The 600-mile stretch of the Loire River valley and its tributaries make up one of France's top wine regions. The wines include famous names such as Muscadet, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, and Sancerre.

Best known for white wines, the most popular grape varieties are Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne. Red wines are made with Cabernet Franc and Gamay. Some of the best examples come from Saumur Champigny.

Chenin blanc is a white wine grape variety from the Loire Valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make many styles from crisp and fresh dry white wines, to delicious sparklers, and even well-balanced dessert wines,

Outside the Loire, Chenin Blanc is best known in South Africa. A new generation of quality producers is making excellent, complex Chenin from old vines and the future looks very bright indeed.

Julien describes himself as ‘a man on the ground’; always close to the source of his wines and appreciating that this is the key to fantastic wine.

The philosophy of Domaine Boutinot is to make wines which are ready to be enjoyed as soon as they’re released, but which will continue to develop character and flavour when kept for several years.