France's Garden

The Loire River begins as a mountain spring near the Rhône Valley and ends 630 miles later at the Atlantic Ocean. Along its journey—France's longest river—it creates the country's most diverse wine region. No single grape variety dominates here. No uniform style defines it. Instead, the Loire offers a kaleidoscope of wines that shift with every bend in the river.

This is France's garden, where Renaissance châteaux rise from morning mist, where the French language is said to be spoken most purely, and where wine has been made since the Romans noticed the river's moderating influence. But the Loire's gentle beauty masks serious winemaking. These are some of France's most food-friendly, age-worthy, and distinctive wines—if you know where to look.