Romorantin
Encyclopedia
Romorantin is a traditional French
variety of white wine grape, that is a sibling of Chardonnay
. Once quite widely grown in the Loire, it has now only seen in the Cour-Cheverny AOC. It produces intense, minerally wines somewhat reminiscent of Chablis.
(1494–1547). The commune of Romorantin-Lanthenay
is not far from the grape's stronghold in the Cheverny AOC, suggesting that the grape's name reflects a geographical connection - the king was from the region.
DNA fingerprinting has shown that it is one of many grapes to be the result of a cross between Gouais Blanc
(Heunisch) and Pinot
fin teinturier
, making it a sibling of famous varieties such as Chardonnay and Aligoté
. Gouais Blanc was widely grown by the French peasantry in the Medieval ages. This offered lots of opportunities for hybridisation, and the offspring benefited from hybrid vigour as the parents were genetically quite different. One might imagine that in this case the Pinot belonged to the king, and that he promoted plant breeding as part of his general encouragement of the arts and industry.
. Most of it is made by François Cazin - he even makes a demi-sec late-harvest version, in years when it is affected by noble rot
.
A Romorantin vineyard at Domaine Henry Marionnet claims to be the oldest in France. It was planted in 1850 and somehow survived the phylloxera
epidemic that devastated European vineyards in the late 19th century.
French wine
French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...
variety of white wine grape, that is a sibling of Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
. Once quite widely grown in the Loire, it has now only seen in the Cour-Cheverny AOC. It produces intense, minerally wines somewhat reminiscent of Chablis.
History
Legend has it that Romorantin was introduced to the Loire by King Francis I of FranceFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
(1494–1547). The commune of Romorantin-Lanthenay
Romorantin-Lanthenay
Romorantin-Lanthenay is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.-History:The current commune is the result of the merger, on 29 May 1961, of the former communes of Romorantin and Lanthenay.-Transportation:...
is not far from the grape's stronghold in the Cheverny AOC, suggesting that the grape's name reflects a geographical connection - the king was from the region.
DNA fingerprinting has shown that it is one of many grapes to be the result of a cross between Gouais Blanc
Gouais Blanc
Gouais Blanc or Weißer Heunisch is a white grape variety that is seldom grown today but is important as the ancestor of many traditional French and German grape varieties. The name Gouais derives from the old French adjective ‘gou’, a term of derision befitting its traditional status as the grape...
(Heunisch) and Pinot
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
fin teinturier
Teinturier
Teinturier, a French language term meaning to dye or stain, is a wine term applied to grapes whose flesh and juice is red in colour due to anthocyanin pigments accumulating within the pulp of the grape berry itself. In most cases, anthocyanin pigments are confined to the outer skin tissue only, and...
, making it a sibling of famous varieties such as Chardonnay and Aligoté
Aligoté
Aligoté is a white grape used to make dry white wines in the Burgundy region of France, and which also has significant plantings in much of Eastern Europe including Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Bulgaria. With , it was the 22nd most planted vine variety in the world in 2004...
. Gouais Blanc was widely grown by the French peasantry in the Medieval ages. This offered lots of opportunities for hybridisation, and the offspring benefited from hybrid vigour as the parents were genetically quite different. One might imagine that in this case the Pinot belonged to the king, and that he promoted plant breeding as part of his general encouragement of the arts and industry.
Distribution and wines
Romorantin was once quite widely grown in the Loire, but has now retreated to the Cour-Cheverny AOC, a small enclave of the Cheverny AOC which lies south of BloisBlois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
. Most of it is made by François Cazin - he even makes a demi-sec late-harvest version, in years when it is affected by noble rot
Noble rot
Noble rot is the benevolent form of a grey fungus, Botrytis cinerea, affecting wine grapes. Infestation by Botrytis requires moist conditions, and if the weather stays wet, the malevolent form, "grey rot", can destroy crops of grapes...
.
A Romorantin vineyard at Domaine Henry Marionnet claims to be the oldest in France. It was planted in 1850 and somehow survived the phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
epidemic that devastated European vineyards in the late 19th century.
Synonyms
Blanc De Villefranche, Celle Bruere, Dameri, Daneri, Danesy, Dannery, Framboise, Gros Blanc De Villefranche, Gros Plant De Villefranche, Lyonnaise Blanche, Maclon, Petit Dannezy, Petit Maconnais, Plant De Breze, Raisin De Grave, Ramorantin, Romoranten, Romorantin Blanc, Saint Amand, Verneuil.See also
- Other Gouais Blanc/Pinot crosses include Aubin VertAubin VertAubin Vert is a white wine grape cultivar grown in the Lorraine region of France. Small vineyards are found in Bulligny, Bruley, Pagney and Rozérieulles. Within the last century, it has also been grown in Thiaucourt-Regniéville, d'Euvezin and Magny...
, AuxerroisAuxerrois BlancAuxerrois Blanc or Auxerrois Blanc de Laquenexy is a white wine grape that is important in Alsace, and is also grown in Germany and Luxembourg. It is a full sibling of Chardonnay that is often blended with the similar Pinot Blanc.-History:...
, Bachet noirBachet noirBachet Noir is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. A little is still grown in the Aube, where it is used to add colour and body to Gamay wines.-History:...
, BeaunoirBeaunoirBeaunoir is a traditional French variety of red wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. The 'beautiful black' grape produces a thin wine and not much is grown these days.-History:...
, Franc Noir de la-Haute-Saône, Gamay Blanc GloriodGamay Blanc GloriodGamay Blanc Gloriod is an obscure French variety of white wine grape. Very little of it is grown commercially.It is named after Émile Gloriod, who discovered it as a seedling; it was originally thought to be a white version of the Gamay grape. "Gamay Blanc" was already used as an alternative name...
, Gamay noir, Melon, KnipperléKnipperléKnipperlé is a traditional French variety of white wine grape from Alsace. It's not listed for use in AOC wine, but is a minor component of blends for local drinking, in some ways an Alsatian equivalent of its sibling Aligoté in Burgundy.-History:...
, PeurionPeurionPeurion is a traditional French variety of white wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. Once quite popular, not much is still grown in France these days.-History:...
, RoublotRoublotRoublot is a traditional French variety of white wine grape that is a sibling of Chardonnay. It was once quite widely grown near Auxerre.-History:In the early 19th century, Roublot made up a third of the area in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux in the west of Chablis...
, and SacySacy (grape)Sacy is a white wine grape grown primarily in the central and northeastern France within the Yonne and Allier départments.Sacy ripens early, and produces light-coloured wines low in acid and alcohol.-Parentage:...