A once-forgotten local delicacy is returning to center stage in the Loire Valley, thanks to one determined pastry chef. Revived by Benoît Thierry of Maison Thierry in downtown Amboise, the tarte vigneronne is winning over food lovers and winegrowers alike as the region prepares for the annual Touraine Primeur celebrations.
For the past year, Maison Thierry has been spotlighting this traditional dessert made with local apples and a wine-based confit. “It’s a true product of the terroir, using local fruit and local wine,” Thierry explains. “It had fallen out of fashion, but it deserves to be known.”
First created in 1994 by Chinon pastry chef Patrice Ayrole, with the wine confit developed by Claude Fleurisson, the tarte vigneronne has gradually become a culinary emblem of Indre-et-Loire. The wine confit can be made at home or purchased from winemakers and specialty food shops, making the recipe accessible to both professionals and home cooks.
The revival has not gone unnoticed by the region’s wine community. “The tart has been brought back into the spotlight by Benoît Thierry,” says Thierry Denay, a winegrower and Grand Provost of the Commanderie des Grands Vins d’Amboise. During the 2025 harvest chapter held on October 4 at Domaine Dutertre in Limeray, the dessert served came straight from Amboise.
Other local pâtissiers are also joining the movement. Éric Bouchet, owner of L’Horloge bakery, says partnerships with wine producers are key: “We try to work alongside the region’s winemakers whenever possible.”
At Amboise’s market, the tart appeals to both residents and tourists. Daniel Bizeau, a retiree who has lived in the town for seven years, discovered it only recently. “It’s not too sweet,” he notes. “Many pastry chefs pay close attention to the amount of sugar.” Monique, another local resident, agrees: “It’s light and not filling — perfect for the end of a meal.”
Professionals confirm the growing popularity. “Tourists love regional specialties,” says Chloë Elie from Quintessence pastry shop. At Ferme Expo in Tours, Christophe Digion from the Confrérie des Entonneurs Rabelaisiens of Chinon calls it a signature product of the area: “Crunchy, melting… simply the must-have specialty of Chinon.”
With Touraine Primeur celebrations set for Friday, November 21, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Place Michel-Debré in Amboise, the tarte vigneronne seems perfectly timed to make its full return to local tables — alongside the season’s first wines.