France Will Celebrate The 500th Anniversary Of The Renaissance In The Loire Valley In 2019 #500Renaissance, #2019vivaleonardo, #RCVL, #valdeloire

© Château de Chambord © D-Darrault_CRTCentreVdL

500 YEARS OF THE RENAISSANCE IN THE LOIRE VALLEY

2019 will mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci at Amboise, the start of the construction of the Château of Chambord and the birth of Catherine de’ Medici in Florence. The Loire Valley region will celebrate the artistic, scientific and intellectual effervescence of the Renaissance in France.

The Loire Valley with its kings, gardens, river and valley interspersed with châteaux is considered the birthplace of the French Renaissance. Historic figures such as Francis I, Catherine de’ Medici and Leonardo da Vinci largely contributed to the spread of the Renaissance here and greatly stimulated artistic creation, philosophy, science and literature, of which the Loire Châteaux probably bear the greatest testimony. The Loire Valley and the Cathedrals of Chartres and Bourges have received the honor of being listed by UNESCO for their heritage and nature. Celebrations will be held throughout 2019. A cultural program is currently being put together, composed of different highlights including a large travelling digital show mixing contemporary artistic and musical creation, an international architecture competition, guided tours, banquets, many exhibitions, international symposiums, etc.

ABOUT 500 YEARS OF THE RENAISSANCE In 2019, The Loire Valley will be celebrating 500 years of Renaissance(s)... a renewed and reinvented Renaissance. The region aims to adopt an innovative and creative dynamic in association with major contemporary art venues such as the FRAC (regional contemporary art collection) in Orléans, the CCCOD (Olivier Debré centre for contemporary creation) in Tours, the Transpalette in Bourges and the Regional Domain of Chaumont-sur-Loire, which is an Arts and Nature Centre. Leonardo da Vinci was a man who incarnated the possible, a symbol of art and science. The artist and scholar left Rome for Amboise in 1516 upon invitation by King Francis I, and came to live in the “Cloux” Manor, now known as Clos Lucé. This is where the story of three French masterpieces began: The Mona Lisa, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, and Saint John the Baptist, which are now kept at the Louvre. We have a duty to promote this magnificent heritage, but also to prolong it. Celebrations will be held throughout 2019. A cultural program is currently being put together, composed of different highlights including a large travelling digital show mixing contemporary artistic and musical creation, an international architecture competition, guided tours, banquets, many exhibitions, international symposiums, etc. 

How To Find The Best Sauvignon Blanc From The Loire Valley

Sauvignon blancs from the Loire Valley are bracingly fresh and taste great with healthy food - just don't serve them too cold.

Wines from Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre are great matches for herby risottos and salads

Like many, I have a bouncy relationship with New World (especially New Zealand) sauvignon blanc – sometimes that perfumed, juicy blast of gooseberry, passion fruit and tomato leaf is exactly what’s needed to wake up the taste buds with a zap, yet at others it seems altogether too loud, too strong, too relentlessly bright.

So I found myself in the pretty French town of Sancerre recently, marvelling at the elegance and poise of the classic sauvignon blancs of the Loire Valley. My tasting notes from the trip include “tangerines, pears, roses, melon, peach and greengage”, but these are subtle hints; at the heart is always whistle-clean lemon juice, precise and clear, sometimes with minty or smoky whiffs but almost always with a bracingly fresh mineral streak.

The top wines of Sancerre and nearby Pouilly-Fumé can be expensive, but in the same general area sauvignons from less famous Quincy, Reuilly and Menetou-Salon can also deliver at lower prices, and, sauv blanc lovers, do look out for the affordable, simpler but moreish versions from the Côteaux du Giennois appellation.

This is exactly the right time of year to sip them with healthy new-season food – salad leaves and fresh asparagus, baby broad beans and newly sprouted green herb risottos. Oh, and goat’s cheese, and of course white fish and seafood.

On my last night in Sancerre I was the guest of a Japanese chef who paired the wines with her own exquisite, delicate dishes made using nori, radish, miso. Sushi too – all worked beautifully with these restrained and refined white wines.

TRY THESE...

Finest Pouilly-Fumé 2013 Loire, France (Tesco, £10.99)

This has a riper, creamier texture and long finish but the flavours are crystal clear: zesty lemon and grapefruit with a grassy hint – just made for white fish.

Domaine de Villargeau 2013 Côteaux du Giennois Loire, France (Majestic, £8.99)

Lemon and clementine mingle to make a mouthwatering, light and dry citrus cocktail, and there’s a faint hint of mint on the scent. Properly refreshing sauvignon blanc.

Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 2013 Loire, France (selected Waitrose, £19.99)

A brilliant organic producer whose whites have strikingly pure flavours and clean acidity; here’s lemon again, and very light peach. Dry, crisp finish – a seriously good match for lobster.

TIPPLE TIP keep yours cool...

Though it’s tempting in summer, never serve fine whites like these sauvignon blancs too cold, or their delicate flavours and aromas will be hard to detect through the chill. Aim for a cool 8C, which should be just right to make the wine more refreshing without masking its subtle character.

By Susy Atkins

Wine Enthusiast Reveals 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations Of 2015

Wine Enthusiast magazine has crowned the 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations of 2015 in their annual February Travel Issue, and three US cities have topped the coveted list - Orlando, FL; Finger Lakes, NY; and Mendocino, CA!

The top 10 list includes where to dine, where to stay, activities, when to go, and of course, where to taste. Without further adieu…here is the top 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations of 2015:

• Piedmont, Italy
• Finger Lakes, NY - USA!
• Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
• Rhône Valley, France
• Orlando, FL - USA!
• Galicia, Spain
• Okanagan, Canada
• Loire Valley, France
• Mendocino, CA - USA!
• Istria, Croatia

“Wine Enthusiast is committed to travel and wine is the ultimate entrée into the world’s most amazing destinations,” Says Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa. “This year’s list represents the best—and in some cases still unknown— places in which to marry a love of wine, food and culture right now."

As one of the most respected and quoted authorities in the world of wine lifestyle and adventure, it’s no wonder that Wine Enthusiast Magazine is the definitive guide for the top wine discoveries of 2015. To read the full profiles of the 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations for the year, pick up the February issue, available digitally atWineMag.com and on newsstands January 15, 2015.