Loire Valley

The Loire Valley serves up history, architecture and gastronomy in ample helpings. It has a mild climate, a gentle landscape and the softest light in France. It is also close at hand and has a full range of wine styles and tastes - in fact something for everyone.

The Loire has five principal grape varieties - Muscadet, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc for white wine; Cabernet Franc and Gamay for red. The Chenin can make wonderful diamond dry wines like Savennières and Jasnières (who's heard of these?), sublime sweet wines such as Bonnezeaux and Coteaux du Layon, and sparkling wines so good that many champagne producers now own properties in Saumur. Sauvignon Blanc produces the more famous wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé - aromatic and mouth-wateringly evocative of blackcurrant leaves and gooseberries. Most top-quality red, such as Chinon and Saumur-Champigny comes from the Cabernet Franc.

The history of 3D Wines is inextricably linked to the Loire Valley, for the seeds of our love of France, its food, and of course its wines, were sown here way back in the 1980s. With the help of Hugh Johnson's Wine Companion, we sought out recommended winemakers producing wine with strange names, often from deeply unfashionable places. We liked the wines, we liked the winemakers, and we loved the whole French experience.

The 3D Wines 'rent a row' system was launched in 1992 with Saumur-Champigny from Jean-Luc Mary at Domaine de la Cune near Saumur (our 2006 Trophy winner at the International Wine Challenge). Others soon followed, and by 1995 other Loire winemakers who had joined the 'club' included: André Sorin (Coteaux du Layon), Pierre Caslot (Bourgueil), Jean-Claude Mabileau (St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil), Pierre Riffault (Sancerre) and Georges Bureau (Anjou).

In 1996, in response to an increasing demand for more 'special' wines, Jean-Claude Mabileau at La Jarnoterie produced our first exclusive Loire wine, a St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil named Cuvée Carine in honour of his daughter. The popularity of this approach has since led to many more exclusive cuvées being made for us at many of our other vineyards, including our Saumur-Champigny Les 3 Jean and Sancerre Les Caillottes.

Loire Valley Rental - 2 vineyards for the price of 1

Two of our popular Loire vineyards have teamed up to offer one fabulous Loire Valley offering - so you can enjoy the hospitality and wines from two domaines for the price of one! The domaines provide a superb welcome and between them offer a choice of four complementary wines.

Place your order in either vineyard and you will automatically become a Loire Valley Partner.

La Jarnoterie

The appellation of St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil produces some of the finest red wines in France from the Cabernet Franc grape. La Jarnoterie provides a truly captivating visit, as the family cellar - the Caves de Cochamtorille - is in fact a huge cavern that you can actually drive into! Our exclusive Cuvée Carine is made from some of the domaine’s oldest and best vines, and is a supple, fruity wine with red fruit on the palate.

Domaine de Salvert

Domaine de Salvert is situated in the beautiful Anjou region between Saumur and Angers. It is here that the charming Georges Bureau makes our exclusive, award-winning red Anjou and our exciting new and exclusive addition to the 3D range, our superb Crémant de Loire rosé called Cuvée Esprit de Sophie (after Georges’ daughter). The red is a medium-bodied fruity wine with a distinctive blackcurrant and raspberry bouquet. The sparkling rosé has a lovely deep salmon colour and is splendidly aromatic with an enticing mix of citrus and red fruit flavours.

Domaine du Carroir Perrin

The Riffault family have been making wine in Sancerre for generations and have won many awards. Our exclusive Les Caillottes comes from a parcel of old vines growing on stony, limestone slopes renowned for producing fresh, fruity, aromatic wine. It is made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and is distinguished by concentrated fruit flavours and a powerful bouquet. This is one of our most popular domaines, and Pierre and son Bertrand always give a warm welcome to Partners.

Domaine de la Chevalerie

The Caslots are amongst the best winemakers in the whole of the Loire region, and their family have been making wine since 1640 from their farmhouse which sits on the hill overlooking the vines. As you enter the courtyard, a dark tunnel leads you down to the huge family cellar where you’ll get to see row upon row of unlabelled pleasure. Made from Cabernet Franc grapes, their Bourgueil is a delightful fresh, yet intense, wine with a floral bouquet and flavours of raspberry and blackberry.

Domaine de la Cune

This small vineyard was planted in the 17th century by the Abbot of Breton on the instructions of Cardinal Richelieu. Brothers Jean-Luc & Jean-Albert Mary regularly win medals at the International Wine Challenge, culminating in a rare Gold Medal and the first-ever Trophy for Loire reds for their Saumur-Champigny 2005.

Domaine de la Motte

Our three wines from this domaine regularly win medals and have an international reputation for quality. Gilles Sorin’s flagship wine is his Coteaux du Layon Rochefort, a complex sweet wine made from grapes affected by noble rot. This wine is the Loire’s answer to Sauternes and has been cited by American wine ‘guru’ Robert Parker as being one of the best wines in France. It is complemented by two dry and refreshing Anjou wines, a red and a white.