Rosé de Loire

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Varieties of interest

Terroir

• The geographical area extends over a rolling plateau corresponding geologically to the primary formations of the Armorican Massif foothills and to the secondary, even tertiary, formations of the south-west of the Paris Basin.
• The delimited plots show schistous or clay-schist soils to the west and clay-limestone soils dating from the Cenomanian, Turonian, Senonian and Eocene in the eastern part of the area.
• The Turonian geological stage gave rise to tuffeau stone, the quarrying of which in numerous quarries enabled the construction of the Châteaux de la Loire and much of the region's architectural heritage.
• All the soils share the feature of moderate available water reserves and good drainage capacity across the whole geographical area.
• The climate is oceanic, with mild winters and moderate summer heat in the west, while the eastern fringe corresponding to the viticultural Sologne experiences a more continental influence, with 550 to 650 millimetres of annual rainfall and increasing thermal range towards the east, the Loire and its tributaries acting as a thermal regulator.
• The geographical area runs along the Loire and its tributaries, the Vienne, the Indre and the Cher, for about 200 kilometres, and in 2023 covers the territory of 226 communes, some of which are famous for their châteaux.

• In the 15th century, the arrival of the "breton" grape variety (cabernet franc), originating from the Bordeaux region, allowed producers to make a rosé wine called "clairet" with characteristic red-fruit aromas.
• In the early 1970s, producers of the Val de Loire sought recognition for this dry rosé wine in order to strengthen its image and preserve its identity, leading to the recognition of the AOC in 1974.

• The wine is dry, generally salmon-pink in colour, with light aromas often reminiscent of cherry and strawberry.
• The palate is powerful, fresh, round and harmonious, giving the impression of biting into ripe fruit, and its full originality is best appreciated in its youth.

• The configuration of the geographical area and the oceanic climate explain the distribution of grape varieties, cabernet franc and grolleau in the west, gamay and pineau d'Aunis in the east.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 08 juin 2026, JORF 11 juin 2026
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — InterLoire