Touring Touraine

My quirky guide to Chinon, Vouvray, Bourgueil, and elsewhere in my favorite part of the Loire Valley.

Along the Loire river at sunset.

As long-time readers know, we love the Loire Valley around here.

These Wines are the Platonic Ideal of Everyday Drinking

While I also love Anjou and Sancerre, my favorite part of the Loire Valley is the bullseye of Touraine. I’m talking about area near the city of Tours, encompassing the appellations of Chinon, Bourgueil, Montlouis, and Vouvray. For wines, we’re talking, of course, about reds made from cabernet franc and whites made from chenin blanc.

Chinon at sunset.

But there’s way more than just wine for those planning a trip: great restaurants, the famed chateaux along the Loire river, lovely villages, the cheese (in fact you can combine your wine trip with my epic goat cheese trail itinerary). Touraine has been favorite vacation spot since French nobles came here in the 15th and 16th centuries, earning its nickname “The Garden of France.”

In the Loire Valley, Goat is the GOAT (Updated)

What follows here are my picks for where to stay, where to eat, what sights to see, and most importantly, which wineries to visit.