Vouvray (wine) towards drier styles of wine including sparkling Vouvray. More warmer climate years promote the production of sweeter, dessert style wines. The northern location and relatively cooler climate combines to make harvest in Vouvray one of the last to completed in France, often lasting into November. Vineyards are usually planted on the plateau above the river bank in soils composed of gravel and clay on top of tuffeau. Chenin blanc is the dominant and nearly exclusive grape of Vouvray. While the obscure minor grape Arbois is permitted in the Vouvray AOC, it is rarely seen. With more than 5,000 acres (2,000
Loire sections are navigable: The French language adjective "ligérien" is derived from the name of the Loire, as in "le climat ligérien" ("the climate of the Loire Valley"). The climate is considered the most pleasant of northern France, with warmer winters and, more generally, fewer extremes in temperatures, rarely exceeding . It is identified as temperate maritime climate, and is characterised by the lack of dry seasons and by heavy rains and snowfall in winter, especially in the upper streams. The number of sunny hours per year varies between 1400 and 2200 and increases from northwest to southeast. The Loire Valley,