France | Touraine, Loire

The Touraine region, sometimes referred to as the “Garden of France” was where kings and nobles built many of the chateaux that make the Loire Valley one of France’s most popular tourist destinations.

Located around the central city of Tours the Touraine wine region includes many famous appellations, including the dry, sweet and sparkling Chenin Blanc wines of Vouvray and the Cabernet Franc red wines of Chinon, Bourgueil and St Nicolas de Bourgeuil.

The Touraine also has its own generic regional appellation which covers the entire district and is a source of good-value white wines, under the Sauvignon de Touraine appellation, and red wines made from Gamay and Malbec (known locally as Côt).