15% abv, François Cazin, Cheverny, imported by Louis/Dressner Selections/LDM Wines, Inc., New York, NY. Cork closure: natural. Biodynamic calendar: unfavorable day.
Winemaking notes: 100% Romarantin, 25 year-old vines, harvested by hand; fermented in steel tank with native yeasts. The wine is aged on its lees without stirring in 20-25-hectoliter foudres for 6 months, returned to undergound concrete tank for a year and then bottled by gravity and without filtration. 100% Romorantin. “Cour Cheverny has only existed as an AOC since 1997; François Cazin was instrumental in the drive to establish it to save this ancient local variety. The Cazin vines are planted on clay-limestone soils; some go all the way back to 1928. The farming is sustainable and the harvest by hand. The bunches are direct-pressed and the wine fermented in steel tank with native yeasts. It is aged on its lees without stirring in 23-25-hectoliter foudres for 6 months, followed by some months in underground vats and bottling by gravity with a light filtration a year after the vintage. There are usually a few grams of residual sugar, though they are easy to miss, given the high natural acidity of Romorantin. “Le Petit Chambord” is the historical name of the property and appears on all of its labels.”
Tasting note: the Cour-Cheverny is pale gold in color with a medium-minus shy nose with aromas of lemon and blossom. On the palate this wine is dry with medium+acid, medium alcohol, medium-minus body, medium flavor intensity and a medium finish with flavors of jasmine blossom, apple, clementine, yellow plum, tart apricot, with a touch of honey and ginger and evergreen/mountain juniper, cilantro leaf. A quirky wine with some personality, drink now: this wine is good 9.0/10.
