DOMAINE DES HUARDS - COUR CHEVERNY

BIODYNAMIC

NV AOC Crémantde Loire “Initia” Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

2020 AOC Cheverny Blanc “Pure” Sauvignon, Chardonnay

2019 AOC Cour-Cheverny Blanc "Romo" Romorantin

2021 AOC Cheverny Rose “PRose” Pinot Noir, Gamay

2019 AOC Cheverny Rouge "Envol" Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cab. Franc

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This biodynamic domain was first established in 1846 by Pierre Gendrier, and has been passed down the lineage from father to son for seven generations.

The history of the estate is very much tied to the rare grape Romorantin. This white wine varietal is a sibling of Chardonnay and was introduced to the region by King Francois in 1519, when he transported 80,000 rootstocks from Burgundy to his mother's château in the town of Romorantin. The variety spread to Cour-Cheverny and when the Cour-Cheverny appellation was founded in 1993, it was restricted to entirely Romorantin grapes.

At Domaine des Huards, Eugène Magloire Gendrier planted the oldest Romorantin vines in 1922. Today the family-run estate is managed following organic and biodynamic practices and has been certified since 1998.

Jocelyne and Michel Gendrier are the domain’s current stewards and are dedicated to fostering a biological equilibrium among the soils and with the surrounding environment. They’ve planted annual and perennial herbs in the vineyards to increase biodiversity, and meld traditional methods and modern equipment to produce fresher style of wines.

Set between the Loire and Sologne regions, the vineyards benefit from a semi-oceanic climate, with deep soils consisting of a chalky limestone and sandy loam, with some parcels topped with calcareous clay.

Each harvest, the Gendriers aim to capture that vintages’ particularities and those of the terroir in the winery. Fermentation is by way of natural yeasts, with a low dose of sulphur as the only input.