Vouvray (wine) blanc grape, known locally as "Pineau de la Loire", is believed to have originated in the Anjou wine region sometime in the 9th century and from there eventually migrated to Vouvray. In the 16th and 17th century, Dutch merchants oversaw the plantings of many vineyards in the area to be used for wine trade with markets in London, Paris and Rotterdam. Grapes from all over Touraine were brought together in a mass blending labeled simply as "Vouvray". Wine cellars were built in the region from caves created from the excavation of tuffeau rocks used to build the Châteaux of the
French frigate Loire (1796) killed and five wounded, the latter hauled down her colours. She proved to be French privateer "Blonde", of Bordeaux, mounting 30 guns, eight-pounders on the main deck, with a crew of 240 men under François Aregnaudeau; the same ship that, about five months earlier, had captured the . "Loire" took the prize in tow to Plymouth where the prisoners were disembarked on 31 August. On 2 June 1805 boats from "Loire" captured the Spanish privateer felucca "Esperanza" alias "San Pedro" in the Bay of Camarinas, east of Cape Finisterre. She was armed with three eighteen-pounders, four four-pounder brass swivels and