Coteaux du Giennois Wine Region Guide

The well-respected sub-region of Coteaux du Giennois of Loire Valley, France, has an array of red, rosé, and white wines known worldwide for their high quality and class. Coteaux du Giennois’s unparalleled elegance is due to the region’s specific climate, soil, and winemaking techniques that stipulate the diversity of grape varieties and their excellent production. These elements lend to a style of wine found nowhere else in France or the world. As you embark on your travels through the wine region of Loire Valley, we hope you will try these impeccable wines.

Find out more about Wine Tasting and Tours in Coteaux du Giennois!

Where is the Coteaux du Giennois wine appellation located?

Coteaux du Giennois wine appellation is located in the Centre-Loire department of the Loire Valley region in France. It sits near the city of Orleans and Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre wine appellations. The vineyards of Coteaux du Giennois extend to the fourteen communes of Beaulieu, Bonny, Gien, Briare, Ousson, Thou, Alligny, La-Celle-sur-Loire, Cosne-Cours-Sur-Loire, Myennes, Neuvy, Pougny, Saint-Loup and Saint-Père. In total, there are around 35 wine producers in the area. Coteaux du Giennois is one of the region’s smallest and least-known appellations. Still, its wines are remarkable and highly consumed in the country. 

The history of the Coteaux du Giennois wine region

Coteaux du Giennois wine appellation has a rich and long history of winemaking. The grape seeds were first found in Cosne-Sur-Loire, dating around the 2nd Century, during the archaeological digs. It was in 849, under the reign of King Charles le Chauve, vines and property were given to the Church of Saint-Laurent at Cosne by the Bishop of Auxerre. Later, an archive from 1218 indicates that wines from the Giennois vineyards were purchased by the Royal Court of King Philip II Augustus in Paris. The castle of Cosne was built in the mid-13th Century by the Bishop of Auxerre; it contained vineyards and a vast winery. When travelling to France in January 1566, Charles IX and his mother, Catherine de Medi, stopped in Cosne. The local wines offered to them were of the finest quality. Growing and expanding abbeys in the area encouraged vineyards to be planted and created a robust wine industry.

Coteaux du Giennois wine appellation terroir

The soil in Coteaux du Giennois AOC principally consists of limestone or silica, and sometimes flint is also present. That is why the wines made in this region offer a diverse range of flavours, including pure fruits. In Coteaux du Giennois Sauvignon Blanc, you will find a distinct note of minerality, while notes of quince and white flowers add to the heady perfume. The climate in the region is temperate with continental influences, due to which the area has cold winters and warm summers. Spring frosts have been a concern in 1991 and 2016, but are relatively rare. 

Coteaux du Giennois wine characteristics

The grape varieties from which the Coteaux du Giennois appellation produces wine are diverse. Still, the principal grape is Sauvignon Blanc, used in producing white wine and in a blend of Coteaux du Giennois rosé. Coteaux du Giennois Blanc, or white, accounts for 60 percent of total output; they are crispy, mineral, and with aromas of flowers and yellow and white fruits like peach and quince. As for red or Coteaux du Giennois, rouge is produced mainly from Pinot Noir and Gamay grape varieties; Gamay is also used in rosé blend. The Coteaux du Giennois red wines are fresh, light-bodied, also rich in fruity flavours but in that of dark berries and cherries and have little spicy notes of red pepper. 

Food to pair with Coteaux du Giennois wine

Poulet fermier d’Ancenis

Volailles d’Ancenis or Ancenis poultry is a famous type of chicken from the Loire Valley region, raised with special nutrition and care. And precisely this dish is made with this well-regarded chicken meat, which includes shallots, onions, butter, a bottle of cider, salt, pepper, and herbs like Rosemary and thyme. First, you sauté shallots and onions in butter and a bit of olive oil; then you add already cut chicken herbs, deglaze the frying pan with a bit of cider, and add it gradually during the cooking. The very simple, still super delicious and exotic taste of this succulent, quality dish perfectly matches the Coteaux du Giennois wine. Moreover, the sour taste of this fancy chicken asks for a glass of wine on the side. 

Curé cheese

Curé cheese is a French cheese that is made from cow’s milk. It is also known as the “King of French Cheese”. It is straw-coloured, and its taste can be described as mild, soft, and salty. Furthermore, it is a little smoky and sometimes has spicy aromas. Curé cheese is an excellent ingredient for French appetizers, along with some crispy fruits and veggies like apples and pears, cucumbers, carrots, nuts, crackers, and dips. Therefore, it is the best accompaniment for Coteaux du Giennois wine.

Salade mâche, chèvre frais, noix et fruits rouges

Made with the mâche leaves, which is the best in the region of Loire valley, soft and creamy goat cheese, blueberries, raspberries and walnuts, this epic salad is a perfect mix of sweet, sour, salty and crunchy. The dressing for this salad is famous honey-mustard, which consists of olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper, giving more flavour to it. This salad is fantastic to savour with a glass of dry white wine, such as Coteaux du Giennois Sauvignon Blanc.

Places to visit in the Coteaux du Giennois wine region

Village of Sancerre

Sancerre is a picturesque wine-growing village in central France on the banks of the Loire River. It is one of the most beautiful villages in France, located on top of a hill, surrounded by vineyards and forests. The main street climbs up from the river to a church, which dominates the skyline with its bell tower. The buildings are old and well-kept, with many houses having stone walls and thatched roofs. The village is also generous with its cafés and food store where you can taste authentic French food with wine and local pâtisserie.

Eglise Saint Aignan

Composition by the mix of different styles, from the Romanesque to the Renaissance, the Church of Saint-Aignan is a listed monument. Half ruined by the Hundred Years War, it was partly rebuilt at the end of the 15th Century and the beginning of the 16th Century. There are two admiring Romanesque pillars in the Church. The notable portal of the south transept is in pure Renaissance style (1543). Statues of Saint-Vincent and Saint-Eloi in gilded wood from the 12th Century and stained-glass windows from the 19th and 20th centuries can be found inside.

Briare Pont-canal

The construction of the metal canal bridge, the longest one in Europe today, making 662.69 m, was undertaken in 1890. It was finished in 1894 and filled with water in 1896; it allowed barges and pleasure boats to cross the Loire river. The Briare Canal was built earlier in the first part of the 17th Century. Therefore, the beautiful bridge with significant historical meaning is an absolute must-see in the region. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Coteaux du Giennois Wine Region