When Pope Clement V shifted the papal court to Avignon in 1309, he also shifted the spotlight onto French wines beyond those of the Rhône Valley. Among his many indulgences was a palate appreciative of the subtlety found in Loire wines—especially those from the regions of Chinon and Saumur.
This early 14th-century pope, originally from Bordeaux, brought with him a distinctly French appreciation for viniculture. Though Bordeaux held his heart, the Loire Valley’s offerings proved too charming to ignore. The ecclesiastical court, ever keen to please, ensured that these elegant nectars were well-represented at papal feasts.
Thanks to the Pope’s discerning tastes, loire wine found new prestige among clerical and noble circles across Europe. In the tapestry of medieval history, this was a quiet yet telling intersection of faith and fermentation—a holy alliance sealed not by parchment, but by the pop of a cork.
