Anjou AOC

A vineyard has existed in Anjou continuously since the 1st century AD. It developed throughout the Middle Ages under the monasteries on the banks of the Loire and around Angers, and gained its renown from the 12th and 13th centuries. Henry II Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, who became King of England in 1154, made Anjou wines known at the royal tables of medieval Europe. From the 16th century, the arrival of Dutch brokers drove a major expansion of production, and in the 18th century the Layon river was canalised to ease transport. The vineyard covered 45,000 hectares in 1881, and 10,000 hectares remained in 1893, after phylloxera. Anjou was recognised among the first French wine appellations in 1936.

• Vineyard present in Anjou continuously since the 1st century AD
• Henry II Plantagenet, King of England from 1154, made Anjou wines known at medieval royal tables
• Layon river canalised in the 18th century to ease transport of the wine trade
• Anjou first recognised by decree on 14 November 1936 for still white wines

The zone spans two major geological units: the Precambrian and Palaeozoic basement of the Armorican Massif to the west, and the Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks of the Paris Basin to the east. The western part, marked by schists, notably slate, is locally called 'Anjou noir'; the eastern part, marked by tuffeau chalk (Saumur), is called 'Anjou blanc'. Vines occupy mainly river slopes and a few plateaus, on generally poor soils with a moderate water reserve. The climate is temperate oceanic with fairly small temperature differences, moderated by the Atlantic, the Loire and its tributaries, and the hillside sites. North-west to south-east relief shelters the vineyard from damp westerly winds, and a foehn effect from the higher Choletais and Mauges keeps annual rainfall around 585 millimetres, against nearly 800 millimetres in the Choletais. In the Layon valley, autumn mists rising from the river allow noble rot in favourable vintages.

• Two geological units: Armorican Massif to the west, Paris Basin to the east
• 'Anjou noir': schists, notably slate, in the west; 'Anjou blanc': tuffeau chalk in the east
• Temperate oceanic climate; around 585 mm annual rainfall against nearly 800 mm in the Choletais
• Layon valley autumn mists allow noble rot in favourable vintages

Still white Anjou comes from Chenin B (also called pineau de la Loire) as principal variety, with Chardonnay B and Sauvignon B as accessory varieties capped at 20% of plantings. Still red Anjou comes from Cabernet Franc N and Cabernet-Sauvignon N, with Grolleau N (up to 20%) and Pineau d'Aunis N (up to 10%) as accessory varieties. Anjou followed by the indication 'gamay' is a still red from Gamay N. Sparkling white Anjou has Chenin B as principal variety, and sparkling rosé draws on Cabernet Franc N, Cabernet-Sauvignon N, Gamay N, Grolleau N, Grolleau Gris G and Pineau d'Aunis N. The same specification governs the rosé appellations Cabernet d'Anjou, from Cabernet Franc N and Cabernet-Sauvignon N, and Rosé d'Anjou. The white wine is generally dry but can carry fermentable sugars and be described as 'demi-sec', 'moelleux' or 'doux'. Chenin Blanc is still in a minority in Anjou, and in April 2024 Decanter credited dry Chenin with leading a renaissance.

• Whites: Chenin B principal; Chardonnay B and Sauvignon B accessory, up to 20%
• Reds: Cabernet Franc N and Cabernet-Sauvignon N principal; Grolleau N up to 20%, Pineau d'Aunis N up to 10%
• Sparkling Anjou is made in white and rosé
• Cabernet d'Anjou and Rosé d'Anjou share the Anjou specification

Writing for Decanter in April 2024, Beverley Blanning MW called Anjou a 'catch-all appellation'. Anjou Villages, a red wine from Cabernet Franc N and Cabernet-Sauvignon N, was recognised on 14 November 1991 and carries a yield of 55 hectolitres per hectare; its wines are aged at least until 15 June of the year after the harvest. Anjou Villages Brissac comes from 7 communes about 15 kilometres south-east of Angers; the Brissac name was added in 1998 for wines given extended ageing. Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire, a white wine from overripe grapes with a required minimum of residual sugar, obtained its appellation in 1946. The appellations of the Anjou-Saumur vineyards include Savennières, Coteaux du Layon, Coteaux de l'Aubance, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru and Coulée de Serrant, and Crémant de Loire is produced in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine.

• Anjou Villages recognised on 14 November 1991; yield 55 hl/ha
• Brissac name added to Anjou Villages in 1998 for wines given extended ageing
• Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire, a white from overripe grapes, obtained its appellation in 1946
• Anjou-Saumur appellations include Savennières, Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux and Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru

In April 2024, Decanter's Beverley Blanning MW wrote that Anjou is known more for its inexpensive semi-sweet rosés than anything else. Many of the dry Chenins to emerge from the Anjou appellation in recent years come from the valley of the Layon. Because these wines are not sweet, they cannot be labelled with the names of the sweet appellations. Château de Plaisance and Domaine Belargus are among the newcomers of the past decade, and fifth-generation winemaker Emmanuel Ogereau is among the longer-established Layon valley producers in a shift toward dry wines. Antoine Pouponneau of Grange Saint-Sauveur produces his Anjou wines under the Vin de France label.

• Layon valley growers are turning from sweet to dry Chenin
• Dry wines from these sites cannot carry the sweet appellation names
• Château de Plaisance and Domaine Belargus are among the newcomers
• Emmanuel Ogereau is among the longer-established Layon valley producers

Primary sources (INAO and InterLoire): https://www.inao.gouv.fr/produit/anjou-blanc-24317, https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/2-CDC-Anjou-PNO.pdf, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/produit/anjou-villages-23129, https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/2.2-PNO--CDC-Anjou-Villages-modifié.pdf, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/produit/anjou-brissac-16967, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/produit/anjou-coteaux-de-la-loire-23130, https://www.vinsdeloire.fr/en/loire-wines/anjou, https://www.vinsdeloire.fr/en/loire-wines/anjou-villages, https://www.vinsdeloire.fr/sites/interloire/files/2024-10/vins-de-loire-livret-pro-210x210-fr-version-num-2.pdf. Secondary source: https://www.decanter.com/premium/anjou-chenin-blanc-a-long-awaited-renaissance-and-20-wines-rated-523826/. Last verified 2026-10-05