Springing from the Massif Central, the Loire River, the longest in France, winds its way through 12 départments before flowing into the Bay of Biscay on France’s West Coast. Along the river’s more than 1,000km stretch lay remnants of history filled with names that still glimmer with interest: Leonardo da Vinci, Catherine Medici, and of course, Jeanne d’Arc. And while polymaths and saints do have a certain gleam, so do wine and cheese, of which the banks of the Loire has in abundance. 

The Loire valley is one of the most ubiquitous regions for the saying ‘what grows together goes together’ (a particularly prominent adage in the wold of cheese mongering), and it’s easy to understand why. Where chèvre dominates from Anjou to the Centre-Loire (a legacy left from the Sarecens from at least the 8th century) so too do the classical vinous counterparts; Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. Where pasture is dedicated to earthier cow’s milk cheeses, spicier volcanic Gamay is planted nearby. 

On Wednesday, August 16th, we will taste 5 cheeses and 5 wines from the Western most to the Eastern most reaches of the river Loire, with plenty in between. From the Pays Nantais we will have Curé Nantais, a washed rind cow’s milk cheese with origins from the French Revolution. Because of the importance of goat’s milk, we will have two formats of soft-ripened chèvre; Pouligny-Saint-Pierre and the ash coated Sainte-Maure. And from the the source of the river, the Auvergne, we will have two cow’s milk cheeses, the semi-soft washed-rind Sainte Nectaire as well as Cantal, a cheese whose recipe dates back at least two thousand years. 

The accompanying wines are: Domaine de la Pépière Clisson Muscadet, Clos Naudin Vouvray, Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Rosé, Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge, and Domaine Sérol Turbullent.

There is intended to be fun as well as informative, so all levels are encouraged to join!