 |
Food
The food is similar to many other areas of central France and on the whole is very good. There is a lot of excellent fish including brochet (pike), sandre (perch) and alose (shad). Rillettes and Rillons (potted breast of pork), boudin and game from the Sologne. The local goats cheese is excellent.
Wine
This area has many well known wines although they are not amongst the best wines of France, yet at a reasonable price are most acceptable. Probably two of the best known are Vouvray and Montlouis which are light, often sparkling wines from the area just east of Tours. One of the oldest wineries in the Loire Valley is Chateau Moncontour which overlooks the village of Vouvray. The 13th century estate surrounds the castle which dates from the 15th century
There is a crisp, dry Muscadet from Sevre et Maine (and the lesser Gros Plant). Also fruity dry wines from Sancerre and Pouilly further up river. Saumur produces a good white wine as well as the Saumur Champigny which is one of the better red wines of the area. The other red wines are Gamay de Touraine, Chinon and the rather heavy, but good, wine of Bourgueil.
Of the rose wines, Rose d'Anjoy is the best known.