Loire Valley (wine) a variety of limestone with excellent drainage that is known as tuffeau which is the same material used to build many of the famous Loire Valley Châteaux. The area around Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil produces the majority of the Loire Valley's red wine based on the Cabernet franc grape—known in this areas as "Breton". The wines of the Chinon area are the softest and rich expression of the grape while the Bourgueil area produces more tannic and firm wines. The St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil area produces the lightest colored wines. In the 19th century, the wines of the Chinon area were compared favorably
French frigate Loire (1796) action. The Royal Navy brought "Venteux" into service as "Eagle", and next year renamed her HMS "Eclipse". On 17 March 1804 "Loire" sighted a strange vessel on the Irish station and made all sail in pursuit. She came up with and captured what proved to be the French privateer "Braave", of 14 guns and 110 men. On 16 August 1804 "Loire" gave chase to a suspicious-looking sail. After a chase of 20 hours, including a running fight of a quarter of an hour, during which the British had one midshipman and five men wounded, and the French lost two men