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.
Noilly Prat and vermouth bar Le Lieu Unique ★ 4.3
8 by the glassNantes Lieu Unique
The cafe-bar inside Le Lieu Unique, the Nantes arts centre in the former LU biscuit factory, runs a French-vermouth-and-spirits programme alongside Muscadet. The Noilly Prat vermouth flight and the local Briottet pastis aperitif sit alongside the wine list.
The list: Cocktail and vermouth bar inside the Lieu Unique arts centre; French and Italian vermouth selection alongside Muscadet by the glass
Tip: The Lieu Unique cultural programme runs late; the bar is open until 01:00 on event nights. Vermouth aperitifs are the natural pre-show drink.
Bouvet-Ladubay evening tuffeau cellar tour ★ 4.6
4 by the glassSaint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent, Saumur
Bouvet-Ladubay runs evening guided tours of its 8 km of tuffeau cellars during summer (June through September), with a four-cuvee Saumur sparkling flight at the end. The tour is bike-friendly (open guided tours by underground cycling) and the cellar atmosphere is dramatic by lantern light.
The list: Evening guided tour of 8 km of tuffeau caves with Saumur Brut and Saphir Brut tasting flight; reservations required
Tip: Evening cellar tours sell out a month in advance during summer high season. Book through the Bouvet-Ladubay website; the bicycle-cave tour covers around 8 km of the cellar network.