Thierry Puzelat’s fantastic Romorantin

According to legend, the Romorantin grape was introduced to the Loire by the 15th century French King François I, who hailed from the region. Its vineyard plantings have diminished over the years, giving way to the more commercially sought-after Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc; but it remains dominant in Cour-Cheverny, a tiny sub-appellation of Cheverny in the Touraine region, on the south side of the Loire east of the city of Tours.

The greater Cheverny appellation is approved for a variety of grapes, adding the red grapes Gamay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc and the white Chardonnay to the Sauvignon and Chenin; Cheverny whites by regulation can’t be 100 percent varietal wines but must be blends.

But in Cour-Cheverny, Romorantin remains king, and may it live long and prosper. While some of the world’s more obscure grapes may fairly earn their lowly status through lacklustre quality or viticultural or commercial faults, Romorantin-based Cour-Cheverny.

Puzelat’s Romorantin is simply stunning. Consider 105 year old vines and younger vines (a mere 37 years old) planted on French rootstock on silex and then aged in old barrels. It may look fragile at 11.5%, but the wine is a veritable vin de garde and has an intensity that lingers remarkably on the palate. 

Aromas jostle for attention: lemon and chalk followed by mixed white fruits (white peaches, william pears), honey, almonds and clean, minerally scents reminiscent of finely-spun wool. It’s complex on the palate, too, extremely vinous showing lemon-cream and honey. Ripe apple juiciness quickly gives way to tart, steely acidity that sings like a taut violin string, providing balance and structure for the full, luscious fruit. On the second day the acidity became steelier and more penetrating, the flinty minerality more pronounced taking on back notes of ginger, white pepper, pearskin and hell’s granny smiths.  Drink this with aged Gruyere, smoked trout or langoustines with garlic mayonnaise.