Touraine Amboise
In the first of five instalments looking at the geographical denominations which can be applied to the Touraine appellation, I put the wines of Touraine Amboise – a tiny viticultural entity named for the town of Amboise, on the banks of the Loire – under the spotlight. While not an appellation in its own right, the wines of Touraine Amboise certainly warrant a detailed examination.
The heart of the geographical denomination – spiritually, if not geographically – the town of Amboise is dominated by its grand château; sitting on a rocky outcrop more than 30 metres above the town’s rooftops, towering above the waters of the Loire, this royal residence is one of the most striking of all the Loire Valley’s great buildings. Although a stone keep was erected here during the 11th century, it was under the direction of Charles VIII (1470 – 1498) that the château first took on its current sense of grandeur, the young king commissioning Italian architects and artisans to extend and improve the castle, in the process creating a sumptuous palace.
It was at Amboise that François I (1494 – 1547) lived as a child. This Renaissance king is perhaps best associated with the ostentatious Château de Chambord, and of course the Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny appellations, which he reputedly kick-started with the importation of vines from Burgundy. Nevertheless, it seems François I (pictured in the portrait below, painted in the style of Jean Clouet) also held Amboise close to his heart. Having lived here as a young prince he would return many times after his coronation, and his love for the town is celebrated by local vignerons, many of whom produced a wine – traditionally a blend of Cabernet Franc, Côt and Gamay – under the moniker Cuvée François Ier.
