If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider
the Loire Valley region of central France. You may find a
bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this
fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a white
Chenin Blanc from Anjou-Saumur Touraine in the central part
of the region.
Among France's eleven wine-growing regions the Loire Valley
ranks number three when it comes to the acreage devoted to
vineyards. The Loire is France's longest river running for
620 miles (one thousand kilometers) across the center of
the country. In many ways the Loire Valley can be
considered as a series of regions. Here they are running
from west to east: Nantais whose primary grape is the white
Muscadet, Anjou-Saumur whose primary grapes are the white
Chenin Blanc and the red Cabernet Franc, Touraine whose
primary white grapes are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc
and whose primary red grape is Cabernet Franc, and Central
Vineyards whose primary white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and
whose primary red grape is Pinot Noir. We will review at
least one wine from each of these four areas.
Saumur is a city of about thirty-five thousand inhabitants
where the Loire and the Thouet Rivers meet in the Anjou and
Saumur zone of the Loire Valley, east of the Nantes and
west of Tours. It is a bourgeois city proud of its historic
center and Fourteenth Century Church of St-Pierre and the
city square of the same name. And of course there is a
Loire Valley turreted Castle, the Château de Saumur
well worth the visit even though the Musee des Arts
Decoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum) and the Musee du Cheval
(Equestrian Museum) may be closed to the public.
Saumur's Riding School, the Cadre Noir de Saumur (literally
the Black Cadre) was founded well over one hundred fifty
years ago. Its instructors, whether military or civilian,
wear beautiful black and gold uniforms in public
performances that attract up to forty thousand spectators.
If you are at all interested in equestrian performances
make sure to catch their class act. And stop by the Maison
du Vin (House of Wine) for more information on this great
wine-growing region.
Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that
we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and
a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of
what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this
beautiful region. Start with Rillions (Big chunks of Pork
cooked in Pork Fat). For your second course savor Becasse
fouree au Foie Gras (Woodcock stuffed with Foie Gras). And
as dessert indulge yourself with Tarte Tatin (Upside down
Apple Tart).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review
are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed Domaine de Saint-Just Saumur Blanc 2005 AC
12.5% alcohol about $13
Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. We see very
little white Saumur in our market, so this is a rare treat
indeed. Made with 100% Chenin Blanc, it shows the aromatic
virtues of the grape coupled with racy acidity. The result
is a wine that may be enjoyed in its youth with seafood
dishes such as grilled prawns, but will definitely age
gracefully for 3-5 years.
My first meal was fried chicken-breast scaloppini, with
rice and Turkish salad. This wine was very refreshing and
pleasantly acidic. It was palate-cleansing with a lot of
lime. It was quite present when pairing with a strong
Turkish salad.
The next meal consisted of slow-cooked chicken legs with a
mix of Eastern spices, brown rice, and green beans. The
Saumur Blanc was quite forward with plenty of fruit and
acidity. It was very pleasant.
The final pairing involved whole-wheat spaghetti and
hamburgers but no tomato sauce. The wine was refreshingly
acidic with a lot of lime. It was very long. While the wine
was somewhat flattened by a fruit-juice candy, it displayed
delicate fruit and acidity when paired with a good-quality
cheesecake.
The first cheese pairing was with a mild Italian Pecorino
Friulano cheese. This was no success; the wine became a bit
thin and lost a lot of its fruit. Then I tried a nutty
Dutch Edam cheese. The wine was moderately fruity and I
would say that combination was OK but not great.
Final verdict. I liked this wine and would buy it again. I
feel that it was quite good for the price. And there's not
all that much more to say about it.
----------------------------------------------------
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on
computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine
Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and
people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what
he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at
an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his
Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com
which focuses on local wine and food.
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