Chenin Blanc: Loire Valley

After two blogposts on the geology of the Loire river:

• Chenin Blanc: Geology of the Loire
• Chenin Blanc: Geology of the Three Major Geologic Regions

it's now time to focus on the Loire Valley, where the Loire empties into the Atlantic Ocean and where Chenin Blanc found it's home. Beginning at the Atlantic Ocean and traveling from west to east, the Loire can be broken up into three major regions: the lower region of Pays Nantais; the middle region of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine. The Centre region consists of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé.
Here is a beautiful map of the Loire Valley Wine Regions:¹

Geography, soil and climate are the elements that make up the Loire Valley’s terroir. The soil varies from region to region and has a large influence on grape varieties and vine growing practices, but our focus is on Chenin Blanc. The Chenin blancs of Vouvray, produced on soft white tuffeau limestone, are dramatically different in style and weight from the Chenin Blancs of Savennières, an appellation in the Anjou where the earth is covered with slate and other metamorphic rocks. Here is a brief overview of the appellations where Chenin Blanc is grown in the Loire and some of the producers that make Chenin Blanc.²
Anjou

• Savennières appellation:
• The soil here is purple and green schist. Schist both retains and reflects heat which stabilizes the vines and will also cause the roots to go deep to find the natural spring water that runs under these vineyards
• It is a small appellation comprising 360 acres of vineyard and 36 winemakers, and the yields are minimal, one of the lowest in all of France
• Producers to seek out:
  Domaine du Closel
  Coulée de Serrant
  Chateau d'Épiré
  Domaine aux Moines

Samur

• The soil in Samur is limestone. Limestone is excellent for water retention, and vines are under less stress here. This characteristic makes the wine a bit juicier while showing an intriguing mineral salinity.
• Producers to seek out for Sparkling Chenin:
  Bouvet-Ladubay
  Domaine de Filliatreau
  Gratien & Meyer
• Producers to seek out for still Chenin:
  Domaine Arnaud Lambert
  Domaine des Roches Neuves

Touraine

• Vouvray
• The soil here is predominantly clay (limestone-clay or siliceous-clay) soils. The complexity of the Chenin wine is perfectly expressed on these clay soils.
• Chenin Blanc in this appellation comes in many variations, sparkling, dry, and off-dry to sweet wines. The white wines of Vouvray, dry or not, have an aging potential of 10, 20 years, and more.
• Producers to seek out:
  Champalou
  Domaine Huet
  

References:
1. Loire Valley Wine Tour, The Loire Valley Appellations.
2. The Road to Wine, Chenin Blanc - A Loire Valley Introduction.
3. Jamie Brown, A Beginner’s Guide to the Loire Valley and Its Iconic Wines, Wine Enthusiast.
4. Jon-David Headrick Selections, Geologgy and Geography of the Loire.
5. The Wine Doctor, LOIRE VALLEY WINE GUIDE: CHENIN BLANC.
Val de Loire.