From the land of Chateaux and son et lumière displays comes most of the Loire`s sparkling wines, much of the Cabernet Franc and Malbec (here called Cot) and almost all of the Chenin. Visiting this area, the cradle of French cuisine makes one think not just that they really need a National Trust, but that there is a fine wine heritage that needs protection too. Sadly this part of the Loire seems to have become a bit of a centre for soi-disant natural wines and the snobbery that attaches to them. (CW 23/01/12)