Louis Dalbray White Wine and the Town of Saumur – A History

Saumur is a commune in the Loire region of France, and despite its small size is a very well known area both to the French and to visitors from beyond its borders. Just as an example of how involved this town is with the fortunes of France, it is home to the École Nationale d’Équitation – the national school for horsemanship – as well as a tank museum. The reason for this museum’s location in Saumur is that it is also the home of the training school for officers in tank divisions of the French army. More than 850 tanks are present at this museum and although chiefly from France, there is also a high number of tanks from other countries including Germany and the Soviet Union.

Saumur had its part to play in the wars, then, particularly in World War II when it was the site of a major battle (The Battle of Saumur in 1940) as well as a continued target for bombing by the Axis forces on account of its importance to the Allied War effort. The battle of Saumur was responsible for the deaths of 79 Allied soldiers, many of them Resistance fighters who had joined in at great personal cost.

As well as its military importance, Saumur has managed to defy its small size to bestow upon France one of its most enduringly popular actresses Fanny Ardant, who was the star of such films as the magnificent Vivement Dimanche – a black comedy about a man wrongly accused of murdering his wife, who spends much of the film being hidden from the police by his secretary (Ardant). As well as Ardant, who is considered to be a national treasure by many in France, Saumur was also home to the legendary fashion designer and creator of the “little black dress”, Coco Chanel.

In among all this, and with only a population of 29,000, one would expect that to be quite enough achievement for one small town. However Saumur is also home to one of the finest white wines currently being made in France, Louis Dalbray’s Chenin Blanc. Much in common with all chenin wines, the sharp taste of Dalbray’s is a perfect accompaniment to fish dishes, and it is no surprise that as with the acting performances of Ardant and the couture brilliance of Chanel, Louis Dalbray’s Saumur Chenin Blanc has traveled well, being popular as far afield as the USA and Australia – two countries which do not have to look to France for good wine.

Saumur will continue to present the world with high achievers, and it is to be hoped that it will continue for a long time to give us wines like Louis Dalbray’s. Some towns simply have it in their DNA to make an impact far beyond their size, and Saumur is without a doubt one of those towns. The white wine provided by Louis Dalbray is just one more string to the bow of a town with the ability to consistently surprise and delight us all.

Caterina Christakos is a published author and reviewer. Read her latest reviews of the newest Dolce and Gabbana purse and Dolce and Gabbana eyewear.

Author: Caterina Christakos
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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