Magic under the stars

After the Eiffel Tower the famous Chateau of Chenonceau must be one of the best known images of France. An evening tasting here was the highlight of a week spent in the Loire Valley. The Chateau is lit at night for visitors to enjoy a unique ambiance. Once a year there is a wine tasting. What a magnificent site for a tasting! On show were the wines of a New Appellation, Touraine Chenonceaux, only authorised in 2011. The idea is to create a Cru for the vignerons of the region around the Cher (this is the river that flows beneath the Chateau). The white has to be made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes, the red from Cot (the local name for Malbec) and Cabernet Franc grown on the slopes of the valley. Only the best sites are authorised. The wine has to be matured on its lees for an extended period. Before release each wine has to be approved by a tasting committee of local growers, The whites are beginning to gain a real following. They have more concentration and intensity than other Sauvignons from the region, with complexity and freshness. This is one of my favourite wine of the moment.