Romorantin

Infobox grape variety
name = Romorantin


caption =
species = "Vitis vinifera"
also_called = Gros Plant De Villefranche (more)
origin = France
hazards =
regions = Loire
notable_wines = Cour-Cheverny

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.

History

Legend has it that Romorantin was introduced to the Loire by King Francois I of France (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 is a Croatian grape brought to Burgundy by the Romans. It used to be the most widely planted white grape in Germany and eastern France, grown by the peasants in the less favoured sites next to the better vineyards growing Pinot for their masters. 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 Blois. 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.cite web|last= Goode |first= Jamie, "The World of Fine Wine" |title= Never the same since? |url= http://www.finewinemag.com/docs/072_077_Then&Now.pdf | date= issue 13, 2006 p.72-77 ]

Vine and viticulture

Romorantin prefers warmer conditions than most 'Loire' varieties.

ynonyms

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.cite web | last =Maul | first =Erika | authorlink = | coauthors = Töpfer, Reinhard; Eibach, Rudolf | title = Vitis International Variety Catalogue | work = | publisher = Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof (IRZ), Siebeldingen, Germany | date = 2007 | url = http://www.vivc.bafz.de | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-08-30]

ee also

* Other Gouais Blanc/Pinot crosses include Aubin Vert, Auxerrois, Bachet noir, Beaunoir, Franc Noir de la-Haute-Saône, Gamay Blanc Gloriod, Gamay noir, Melon, Knipperlé, Peurion, Roublot, and Sacy

References

*
* cite book
last = Robinson
first = Jancis
authorlink = Jancis Robinson
title = The Oxford Companion to Wine, third edition
publisher = Oxford University Press
date = 2006
location =
pages =
id = 978-0198609902;Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.vivc.bafz.de/datasheet/dataResultBibliog.php?topic=10185 VIVC Bibliography]