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Anjou-Saumur

Anjou-Saumur encompasses two Loire Valley wine regions. A wide variety of wines – dry, sweet and sparkling – are made here, with the versatile white grape Chenin Blanc the common thread.

In Anjou, Chenin Blanc is used to make a variety of aromatic and full-bodied sweet wines, sometimes with the help of the botrytis fungus. More and more, it is also the grape used to make rich yet fresh dry wines, notably in the Savennières appellation.

The smaller Saumur district is best known for its sparkling wines, likewise made from Chenin Blanc. Because the terroir of this area is quite similar to Champagne’s – with chalky soil yielding acidic grapes – these Saumur sparklers, including Crémant de Loire and Saumur Brut, can be delicious and a terrific value compared to Champagne.

Other Anjou-Saumur wines rely on traditional red grape varieties, such as Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon for the light and usually off-dry Rosé d’Anjou, and Cabernet Franc for the rich and spicy red Saumur-Champigny.


Pronunciation

[Ahn-ZHOO Saw-MUHR]

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