This should not be considered a definitive list of wineries in the Loire Valley, but merely as a starting point.  Most wine travelers will proclaim the local "mom-and-pop" operation they discovered in the middle of nowhere as their best wine experience. Always be open to trying a new wine, as flavors and styles vary from vintage to vintage, village to village, and winemaker to winemaker.  The comments on the wines that we have provided should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.

Chinon

Bourgueil

Chinon is probably the best-known red wine region in the Loire Valley, often producing Cabernet Franc that can go head-to-head with Bordeaux' St-Emilion. The Chinon region is bordered on the north by the Loire River and stretches south, where it straddles the Vienne River.  With approximately 1800 hectares (4500 acres) under vine, Chinon produces two distinct styles of red wine.  Those coming from Cravant-les-Coteaux (just east of Chinon) tend to be fuller and longer lasting due to the limestone slopes they grow on.  Most vineyards are on the sand and gravel typically found closer to or on the flood plains of the Loire and Vienne, where they tend to produce red wines that are lighter.  Regardless of the body, Chinon wines have the potential of producing wines with incredible noses that front a wonderful balance of fruit and acidity.  The best Chinons can be aged, but this generally isn't necessary, adding nothing to the wines that weren't already there.  In addition to the reds, Chinon does produce some rosé and Chenin Blanc, but both take a distant back seat to the reds.

Beaumont-en-Veron (38 miles SW of Tours)

Housed in a château dating back to over five hundred years, Château de Coulaine makes delicious, refreshing reds with a beautiful ruby hue and lots of fruit.

Chinon (36 miles SW of Tours)

They produce a number of good reds, but their Clos de la Collardière is one you shouldn't miss.

Web: www.coulydutheil-chinon.com

One of the largest producers in Chinon with cellars dug into the cliffs, their top wine is the Clos de l'Echo.

Located above Chinon, they use a mix of old and new winemaking processed.  The result is a red that has delicious fruit and ages well.  Worth visiting for the wine, cellar dug in an old quarry, a château built over a four-century period, and a garden full of topiary.

Cravant-les-Coteaux (34 miles SW of Tours)

A serious wine maker who has applied an almost Burgundian approach to separating his wines by the soil the grapes are grown in.  They make wines that are meant to be drunk young, as well as some agers.

Ligré (40 miles SW of Tours)

They take advantage of some old vines to make some memorable wines, especially the Clos du St-au-Loup.

This château makes whites, reds, and rosés, some of which are quite luscious.

Savigny-en-Veron (38 miles SW of Tours)

Sazilly (34 miles SW of Tours)

In good vintages, their reds typify what a Chinon is capable of.  Their wines typically have good aging potential.

Web: www.charlesjoguet.com

Their vineyards are some of the few on the south side of the River Vienne.  Their finest wine is the Clos de la Dioterie is aged in oak and has some aging potential.

The appellations of Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (1200 hectares of vineyards) are centered on the town of Bourgueil on the north bank of the Loire.  Like Chinon, this region makes its reputation on the Cabernet Franc.  Wines from Bourgueil are medium-bodied wines and have a more intense nose and more tannin than found in Chinon.  As a result, these wines have more aging potential (usually up to five years).  The wines of St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, meanwhile, are generally lighter and should be drunk while still young.  These regions produce a small volume of rosé and no white wine.  Relatively unknown outside of France, these wines are very popular in Parisian bistros.

Benais (34 miles WSW of Tours)

One of Bourgueil's most prominent wine makers, his wines can be drunk young or be aged.  His best wines include the Vaumoreau, Beauvais, and Grand-Mont.

Bourgueil (37 miles WSW of Tours)

A producer of consistently high quality, their best is probably the Domaine du Grand Clos.

Their wines are typically unfiltered, providing a more rustic flavor.

Ingrandes-de-Touraine (30 miles WSW of Tours)

Restigne (32 miles WSW of Tours)

Definitely stop to try the Cuvée Vielle Vignes.

Highly recommended for both its reds and rosés.

Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (39 miles WSW of Tours)

He makes only two wines: Domaine Jacques Mabileau (a standard cuvee) and Vieilles Vignes, which ages well (especially for a wine from St. Nicolas).