Bourgueil: Domaine des Ouches Igoranda

The Loire is France's longest river, running almost 400km from the Massif Central westwards to the Atlantic, and gives its name to one of the country's most diverse wine regions. Spanning some 57,000 hectares across Loire-Atlantique, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, and the Centre, it produces the full range of styles - fresh, light whites from Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, elegant reds and rosés from Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Gamay, plus sweet and sparkling wines. Its western vineyards enjoy a maritime Atlantic climate, while the more easterly Centre is cooler and continental, and its chalky limestone soils help the wines retain their signature freshness and acidity. Home to 69 appellations, including the famous Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, the Loire offers something to please every palate.

One of the Loire Valley's finest red-wine appellations, set on the north bank of the Loire in the Touraine district, made almost exclusively from Cabernet Franc. Its wines fall into two styles depending on soil: those from the lighter gravel terraces near the river are supple and fruity, while those from the clay-limestone (tuffeau) slopes are firmer, more structured, and age-worthy.