Discover the Wine Region Producing all the Styles You're Looking for, at the Quality and Price You Love: the Loire Valley, as told by Marquita Levy

Loire Valley’s Buyers’ Selection Judge, Marquita Levy was as excited (if not more) to discuss the Loire Valley as we were with her. She claims Cabernet Franc for her own and is a sucker for a rosé Crémant. Levy is currently off the restaurant floor and is working as a sales representative for Volcanic Selections in Brooklyn, NY. She embraces the Loire Valley wine regions and emphasizes, “Its major selling point is it’s [Loire Valley] really good quality wine for a really affordable price.”?

1. What are some of your favorite things about the Loire Valley wine region??

“There is literally everything there, and it’s still kind of off the beaten path. In just this wine region, I can find absolutely everything that I want in a wine in terms of style. If I want something light and crisp and fresh, and I’m having seafood or oysters, I will do the automatic pairing of Muscadet.??

I absolutely love Cabernet Franc, and my first introduction to the Loire Valley was Chinon. It has all those beautiful flavors that you associate with Cabernet Sauvignon, but it was lighter. It was fresher, and I could pronounce it.??

If I want sparkling, the Loire has bubbles that can rival any Champagne. All the reds, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and then the lesser-known players that are absolutely delicious.??

And then just for blind tastings sake you can always give somebody a nervous breakdown by bringing a Cot to the tasting and having them not ever be able to guess Malbec.”?

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1. As a distributor, how do you elevate or really try to sell this particular wine region??

“The wines can pretty much sell themselves. We have a beautiful Chenin Blanc, a beautiful Crémant de Loire that is actually a Cabernet Franc, and just by the fact that it’s something different, it’s fresh, it’s affordable.??

If you are in a retail situation where you are not able to taste and you’re looking at the descriptions of the Loire Valley, you know you are going to be gob smacked with deliciousness.??

The area has kind of stayed true to the whole winemaking process. There is also a conversation to be said about the natural wine movement. There are so many producers that are a part of the Raw Wine Festival, so if you’re going to a “natural wine” buyer and put these wines forward, they’ll go for it just because it’s natural. It’s natural, and like most of France’s winemakers, you know the wine is run by generations of family. This is where you can showcase that in this area it is still run by a lot of families where there is a sense of terroir, a sense of style, and sense of history.”?

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1. What are your favorite food & wine pairings from the Loire Valley??

“That’s another one of my favorite things about the Loire Valley. It is tremendous for wine pairings; it is fantastic for food. Like I mentioned earlier, Muscadet + oysters are kind of a classic French bistro pairing. I love a Muscadet with sushi, Chenin Blanc with BBQ is a brilliant pairing. Chenin Blanc with grilled meat is like the chef’s kiss”.?

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1. In one word (or maybe few words) how would you describe the Loire Valley??

“Immeasurable diversity, bountiful.”?