Beyond Muscadet: Discover Anjou & Savennières on a Wine Tour from Nantes
When travellers think about taking a wine tour from Nantes, one name naturally comes to mind: Muscadet.
And for good reason. Nantes sits at the western end of the Loire Valley vineyards, surrounded by the homeland of Melon de Bourgogne and some of France's most distinctive dry white wines.
But the Loire Valley does not end at the Muscadet vineyards.
Follow the river east and, little by little, the landscape, soils, grape varieties and wines begin to change.
Around Anjou and Savennières, you enter another fascinating chapter of Loire Valley wine.
And it can all be discovered on a full-day wine experience from Nantes.
From Nantes to Anjou: following the Loire east
One of the extraordinary things about the Loire Valley is its scale.
Rather than being one homogeneous wine region, it is a succession of vineyards and terroirs stretching along the Loire and its tributaries.
Around Nantes, Melon de Bourgogne dominates the vineyards of Muscadet.
Travel east towards Angers, however, and Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc become increasingly important.
The landscape changes too.
The gentle vineyards around Nantes gradually give way to the distinctive scenery of Anjou, where vines, villages and historic estates overlook the Loire and its tributaries.
For wine lovers staying in Nantes, this makes Anjou an exciting extension to a Loire Valley itinerary.
You aren't simply visiting another winery.
You're discovering another wine region.
Savennières: one of the great expressions of Chenin Blanc
Among the appellations of Anjou, Savennières holds a special place.
Located just southwest of Angers, its vineyards overlook the Loire and are particularly renowned for dry white wines made from Chenin Blanc.
This is already a striking contrast with Nantes.
In Muscadet, the signature grape is Melon de Bourgogne. In Savennières, Chenin Blanc takes centre stage.
And Chenin is a remarkable storyteller of terroir.
Depending on the vineyard, vintage and winemaking choices, the wines can combine freshness and tension with richness, texture and considerable ageing potential.
For visitors discovering Loire Valley wines for the first time, tasting Muscadet and Savennières during the same trip is therefore particularly interesting.
Two white wines.
Two grape varieties.
Two very different terroirs.
Yet both belong to the same extraordinary Loire wine journey.
The importance of Anjou Noir
One of the keys to understanding this change lies beneath your feet.
The western part of Anjou is traditionally associated with what is known as Anjou Noir, an area characterised by ancient rocks belonging to the Armorican Massif, including schist formations.
The name does not refer to red wine, but to the darker colour of many of these rocks.
Savennières belongs to this geological world.
This underlying geology is one of the elements that shapes the vineyards and helps explain why exploring the Loire Valley is so fascinating: travelling relatively short distances can reveal dramatically different soils and wine styles.
For us, this is also why a wine tour should never be limited to standing around a tasting table.
Walking into the vineyards, observing the landscape and understanding what lies beneath the vines makes the wine in your glass far more meaningful.
More than a wine tasting
A day in Anjou and Savennières is also about everything surrounding the wine.
Meeting independent winemakers.
Walking through vineyards overlooking the Loire.
Understanding how generations of growers have adapted to their terroirs.
Discovering historic estates and small villages.
Sitting down for lunch surrounded by the Loire countryside.
And, naturally, tasting the wines alongside the people who make them.
These encounters are at the heart of the experiences we want to create at Nantes Wine Tour.
Because understanding Loire Valley wine means understanding its people, landscapes and history, not simply its grape varieties.
Can you visit Savennières from Nantes?
Absolutely.
For travellers staying in Nantes who want to explore further into the Loire Valley, Anjou and Savennières can be incorporated into a full-day private wine tour.
The journey itself becomes part of the experience.
Leaving the Atlantic-influenced vineyards around Nantes behind, you travel east through the Loire Valley towards Anjou before reaching the vineyards around Savennières.
It is an especially interesting option for travellers spending several days in Nantes and looking for a deeper introduction to Loire Valley wines.
A first day might be devoted to Muscadet.
Another can take you towards Anjou and Savennières.
And for those wanting to explore even further, the Loire continues towards Saumur, Chinon and Bourgueil.
One river, many wine regions
Perhaps this is the most important thing to understand about wine tourism in the Loire Valley.
There isn't just one Loire wine experience.
Around Nantes, you can discover the crisp whites of Muscadet.
Travel towards Savennières and Chenin Blanc takes centre stage.
Continue towards Saumur and you encounter another mosaic of Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and sparkling wines.
Further east, Chinon and Bourgueil reveal some of the Loire Valley's great expressions of Cabernet Franc.
All of these vineyards have their own identity.
And yet the Loire connects them.
Explore the Loire Valley from Nantes
Nantes is therefore much more than a starting point for discovering Muscadet.
It can also become your gateway to a much larger exploration of Loire Valley wine.
At Nantes Wine Tour, we organise wine experiences departing from Nantes and Clisson, from half-day discoveries of the nearby Muscadet vineyards to private full-day experiences allowing you to travel further into the Loire Valley.
Anjou and Savennières are a perfect example.
A different landscape.
A different grape variety.
A different expression of the Loire.
And another reason to keep following the river.
Ready to discover the Loire Valley beyond Muscadet?
Explore our wine tours from Nantes or contact us to create a private Loire Valley wine experience.
Commentaires