Why buy a wine estate in the Loire Valley?

Vineyards are the identity of the Loire Valley: Ampelio is committed to keeping them thriving by securing their future.

The Loire Valley is a wine-producing region that extends over more than 1,000 km with almost 58,000 hectares of vineyard surface.

It is the most diversified region in France, offering 51 different protected and controlled appellations of origin (AOP / AOC) and 7 different protected geographical indications (IGP). It produces more than 2.06 million hectoliters of wine each year.

It covers the wine-producing regions from west to east: Muscadet, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, Centre-Loire and Auvergne.

The Loire Valley is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ampelio is naturally a specialist in the transaction of vineyards in our beautiful region.

 1 – DIVERSITY OF CLIMATE AND SOIL IN THE VINEYARD

The Loire and its tributaries offer the Loire Valley a diversity of climates that are favourable to wine growing and viticulture.

The general climate is temperate, but each of the wine-producing region has its own microclimate and various influences.

Muscadet and Anjou benefit from an oceanic climate, governed by the tides of the Atlantic Ocean. This influence allows for mild winters and hot summers with plenty of sunshine.

The relief of the hills stops the oceanic flows. Thus, the closer we get to Saumur, the more the temperature variations are felt.

Touraine benefits from both a semi-oceanic and a continental climate.

As for the Centre Loire, the climate is entirely continental. This means that there are wide temperature variations, hotter in summer and cooler in winter.

In addition, with global warming, the Loire Valley has a temperate climate.

The vineyards and winegrowers will undoubtedly have to adapt more and more to the climate for the cultivation of the vine.

Like the climate, the strength of Loire Valley wines lies in the diversity of its soils.

From the rocks of the Armorican Massif, Muscadet has mainly gneiss, micaschists, green rocks and granite.

In Anjou, slate is in the majority, with also schist and sandstone.

Between Saumur and Touraine, tuffeau and flint are found in particular.

The Centre is characterised by limestone and flint, and the Auvergne by micaschists.

All this diversity will allow the Loire Valley to work with different grape varieties. And therefore, to offer diversified wines and appellations.

2 – THE DIVERSITY OF GRAPE VARIETIES AND WINES

The Loire Valley has 24 different grape varieties, both white and red.

Some of these come from the Loire Valley, others from the rest of France.

Among the most important white grape varieties, we find three main ones: Melon de Bourgogne, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc. Other white grape varieties are: folle blanche, chardonnay, chasselas, romorantin, sauvignon and tressallier.

In terms of red grape varieties, the Loire Valley produces cabernet franc, gamay, pinot noir, grolleau, cabernet sauvignon, pineau d’Aunis, côt and négrette.

All these different grape varieties therefore offer an exceptional range of wines, unique in the world.

With its 51 appellations, the Loire Valley is the most diversified vineyard in France.

All types of wine are produced here. Dry whites, sweet whites, sparkling wines, rosés, fresh reds and full-bodied reds.

Among the great AOP or AOC wines of the Loire Valley we can mention: Muscadet, Savennières, Vouvray, Sancerre, Coteaux du Layon, Quarts de Chaume, Montlouis, Saumur brut, Crémant de Loire, Cabernet d’Anjou, Touraine, Chinon, Bourgueil, or even Saumur Champigny.

For all occasions, with all dishes, you will inevitably find your happiness in a Loire wine!

3 – THE CULTURE OF THE LOIRE VALLEY

The Loire wine route is the longest in France, covering 800 kilometers. It runs along the Loire, the longest river in France.

With more than 2000 years of history, the Loire Valley is distinguished from other regions by its exceptional cultural heritage.

On this Loire wine route, you can discover the most beautiful Loire castles, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, as you travel along the river.

Each region will offer you its treasures, its history, and its vineyards!

Muscadet

Between land and sea… The Atlantic Ocean brings freshness to the region and its wines as the famous Muscadet zone attests.

You can visit the Nantes bocages, the Grandlieu lake, the history of the city of Nantes and its castle.

Anjou – Saumur

The imposing castles of Anjou (Angers, Brissac, Montreuil Bellay, Saumur) will guide you on your way from Angers to Saumur.

The Anjou-Saumur region is also characterised by its vineyards, the Layon hillsides, slate, white tufa stone and troglodyte cellars which produce some of the best sparkling wines in France.

Touraine

Touraine is the France garden, but also where the history of the country was written.

Many visits are possible in Touraine: between the vineyards, the renaissance castles (Blois, Chinon, Azay le Rideau, Amboise, Chenonceaux), the valleys, and the charming villages.

Centre Loire

The Centre Loire welcomes a land of vineyards, with the most prestigious appellations of the Loire Valley: Sancerre, Pouilly, Menetou Salon, Quincy, Reuilly and few others.

Through the hills, you will discover the Sancerre castle, the medieval villages, the typical pyramidal barns and the superb cathedral of Bourges.

Auvergne

Auvergne is certainly the most volcanic of the wine regions!

In the heart of the Massif Central, you can walk between the famous volcanoes of Puy de Dôme and Puy de Sancy. But also, the picturesque villages of Puy en Velay and Salers, the fortress of Polignac or the Lake of Bouchet.

In the Loire Valley, more than 10,000 wine estates open their doors to the public. You can also visit hectares of vineyards, discover the history of grape varieties and taste white, red, rosé or sparkling wines, while sharing a convivial moment with the winegrowers!

The region has also been voted best wine tourism region for the quality of its welcome and its gentle way of life.

4 – GEOGRAPHICAL AND FINANCIAL ACCESSIBILITY

Geographically, the Loire Valley is one of the best and most easily accessible regions.

From Paris, numerous trains serve the major cities in the region: Nantes, Saumur, Angers, Tours and Bourges.

Depending on the means of transport, these cities are located approximately 2 hours from the capital.

The major cities are also connected to each other by motorways and trains. This makes it easy to travel between the different regions.

From a financial point of view, the Loire Valley is attractive. Prices per hectare range from €12,000 to €500,000.

Landings on a property are therefore “reasonable” from an economic point of view. Our objective is to install sustainable projects.

The price of the land varies according to the terroir, the climate, the geographical location, the history of the appellation and of course the quality of the operating assets.

All these features make the Loire Valley a rich, diverse and authentic region. The winegrowers who work the land every day put their hearts into creating wines that reflect the gentle way of life and conviviality of the Loire Valley.

These strengths make the Loire Valley a unique region.

It is for all these reasons that Ampelio has specialised in our beautiful region.

YOU WANT TO BUY A WINE ESTATE IN THE LOIRE VALLEY?

Our team is at your disposal to answer all your questions and advise you on the wine estate that is right for you!

Sources : Interloire

Vins du Centre Loire

Figaro Vin