Flowing over 1000 kilometers from its source in south central France, the Loire River passes through a rich variety of geological and scenic landscapes. On its northbound trajectory, on the upper half of the river, it passes Sancerre, home to a great viticultural tradition, and start point for my hike, covering this small section of France’s longest river.
Vines and valleys define Sancerre and its surroundings. Add vistas and charm, and you have an idea of this appeal of this trail. Set along a crest fronting the upper Loire River, the town, like the wine, is uniquely memorable and easy to like for all the reason above.
What I Learned
The Loire River, being over 1000 kilometers long, has several appellations along, or near it. Previous posts covered the wines of the lower half of the Loire, by Anjou, Amboise, and the famous chateaux of the Loire. This post concerns Sancerre, the appellation in the upper half of the Loire.
Sancerre is famous for its racy Sauvignon Blanc wines. Nowadays, a bit over 80 per cent of all wine production here is Sauvignon Blanc wine. It is a varietal wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, which do exceptionally well in this area’s cooler, continental climate. (By contrast, the lower Loire has an Atlantic climate.) As most wine lovers know, Sauvignon Blanc wine is rather distinctive. Like Sauvignon Blanc wines world-wide, Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc exhibits a crisp, fruity, citrus sharpness, from the nose to the palette, and a fair amount of acidity. Flavor descriptions tend to include citrus, green gooseberries, and green apple.
Trail Name: Entre Vignes et Vallons
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; somewhat maintained, with mostly rough surfaces, and no marking on the trail. (See comment below.)
Length:
Total – 9 or 12 kilometers/ 5.6 or 7.5 miles
Convenient to: Sancerre, France
Marking:
None
Continue reading Entre Vignes et Vallons: Trail in a Nutshell
Pouilly-Fume and Pouilly-Fuisse are two of my favorite French white wine appellations. Early in my wine-drinking career, I often confused the two. After all, the names are similar. But the wines themselves are from different regions, and quite distinctive. Therefore, I decided to hike the areas to get a closer look. I figured that visually there would inevitably be cues to keep the two villages, and hence the two wines, apart in my mind. This is the story of the first hike.
A hike through and around the village of Pouilly-sur-Loire is a hike through one of France’s best-known appellations: Pouilly-Fume. It lies in along the Upper Loire valley, practically across the river from another famous appellation: Sancerre. Unlike the other Pouilly, with its Chardonnay white wines under the Pouilly-Fuisse appellation, the Sauvignon Blanc varietal reigns supreme in the Pouilly-Fume wines of this region.
What I Learned:
The Pouilly-Fume appellation is located along the central section of the Loire river on the right bank. Seven communes, to include the main town in the area, Pouilly-sur-Loire, lie within the appellation. It is not a large appellation, as there are slightly less than 1400 hectares (about 3500 acres) planted within the appellation limits.
It is a very well-known white wine appellation. For centuries, the area has produced wines. Its tradition of wine-making dates to late Gallo-Roman times, and the wines been esteemed since the medieval era, although it wasn’t until 1937 that it obtained appellation status.
Trail Name: De Loire en Vignes;
Trail Type: A medium distance circuit; varied surfaces, from grassy, or rough, to asphalted road; marking is spotty on the trail.
Length: Total – 12.84 kilometers/ 8 miles
Convenient to: Nevers or Sancerre, France
Marking: A combination of trail specific (yellow grapes on a white background, yellow directional marking, and nothing.)
Amboise is a delightful town in the Loire River valley. It is also the center of one of the smallest appellations in the area, the Appellation Touraine Amboise Controlee. I finally had a chance to visit!
Amboise has a low-key, country town atmosphere. But there is nothing small about its attractions, which include a magnificent royal chateau, perched high above the river, a compact historical center, and the Clos de Luce, the final home of Leonardo Da Vinci. It is especially photogenic, set as it is along the impressively broad Loire, and against the backdrop of low green hills. Finally, there are the wines, notably the chilled Roses, especially appealing on warm summer days.
