Cour-Cheverny AOC is a white wine-only enclave (11 communes listed below) within the Cheverny AOC (which see) in the Touraine region in France’s Loire Valley. It became an AOC on 24 March 1993. The wine is made from 100% from the Romorantin grape. French king François 1er (1515-1547) apparently ordered that the Romorantin be planted here. Andrew Jefford (2006, p.48) calls this ‘an exercise in viticultural rescue for the near-extinct variety Romorantin alone, whose wines combine a rounded apple acidity with some honey [beeswax] and nougat.’ 

Terroir: In the forests of the Sologne, in the vallies of the Beuvron, Cosson and Bièvre rivers.

Communes (11): Cellettes. | Cheverny. | Chitenay. | Cormeray. | Cour-Cheverny. | Huisseau-sur-Cosson. | Mont-Près-Chambord. | Montlivault. | Saint-Claude-de-Diray. | Tour-en-Sologne. | Vineuil.

Vineyard area & wine production: 2002 2,095hl (Guide Hachette des Vins 2004, p.967).

Wine style: Said to be able to age 10-15 years. Clive Coates MW (1990: p.225) says he is ‘not a fan of Romorantin [which] produces ‘a rather sour white wine with a peculiar foxy taste, green and acidic when young, tired and attenuated after a year or two more.’