Wines and vineyards of Anjou

Anjou wines are world-renowned: from Coteaux du Layon to Crémant de Loire, from Cabernet d'Anjou to Saumur-Champigny!

Where are the Anjou vineyards located?

The vineyards of Anjou cover 21,000 hectares, mainly south of the Loire between Ancenis and Saumur.
They include 19 Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée or Protected Designations of Origin, 8 denominations, and one Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
These vineyards bring together more than 2,000 estates and 5 wine cooperatives. They benefit from a temperate oceanic climate in the Ancenis and Angers areas, with a continental influence in the Saumurois due to its proximity to Touraine.
The vineyards of Anjou are characterized by their soils and subsoils rich in sandstone and slate schists.
The most widely grown grape varieties are Cabernet Franc, for red and rosé wines, and Chenin, for white wines.

The vineyards of Anjou originated in the Middle Ages with the monasteries: each religious establishment had its own vineyard, and wines from the banks of the Loire were served at the tables of the Plantagenets.
The kings of France and England contributed to the development and reputation of Loire Valley wines.
In the Middle Ages, vine-growing was concentrated around Angers and Saumur, as well as on a hillside along the Loire.
Vineyards then spread to the banks of the Loire's tributaries, such as the Aubance, Layon and Thouet rivers.
The Anjou appellation includes sub-appellations: Anjou rouge, Anjou Blanc, Anjou Gamay and Anjou fines bulles.
Anjou shares its territory with the other local appellations of Cabernet d'Anjou and Rosé d'Anjou.
The three AOCs belong to the large Val de Loire vineyards, and are located around the river between the Nantais and Touraine vineyards.

All types of wine - white, red, rosé and sparkling - are produced in the vineyards of Anjou. The Anjou region benefits from a wide variety of climates and soils, from the oceanic influence of Nantes to the continental influence of Touraine, from the white subsoil of tuffeau to the black subsoil of slate schist and the sandy soil of the banks of the Loire.

Red and rosé wines are mainly made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes. Anjou-Gamay red wines are made from Gamay.

White wines are mainly made from Chenin grapes, combined with Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The appellation's light red wines include Anjou Rouge and Anjou Gamay, Anjou Villages, Saumur-Champigny and Thouarsais wines.

Anjou wines also include dry rosés such as Rosé de Loire, semi-dry rosés such as Rosé d'Anjou, and sweet rosés such as Cabernet d'Anjou.
Dry and semi-dry white wines include Savennières, while hillside wines include the famous sweet and mellow Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux and Quarts de Chaume. Numerous grape varieties and winemakers offer cuvées with very different aromas, whether fruity or not, from different vintages and harvests.
The Anjou vineyards are also renowned for sparkling white and rosé wines like Saumur, and effervescent wines like Crémant de Loire. Take the time to discover the many wine cellars with their famous vintages. You'll also be able to see how the grapes are harvested and made into wine.