Anjou-Saumur
Oceanic, mild
The Loire's Chenin Blanc heartland, with dry Savennières, sweet Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume, and the Cabernet Franc reds and sparkling wines of Saumur.
Overview
About Anjou-Saumur
Anjou and Saumur, in the middle of the Loire, are the home of Chenin Blanc, which is made dry at Savennières, sweet at the Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume, and sparkling at Saumur. Cabernet Franc gives the reds of Saumur-Champigny and Anjou, and the region also makes a lot of pink and sparkling wine.
The area splits into black Anjou, on dark schist and volcanic rocks in the west, and white Anjou, on pale tuffeau limestone in the east.
Anjou-Saumur is marked on the map.
France
Shaded: Maine-et-Loire. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Oceanic, mild
Mild and fairly dry for the Loire, because the hills of the Armorican Massif to the west shelter it from the wettest weather. Autumn mists favour noble rot in the Layon valley.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Dark schist, sandstone and volcanic rocks in the west, and pale tuffeau limestone in the east.
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
Coulée de Serrant (Nicolas Joly)
Savennières; a biodynamic pioneer, and a single-vineyard appellation.
Domaine des Baumard
Rochefort-sur-Loire; Savennières and Quarts de Chaume.
Clos Rougeard
Chacé; a famed Saumur-Champigny estate for Cabernet Franc.
Patrick Baudouin
Chaudefonds-sur-Layon; a leading grower of sweet Chenin Blanc.
What's grown here
Grapes
Each grape's page links back here.