Hotel de l'Univers bar lounge ★ 4.7
12 by the glassTours centre
Hotel de l'Univers, Tours' grand 19th-century hotel near the train station, has a wood-panelled wine lounge that serves as the city's most established evening wine-drinking address. The aged Vouvray moelleux vertical (going back to 1947 vintages in the rare-wine cellar) is the house signature.
The list: Grand-hotel wine lounge with 300 bottles; whole-Loire range; 12 by-the-glass; aged Vouvray moelleux vertical
Tip: Aged Vouvray moelleux is poured by the glass at premium prices; the 1947 and 1959 vintages have appeared in recent rotations. Book in advance for the rare-wine programme.
Domaine des Hauts de Loire lounge bar ★ 4.7
15 by the glassOnzain (Touraine)
Domaine des Hauts de Loire is a Relais et Chateaux property in a 19th-century hunting lodge between Tours and Blois. The lounge bar pours one of the deepest Touraine wine lists in the region, alongside the property's two-Michelin-star restaurant cellar.
The list: Relais et Chateaux wine lounge with 400 bottles; Touraine, Cheverny, Vouvray and Sancerre vertical range; 15 by-the-glass
Tip: The lounge bar opens to non-residents but reservations are advised. The Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny sections of the list are unusually deep for a non-AOC restaurant.
Le Saint-Laurent ★ 4.5
18 by the glassAngers Saint-Laurent
Le Saint-Laurent on the place Saint-Laurent in Angers is a wine-and-cocktail lounge with an Anjou biodynamic wine list at its heart. Coulee de Serrant, Domaine Mosse, Domaine Patrick Baudouin and Ferme de la Sansonniere all appear by the glass in rotation.
The list: Wine-and-cocktail lounge with Anjou wine focus; 150 bottles, 18 by-the-glass; biodynamic Anjou list
Tip: The biodynamic-Chenin Blanc focus is the unique angle; on a Friday or Saturday evening expect a wait without a reservation.
Hotel Loire Valley Lodges lounge ★ 4.5
12 by the glassEsvres (Touraine)
Loire Valley Lodges is a contemporary tree-canopy hotel near Tours with a glass-walled forest-view lounge bar. The wine list emphasises Loire natural wine alongside the standard appellation range, and the lounge serves until midnight with a tapas-style food menu.
The list: Forest-canopy hotel lounge with 180 bottles; Loire and natural-wine focus; 12 by-the-glass
Tip: The hotel's all-suite tree-canopy lodges are a unique stay; the lounge is open to non-residents but only by booking ahead due to limited evening seating.
La Vinotheque de Touraine (fortified collection) ★ 4.3
12 by the glassTours centre
La Vinotheque de Touraine is a caviste-and-tasting-bar with one of the broadest fortified and VDN selections in the region. The collection includes Pineau des Charentes (the Cognac-must blend), French vermouth and a small selection of VDNs from Roussillon and Beaumes-de-Venise.
The list: Caviste-bar with a deep Pineau des Charentes, vermouth and VDN selection alongside the main Loire range; tastings by reservation
Tip: Ask for the Pineau des Charentes flight; Cognac-region fortified is the natural spirits cross-over from a Loire visit.
La Cave de l'Academie (fortified and sweet wines) ★ 4.4
10 by the glassAngers centre
La Cave de l'Academie focuses on the sweet and fortified wines of Anjou: Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume and the rare Anjou Vin de Liqueur. The format is caviste-led: pick a bottle from the shelves, the staff open it at a tasting table.
The list: Caviste-bar with Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume and Vin de Liqueur selection; tasting flights available
Tip: Anjou sweet wine is the Loire's least-discovered category; this is the best single-stop tasting in Angers for the appellation spectrum.