# Les Sables Cour-Cheverny Romorantin (2023)

- **Producer:** Domaine Philippe Tessier
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Romorantin
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.3%
- **Average price:** €30
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** quince, apple, peach, lemon, butter, dried apricot, dried fig, honey

## About this wine

Domaine Philippe Tessier, located in the Loire Valley, was founded in 1961 by Roger Tessier and has been managed by Simon Tessier since 2020. The estate has been certified organic since 1998. Cour-Cheverny is a hyper-localized AOC in Touraine dedicated exclusively to Romorantin, an ancient white grape variety introduced to the region by King Francis I in 1519. The 'Les Sables' cuvee comes from 25 to 40-year-old vines grown on silica-sand over clay topsoils resting on limestone bedrock, which impart distinct mineral elegance to the wine.

## Interesting facts

- Romorantin was introduced to the Loire Valley by King Francis I in 1519, who ordered 80,000 vines brought from Burgundy.
- Cour-Cheverny is the only appellation in the world dedicated exclusively to the rare Romorantin grape variety.
- The wine is bottled completely unfined and unfiltered with a low total sulfur level of just 19 mg/L.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and generous concentration of Romorantin cut through rich butter sauces and creamy local goat cheeses. Its textured weight matches roasted poultry and delicate river fish without overpowering their natural flavors.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested in small crates from organically farmed vineyards yielding 45 hl/ha. Direct pneumatic pressing is followed by spontaneous fermentation using 100% indigenous yeasts without chaptalization or enzymatic additives. Malolactic fermentation is fully completed. The wine is aged for 10 months in wooden vessels (tronconique vats and 500L demi-muids), followed by an additional 5 months in concrete and stainless steel tanks. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with total sulfur levels kept exceptionally low at 19 mg/L.