I posted this in an internal group at work where someone asked for Loire Valley recommendations for a trip.
Thought that some might enjoy here and curious to see if others have spent any time around the eastern Loire? Any must see places next time we visit?
\–
I did a few days in Sancerre during my honeymoon last fall and took a wine tour there. For reference, this was our tour guide: [https://www.grapesandcorks.com/](https://www.grapesandcorks.com/) The owner, Nick, is a British guy living in France and is a wealth of knowledge (plus he does the driving!).
The town of Sancerre is surprisingly small and not busy (compared with somewhere like Beaune). We were told it was mostly due to a conservative mayor that didn’t care to overrun the place with tourists. But it’s still surprising considering the proximity to Paris, since Sancerre is maybe 2 hours by train.
The big focus in the eastern Loire is all about the soil. There is a lot of different compositions and each produces truly distinct wine, even though it’s all Sauvignon Blanc. Coming from America, this was a treat for me. As the Sancerre we get here is typically very good, but also very homogenous as a group. This trip brought out the true complexity of the region.
**Some favorites from our time there:**
**-Domaine Roger Pabiot** \- *(Pouilly Fume)* Phenomenal small winery with a female winemaker (one of the few in the region). She was there that day and we spoke with her, toured the facility, and tasted some WIP wines. Probably my overall favorite.
**-Domaine Famille Bourgeois** \- *(Sancerre)* A few brothers inherited the family business and decided to keep it together. This is one of the larger commercial producers making a ton of excellent wines. They have a nice facility west of Sancerre where we tasted probably 10 or 12 wines. They also produce in New Zealand (I think) so we got to contrast the SB from there as well. This is a good place to see the full breadth of what the Loire Valley can do with just one single grape. Really interesting.
**-Domaine de Chateau de Tracy** \- *(Pouilly Fume)* Good wine on a grand estate. Out in the middle of nowhere, but it’s a beautiful drive.
**Dinner recommendation:**
**-Le Coq Hardi in Pouilly-sur-Loire** *(make reservations a few days in advance)* \- It’s a simple little hotel with a small restaurant. However the prix fixe menu is unbeatable and the wine and service were top notch. It faces west, so we had a spectacular sunset and enjoyed a very long dinner. Prices are ridiculously reasonable (IMO), as is typical of the French countryside.
​
https://preview.redd.it/4wfd86mwpqx81.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=909bc5c917ede4d8e461cc531eaf2e83f34c0ece
Dining and Cooking