Discovery Case: Loire Valley

From the windswept banks of the Cher to the chalk-laced hillsides of Sancerre, from the tuffeau caves of Chinon to the sun-kissed slopes of Anjou, the Loire is France's most diverse and captivating wine region — a thousand-kilometre ribbon of vineyards, châteaux, and restless river light where every village seems to produce something extraordinary. This collection is a love letter to the Loire in all its moods: sparkling, crisp, rich, earthy and wild. Six wines, one magnificent valley, France at its most free-spirited.

Each wine in this case is also available to purchase individually — simply click the link beneath each bottle to explore further.

WOW Series Loire Valley:

Domaine du Landreau Crémant de Loire Brut, 2018, Anjou: Elegant and celebratory; a trinity of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc aged 36 months on the lees, delivering lemon curd, ripe pear, stone fruit and toasted brioche on a fine, persistent mousse — a Crémant that punches well above its class. Pair with smoked salmon blinis, soft goat's cheese canapés or a simple bowl of strawberries and cream.

Domaine des 4 Vents Sauvignon Blanc, 2023, Touraine: Named after the four Greek wind deities and as breezy as its inspiration; riverbank Sauvignon Blanc from flint-clay soils on the banks of the Cher, alive with white grapefruit, elderflower, crushed nettles and a snap of citrus that keeps you reaching for the glass. Pair with grilled asparagus, goat's cheese on toast or a classic Niçoise salad.

Domaine Michel Vattan 'O-P' Sancerre Blanc, 2023, Sancerre: Precise and pure; the name references the two ancient limestone soils — Oxfordian and Portlandian — from which these grapes are drawn, and both speak clearly in the glass: green apple, citrus, ripe white peach and pulverised oyster shell with a mineral finish of extraordinary clarity. Pair with dressed crab, oysters on the half-shell or pan-fried sea bass with lemon butter.

Domaine Raymond Morin La Jalousie, 2021, Anjou: Luscious and beguiling; 100% Chenin Blanc barrel-fermented and aged six months in oak, layering apple, apricot, peach and shortcake with a thread of chalk and lemon meringue — named after the winemaker's wife's horse and every bit as spirited. Pair with pan-seared foie gras, honey-roasted chicken or a ripe brie with quince.

Domaine Raymond Morin Saumur-Champigny, 2019, Saumur: Earthy and characterful; pure Cabernet Franc from what the Romans called 'campus igni' — the field of fire — delivering raspberry, blackcurrant, leather and wild herbs with a mineral spine and the unmistakable savour of the Loire's ancient tufa soils. Pair with duck confit, pork rillettes or a farmhouse charcuterie board.

Domaine Pichard & Jourdan Les 3 Quartiers, 2021, Chinon: The collection's soul: biodynamic Cabernet Franc from three parcels of 50-year-old vines, aged in old foudre and expressing the very essence of Chinon – perfumed red cherry, violet, blackcurrant leaf and warming spice with silky tannins and a long, haunting finish. The first wine Humble Grape ever imported and still one of the finest. Pair with roast lamb with herbs de Provence, beef daube or aged Comté.