Our tastes in wine tend to be quite individual, and I always seek out those wines which stand out from the bland, branded crowd so often presented on supermarket shelves.
Hence my eyes sparkle a little when I find a wine merchant stocking something really interesting and different – one such recent discovery being Martlet Wines – as they stock one of my more obscure favourites:-
DOMAINE DES HUARDS, Cour-Cheverny AC
Cuvée Francois 1er 2002, Romorantin £ 8.25 The little known Romorantin grape is now exclusive to Cour-Cheverny. A favourite of Leonardo de Vinci, it produces a very individual wine. Dry with subtle fruits and a slightly “sherried” flavour.
This was one of the wines we imported at ALLEZ VINS! from Michel Gendrier at Cheverny (41 Loir-et-Cher, Centre) near Blois on the Loire. Made from old vine Romorantin grapes this is very dry and aromatic – and perhaps a bit of an acquired taste. Michel does also produce more approachable whites – such as the Cheverny AC Blanc, a delightful blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Small quantities, and small demand – few customers had ever heard of it, so most sales were at tastings where it was either raved about or dismissed depending on your palate.
So good to find another adventurous wine merchant – Martlet Wines also stocks a range of other top notch French wines – such as the wines of Mas de la Serranne in the Languedoc.
For more on Domaine des Huards see http://www.frenchduck.co.uk/huards.html
