The Romance of Romorantin

When I first heard of Romorantin, it immediately evoked a sense of mystery. Any story about a grape variety on the brink of extinction always gets me going. The idea that that some brave maverick of a farmer has taken it upon their shoulders to rescue a vulnerable grape from the abyss is just magical. At least that's how it plays out in my head. I've drunk a few different wines made from this white variety and have loved them all but as I delved deeper into the history of Romorantin, more mythical and romantic tales unfolded.

Although it originated in Burgundy, legend has it that the grape was brought to the Loire valley in the early 16th century when King Francois I of France demanded that 80 hectares of vines be planted in the Loir-et-Cher region. Francois was close to Leonardo Da Vinci and someone told me he wanted the great artist to design a castle for him surrounded with Romorantin vines. Built in 1519, the Château de Chambord may well be that castle. The king also planned to make the small Loire village of Romorantin the capital of France and had even commissioned da Vinci to design the city before an outbreak of disease put a stop to these wild dreams.

My imagination loves stories like this. I can see colourful scenes of a royal hall with piles of golden Romorantin grapes on grand, banqueting tables and glistening wine pouring from barrels into jewelled goblets. The eccentric king who has become weirdly obsessed, stands up and proudly announces "We only drink Romorantin!" and all his subjects rejoice. Next time I open a bottle, I will surely be transported to a lavish 16th century party at the Chateau Chambord. Yesterday, I read somewhere that imagination is the only true reality, so I am happy with this. But further Googling unearths someone's experience of how drinking aged Romorantin during Covid lockdown reminded them to live in the present. And elsewhere on the internet I can see a suggestion that Romorantin is the perfect wine to drink whilst you clear out your garage. Lots of realities. 

Whether the story of Francois is true or not, we do know that Romorantin now only grows in this tiny enclave of the world. The Cour-Cheverny appellation is reserved purely for white wines made from this variety. Generally speaking, you can expect complex, full bodied white wines with acidity to match. Flowers, honey, citrus, orchard fruits, pebbles, seashells and sometimes subtle oxidative notes such as almond. When made well, the wines also show an amazing ability to get better and better with time in bottle. 

Only a handful of winemakers still work with the grape and a few of them happen to be amongst of my favourites. Hervé Villemade,  Clos du Tue Boeuf, Les Cailloux du Paradis and the rising stars, Peltier Ravineau all make single-varietal cuvées and we have them all in stock at time of writing.

Hervé Villemade - Les Acacias 2022

This comes from vines up to 70 years old. Hervé is a stalwart of the natural wine scene in the Loire and has been working organically for over 25 years. This is widely regarded as his top cuvée which is matured for 14 months in a combination of amphora vessels and stainless steel tanks. A wine with amazing ageing potential. I drank a 2014 last year and it was sublime. 

Les Cailloux du Paradis - Romorantin 2022

Claude Courtois is another legendary name in the Loire. His son Etienne has now taken over the operation and aims to follow in his father's footsteps. This is a stunning cuvée that very much falls into the category of "if you know, you know" wines. Nuts, white flowers, honey, herbs, minerals and citrus along with an unexpected note of blackcurrant leaf. Absolutely top notch. Again, patience will be rewarded.

Clos du Tue-Boeuf - Romorantin Frileuse 2023

The Puzelat family has been a leading name in the natural wine world for many years thanks to tireless work of Thierry who is now handing over the reigns to his daughters Zoe and Louise. The vines have been worked organically since 1996 and the mission has always been to celebrate the rare, indigenous varieties of Cheverny such as Menu Pineau and Romorantin. New vines of the latter have even been planted in recent years. This wine is aged in old barrels for 12 months before bottling and offers layers of complexity that will keep developing for years to come. 

Peltier Ravineau - Cours-Cheverny Les Rosiers 2024

Finally, a wine from the new kids on the Cheverny block. Arthur Peltier and Achille Ravineau trained at Clos du Tue Boeuf and with Hervé Villemade before starting their own project a couple of years ago. Very much honoring the local vignerons that came before them, the duo are championing local varieties including Romorantin. This is made with grapes grown inside the Cours Cheverny appellation and offers beautiful tension and complexity with a great concentration of fruit and a long finish.

Plenty to make you fall in love with Romorantin,

I'm opening a bottle of Villemade's Les Acacias 2019 tonight!

Happy drinking