Description

Philippe Tessier Les Sables Cour-Cheverny is the second cuvee in the range of Romorantin wines. Think of it like the Premier Cru of Cour-Cheverny. It comes from vines that are 20 – 40 years of age. It is aged a bit longer than the entry Cour-Cheverny including some time in large old oak and cement. This is an insight into how ‘serious’ Cour-Cheverny and Romorantin can be. It tastes of pears and lime zest, with honey made from wildflowers. The weight, acidity and alcohol all work together to make it an impressive drink.

Drink Philippe Tessier Les Sables Cour-Cheverny 2015 now as it already has 6 years of bottle age. Pair it with bold flavours and rich foods as it can stand up to the challenge.

Philippe Tessier Les Sables Cour-Cheverny 2015, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

The family-run Philippe Tessier estate of 26 ha is located in the village of Cheverny. In 1981 Philippe Tessier took over the estate his father started in 1961. In 2020 Philippe’s son Simon took over. The vines are planted in three towns: Cormeray, Cheverny and Cellettes. The estate has 3 particular soil types: silico-clay (Sologne sands), silico-clay-limestone, and gravel on faluns (old marine sedimentation). All are on the limestone bedrock.

Since 1998 Philippe Tessier has been certified organic. They crop below the allowed level to make sure the grapes are ripe and concentrated. Vinification is conducted without sulphur, yeasts, and enzymes. Minimal filtration and sulphur additions are conducted before bottling.

Cour-Cheverny

The two appellations Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny co-exist in the same space.. While Cheverny can make white, red, and rose wine from many varieties, Cour-Cheverny is 100% white wine made from Romorantin. The vineyards of Cour-Cheverny covers 11 communes for a surface area of 55 hectares making approximately 2450 hl of wine per year. The soil make-up is sand and clay or sand and gravel. It has a continental climate moderated by the surrounding forests and lakes. The wine often resembles Chablis.

Romorantin

Romorantin is a sibling of Chardonnay. It exclusively grown in Cour-Cheverny AOC near the town of Romorantin-Lanthenay. Romorantin produces intense, minerally wines somewhat reminiscent of Chablis. Parallels are also drawn to Aligote and Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet).

French Wine

The land that so many New World (not European) wine producers look to emulate. To generalise about French wine, I would say it is savoury, lighter-bodied wines. They are the definition of elegant, complex. There are many styles, though. And there is a French wine for every palate. They lead the world in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy. Sparkling Wine in Champagne. Cabernet and Merlot in Bordeaux. Syrah(Shiraz) and Grenache in the Rhone Valley. Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris in Alsace. Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley. Gamay in Beaujolais.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is impressive. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

White Wine

It is interesting to know that you can make white wine from almost any grape. The colour comes from the skins, and if there is no contact, there is no colour. White wines tend to be delicate, perfumed, higher in acid and lower in alcohol. It seems for this and many other reasons, it is hard to make an incredibly impressive white wine. But those that have mastered the art are indeed some of the best winemakers in the world.

It is a falsehood to think that white wine does not age as well as red wine. But it is correct that white wine, as a rule, doesn’t age for as long.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.