Divine

Loire

In our Magazine

Red Loire wines

In the shadowed salons of 18th-century Versailles, where Voltaire’s wit met the swirl of ruby in a glass, Red Loire wines were already whispering secrets of the French palate—light, structured, and elegantly out of step with power’s heavy airs. From the limestone-laced hills of Chinon to the schist veins of Saumur, these wines carry the legacy of the Val de Loire, a land storied enough to house Joan of Arc’s first victories and the Renaissance bloom of royal châteaux. Rooted primarily in Cabernet Franc—known locally as Breton—the reds here rarely conform to the brooding intensity of their southern cousins. Instead, they tempt with bright acidity, fine tannins, and notes that lean into wild berries, graphite, and sometimes the faintest touch of pepper or violets. The cliché? That they’re too subtle. The truth? Their softness is a studied restraint, honed over centuries by the very soils once flooded by the Loire’s ancient meanders. For a true glimpse, visit in late September: the vines still green, the air crispening, and the first hints of harvest perfuming the valleys. Wander further through the Loire’s secret reds and storied terroirs in the articles crafted just for curious sippers.