Cour-Cheverny

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical zone rests on a gently undulating plateau, drained from east to west by the Cosson and the Beuvron, two tributaries of the Loire, as well as by some of their own tributaries.
• The geological substratum consists of Senonian argillaceous-siliceous formations overlain by the Beauce limestones (Aquitanian), which are themselves covered by the argillaceous-sandy formations of the Sologne (Burdigalian).
• The substratum as a whole is, in places, covered by high terraces of the Loire and by aeolian sands.
• The delimited parcels feature soils with a predominantly sandy to argillaceous-sandy texture resting at depth on a clay horizon, as well as calcareous brown to calcic brown soils derived from the Beauce limestones.
• The degraded oceanic climate displays a continental nuance somewhat more pronounced than that of the downstream Touraine Loire Valley appellations, with annual rainfall 25 to 50 millimetres lower and mean temperatures 0.5 °C to 1 °C lower during the growing season.

• François I is said to have introduced some 80,000 plants of a white grape variety from Burgundy into his residence at Romorantin in 1519, a town that subsequently gave its name to the romorantin grape variety.
• Growers remain attached to the cultivation of romorantin, an early-ripening variety whose hardiness is well suited to the natural environment and which, when brought to over-ripeness, makes it possible to produce wines more or less rich in fermentable sugars.

• These are still white wines full of vivacity in their youth, with a nose that often expresses aromas of citrus, yellow-fleshed fruits, or white flowers.
• With a few years of cellaring, they often reveal aromas of honey, lemon, wax, or prune, as well as the soft oxidative notes characteristic of the romorantin variety.
• When they contain fermentable sugars, their complexity and ageing potential are generally even greater.

• The parcels feature soils that are essentially sandy in texture, shallow, and of low fertility, with good drainage capacity and a low water-holding reserve, which ensures good grape ripeness.
• Romorantin, the sole grape variety used to produce the appellation's wines, contributes significantly to the originality of the aromatic profile of the wines.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 5 décembre 2025, JORF 17 décembre 2025
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — InterLoire