white grape · rare
Romorantin
Sologne, Loire Valley, France
Say it
roh·moh·rahn·tan
Final syllable is a nasal vowel in French; aim for 'tahn' not a hard 'n'
On the palate
green applequincepearlemonhoneywet stone
How you spot it blind: flinty minerality and cutting acidity that develops honeyed complexity with age
The story
First written down · 1827, Loire Valley
DNA analysis (Bowers & Meredith, Science, 1999) confirmed Romorantin as a natural Gouais Blanc × Pinot Fin Teinturier cross, making it a full sibling of Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, and Aligoté.
Family tree: HEUNISCH WEISS × PINOT MEUNIER or PINOT TEINTURIER
Where it lives
Cour-Cheverny AOC, Loire Valley, France
Shows up as
still whitesweetCour-Cheverny