Loire Valley Wine Guide: Pineau d’Aunis
When it comes to its red wines, the association between the Loire Valley and Cabernet Franc is so strong that it can be easy to forget this region is home to a diverse collection of other red grape varieties, some of which could potentially claim a stronger and more Ligérian heritage than their famous friend from the Basque country. These are varieties with tales to tell, stories which are inherently intertwined with the creation and growth of viticulture in this region.
While some of these grapes – for example, Pinot Noir and Gamay – have international profiles and a strong reputation, others are less renowned. This, to my mind, only enhances their significance; in an era of homogenisation and industrialisation these varieties add diversity, complexity and intrigue to the wines of the region. These peripheral grape varieties carry a little of the region’s soul, and to see them disappear beneath a carpet of more commercial cultivars would be a catastrophic loss for the Loire Valley.
One variety which fits this description is Pineau d’Aunis, an essential component of the Loire Valley vineyard. But is this an autochthonous variety, born and raised in the region like Chenin Blanc, or is it an imported variety, like Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir? Appearances – more specifically its limited distribution and uniquely Ligérian profile – would suggest the former, but of course appearances can be deceptive.
In this updated guide to Pineau d’Aunis I explore in detail all that is known about this variety, including its likely origins and how it arrived in the Loire Valley.
Origins
Before coming to other clues relating to the origins of Pineau d’Aunis (pictured below in the Touraine appellation, near Amboise), let us look first at what the genetic studies of this variety tell us.
