-sharp, |
| and wines to drink by the bucketful you can | | | | flashing palate-cleansing acidity. It is |
| not beat Loire Valley whites. The wines of | | | | this very acidity that makes Vouvray one of |
| the entire Loire Valley with the probable | | | | the longest-lived white wines of the world. |
| exception of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume are | | | | They are highly complex, intriguing, and |
| unjustly overlooked and neglected by all but | | | | challenging. They last and last and last |
| the Parisians and the northern French. | | | | and become more luscious and full-bodied |
| | | | tapering off with a long finish. |
| The Loire Valley is one of the northernmost | | | | |
| vineyard areas in Europe. For very good | | | | A 20 year old Vouvray will taste as lively as |
| reason the Loire is the third most popular | | | | one much younger. A properly aged Vouvray |
| tourist destination in France. One of the | | | | with deep molten honey colour , toasty nose, |
| Loire's regions Touraine near Tours contains | | | | wonderful tang and great vivacity adds a |
| the appellation Vouvray, which is also the | | | | whole new dimension of gorgeous full-blown |
| name of a small town. Vouvray is the largest | | | | flavours of lemon, apricot, pineapple, |
| white wine appellation of the | | | | currants and peach. The best made sparkling |
| Anjou-Saumur-Touraine region, with 4000 acres | | | | Vouvray can age beautifully. |
| of vineyards. On average, 40 percent of each | | | | |
| vintage becomes sparkling wine. And yet, the | | | | The best vintages have heralded from 2005, |
| only other region in France that produces | | | | 2002, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1976, |
| more sparkling wine than the Loire is | | | | 1971, 1969, 1959, 1949, 1947, 1945 and 1921. |
| Champagne. | | | | The 2005 vintage is one of the greatest |
| | | | vintages. There were no spring frosts to |
| Vouvray is a white wine made exclusively from | | | | damage the flowers, and a long dry autumn |
| the Chenin Blanc grape also known locally as | | | | with sunny days and cool nights followed. |
| Pineau de la Loire with remarkable qualities | | | | |
| and diversity. Asimov put it wonderfully | | | | There are two versions of sparkling Vouvray |
| regarding Chenin Blanc the only grape allowed | | | | called Vouvray Mousseux and a finer beaded |
| in the appellation. "No other grape I can | | | | called Vouvray petillant. Sparkling Vouvray |
| think of combines actual lightness with such | | | | is nothing like champagne. Because of its |
| a sensation of density, almost as if the wine | | | | richness and depth of flavour it is more like |
| oozes through the mouth rather than flows." | | | | a champagne cocktail. Sparkling vouvray is |
| Chenin Blanc has long lived in the shadow of | | | | elegantly supple and very sexy. |
| Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc but this great | | | | |
| white is effortless wine, welcome in just | | | | Few wines will excite your palate like a good |
| about any circumstance. | | | | Vouvray sec or demi-sec from Gaston Huet or |
| | | | Philippe Foreau. Gaston Huet, grandfather of |
| Vouvray has developed a deserved reputation | | | | modern Vouvray and the ex-mayor of Vouvray |
| for being extraordinary wines of longevity, | | | | for over 40 years died in 2002 aged 92. He |
| finesse and delightful and often surprising | | | | says he drank his best wines before |
| versatility. It's often made dry with a bit | | | | surrendering to the Natzis in World War II. |
| of sweetness, or can even be medium sweet, | | | | He left his 100 acre biodynamic domaine to |
| but that's tempered by its tingly acidity | | | | his capable son-in-law Noel Pinguet. Huet's |
| that dances across your palate, kind of like | | | | Vouvrays perhaps the ultimate insider's wines |
| honey and lemon together. This makes it a | | | | are now immortalised on the big screen so to |
| terrific food wine for chicken, veal, pork | | | | speak. In "Sideways" when the ladies |
| and fish. A blast of acidity delivered with | | | | retreat to the bathroom for a moment, Jack |
| each sip makes sparkling Vouvray an excellent | | | | chastises Miles for having subjected the |
| bubbly to accompany rich foods such as | | | | group to a lengthy disquisition on Huet's |
| sauteed seafood, and cream sauces. | | | | Vouvrays. Take heed all Huet Vouvrays last |
| | | | and last and are seriously underpriced. |
| Vouvray is what you should drink dressed up | | | | |
| and served with terrine of foie gras with | | | | Lets face it, beyond doubt France's most food |
| truffled jelly or dressed down with a bowl of | | | | friendly wines come from the Loire. |
| pasta and pesto. Drink it reclining on a | | | | Vouvrays are gorgeously complex long-lived |
| sun-lounge, chilling out and watching a DVD | | | | wines, as decadently vibrant as they are |
| with the kids, or after cleaning out the | | | | exuberantly delicious all produced in one of |
| attic. | | | | the most gorgeous wine regions of the world, |
| | | | the Loire Valley with magnificent chateaux |
| Vouvrays are gorgeous wines, some of the | | | | and a gentle climate. |
| longest lived and most complex whites in the | | | | |