Of the great wine regions, in France and beyond, perhaps none offers a more diverse array of world-class wines than does the Loire River Valley. Justly celebrated today for the dry white wines of Muscadet, Sancerre, and Saumur, the Loire has a long history of producing magnificent late-harvest sweet wines. Red wines run the gamut from rich Cabernet Franc and earthy Côt (Malbec) to silky Pinot Noir and peppery, translucent Pineau D’Aunis. And don’t forget the sparkling wines from Champagne look-alikes to funky Petillant Naturel (“pet-nat”) wines. In fact, your entire Thanksgiving feast could be accompanied beautifully by Loire wines. A celebrated tradition of winemaking combined with an exciting community of naturally-minded, farming-focused young vignerons makes the Loire one of today’s most dynamic growing regions. Taste the diversity, and value, it offers.
A native New Yorker, Oliver Longwell caught the wine bug in 2012 after a number of years working in government and politics. He has worked for leading wine retailers in New York and Los Angeles, with a particular focus on organically-farmed and natural wines. Oliver is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and works as a freelance wine consultant. He enjoys experimenting with fermentations, especially ciders. He and his wife moved to Northeast Portland in 2021 and welcomed a daughter in 2022.