Loire Valley, Alsace and Germany Tasting

In the wettest part of France, the North West, they call it 'The Garden of France' as it is the most green and lush. Here lies the Loire Valley, a grapegrowing area famous as the home of Sauvignon Blanc. We'll look at Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé and talk about why so many people love this classic French grape then head to Tours for the birthplace of the versatile Chenin Blanc in Vouvray. On the estuary of the Loire lies Nantes famous for the seafood matched classic, Muscadet.

In Alsace, eastern France it lies on the border of Germany and is as German as it is French in terms of population, architecture and its’ grape varieties. Germanic Riesling and Gewurztraminer are found here side-by-side with French Pinot Blanc and Gris all adding to a small-but-complex wine producing region offering the most aromatic and different styles in comparison to the rest of France. It unusual, its unique, its great.

Forget Germany of the past (wine-wise). Now it's dominated by dry, acidic and mineral-led wines from Riesling, Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder) and Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder) and the complex and wondrous Pinot Noirs (Spatburgunder). It’s a country with a well-guarded secret of amazing wines, something we’ll have to investigate

All tastings include; minimum of 6 wines sourced locally so you can find them easily if you like them, use of professional tastings glasses and nibbles.