What is a sweet wine?

Often confused with sweet wines, sweet wines are made from very ripe white grapes, which are highly concentrated in natural sugars. This is why, during fermentation, not all the sugar in the grains is converted into alcohol. Its name resembles liqueur, because the residual sugars give the wine a color and taste resembling this alcohol. The difference with moelleux is that it’s much more concentrated and sweet. Sweet wines are distinguished by their residual sugar content of over 50gr/L. This is due to the presence of “botrytized” grapes, i.e. grapes affected by “noble rot”.

Loire sweet white grape varieties

The 3 main white grape varieties in the Loire Valley are: Melon de Bourgogne, Chenin blanc and Sauvignon blanc. Ancillary grape varieties may include: Folle Blanche, Chardonnay, Chasselas, Romorantin Sauvignon gris, Tressalier… All these grape varieties are vinified into dry, semi-dry, sweet and sparkling wines. Moreover, most of them are used as single varietals.

Sweet white wines from the Loire

There are several sweet white wines carefully crafted in the heart of the Loire Valley:

Coteaux-du-Layon, a 1,700-hectare vineyard spread over 27 communes. Known for its sweet and syrupy wines made exclusively from Chenin grapes, their grapes are harvested following successive sorting. Their color is pale, sometimes with green highlights. Their aromas advocate suppleness and fullness through honey and acacia.

Bonnezeaux is one of Anjou’s most renowned crus. The vineyard covers 105 ha in Thouarcé. Also made from a single Chenin grape variety, the grapes are harvested late and made by successive sorting to produce sweet whites that beautifully represent the qualities of its terroir.

Coteaux-de-Saumur is a sweet white wine produced from the Chenin grape grown on chalky, tuffeau-structured soil. This is a relatively small vineyard (7 ha) spread over 13 communes. These wines are only harvested when the weather conditions are right, which is why they are produced during great vintages. The aromas are fruity and floral, with peach generally the predominant element in the tasting, bringing great finesse to the wines. The latest vintage produced to date is 1997, which expresses richness and power. Smoky apricot and spice aromas are remarkable. The presence of chalk on the finish is majestic, the mineral influences the exotic fruits that develop into a coulis.

Quarts-de-Chaume is located on a 54-hectare, south-facing, stony-clay hillside in Rochefort-sur-Loire. Its 54-hectare vineyard is developed using the same methods as its neighbors. These wines release elegant aromas of apricot and honey. The origin of its name goes back to the Middle Ages, when vines were cultivated by monks, and a quarter of the harvest from the hamlet of Chaume went to the local lord, who selected his favorite barrels.

Coteaux du Layon / Adobe Stock