Maison Marc Bredif

Marc Brédif was a pioneer in the world of winemakers, creating sparkling Vouvray at the start of the 20th century and now owned by Baron Patrick de Ladoucette. The Domaine's 10th century troglodyte cellars, are among the most beautiful and vast in the appellation. They contain rare vintages, which date back to 1874. Maison Brédif vinifies three types of wines: Classic Vouvray, Nectar Marc Brédif, harvested in late harvests during certain exceptional vintages, and la Vigne Blanche, a great dry white wine from vines of the same name and exclusive property of the house. Maison Brédif also produces red and rosé wines in Chinon, and Chinon Blanc. No oak is used in the winemaking to respect the freshness of the grapes and the terroir.

Monmousseau

The tradition began with Alcide Monmousseau who founded his wine merchant house in 1886, in Montrichard (Loir et Cher), where he discovered one of the most important quarries of regional tuffeau stone. Abandoned after having being used to build the royal castles of the Loire, the quarry was brought back to life and transformed into magnificent winemaking cellars. It became a network of 15 km of hygienic and solid underground galleries, the constant temperature of which – both summer and winter – is always about 12°C, with a hygrometry perfectly suited to the production and the conservation of wine. AOC Touraine, Vouvray, Cremant de Loire.

Chenin Blanc (White Chenin, or Pineau de Loire), is a white wine grape variety grown in Anjou, Saumur, Vouvray, Montlouis and Coteaux de Layon. It is sweet and ripe, with sugar and acidity levels setting each other off, giving perfect balance and a certain freshness. It derives its famous taste from the fact that it buds early and ripens late. This slow ripening makes it subject to botrytis cinerea, also called “noble rot.” Noble rot produces smooth amber colored grapes that are almost honey scented. It is a mold responsible for all great sweet wines. It can be vinified as fine bubbles whilst retaining all its characteristic fruitiness. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines. Less ripe grapes are made into popular sparkling wines such as Cremant de Loire. Chenin Blanc can be recognised by its tight, heavy bunches of grapes which turn golden with the sun, and some years can even intensify and resemble Corinthian grapes.

Terroir

Vouvray is the largest white wine appellation of the Anjou-Saumur-Touraine region, and it produces splendid wines from dry and austere to the richest dessert wines, as well as excellent sparkling wines. With its natural inclination to ‘pearl’, Vouvray is obtains petillant wine using the champenoise method of fermentation and ageing the wine at 4 atmospheres of pressue. In Vouvray the wine growers aim for an off-dry style, developing honey and floral characteristics with age. In the best years the grapes can be left on the vines to develop and produce an intense, viscous dessert wine, which may improve considerably with age. Vineyards flank the Loire Valley along much of its length from Nantes to Nevers, but are most highly concentrated in the area of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine. The Loire river irrigates and creates a warm micro climate that is perfect for growing a variety of wines.

History

The vineyards of the Loire Valley were established by the Cisterian and Benedictine monks during the middle-ages. Anjou made its reputation by producing the best white wines of the region thanks to the Chenin Blanc grape. Anjou AOC produces dry wine, with flavors of quince and apples.

The ancient Duchy of Anjou was once a political power that rivaled the Kingdom of France for wealth and importance. The Plantagenet family which ruled it enjoyed local wines and encouraged their development, while the river and proximity to Paris helped the wine trade flourish in the region. In the High Middle Ages, the wines of the Loire Valley were the most esteemed wines in England and France, more prized than even those from Bordeaux.

Vouvray Wine Adventures

A visit to the Loire Valley is to experience French history at its best, an area renowned for 1,000 magical renaissance & medieval castles. It has a diverse range of fantastic wines, especially the dry whites based on the Chenin Blanc grapes from Vouvray, which are light, fresh and relatively low in alcohol.

Cremant de Loire is sparkling wines using the same double fermentation process as Champagne. You'll discover these in Saumur which is also known for earthy red Cabernet Franc and light fruity red Gamay wines in Bourgueil, St Nicolas de Bourgueil, and Chinon.

Multi Region Journeys