Loire Valley (wine) "Appellation d'origine contrôlée" (AOC), "Vin Délimité de Qualité Superieure" (VDQS) and "Vin de pays" systems. While the majority of production is white wine from the Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc and Melon de Bourgogne grapes, there are red wines made (especially around the Chinon region) from Cabernet franc. In addition to still wines, rosé, sparkling and dessert wines are also produced. With "Crémant" production throughout the Loire, it is the second largest sparkling wine producer in France after Champagne. Among these different wine styles, Loire wines tend to exhibit characteristic fruitiness with fresh, crisp flavors-especially in their youth. The Loire Valley
French frigate Loire (1796) had no casualties but "Egyptienne" had 8 wounded, one mortally. "Libre" was badly damaged and had lost her masts so "Loire" took her in tow and reached Plymouth with her on 4 January 1806. "Libre" had sailed from Flushing on 14 November in company with a French 48-gun frigate but the two vessels had parted in a gale on 9 November off the coast of Scotland. The Admiralty did not purchase "Libre" into service. On 22 April 1806, "Loire" captured the Spanish privateer "Princess of Peace", 14 guns, 23 men. "Loire" was paid off at Deptford in October 1806. In