Domaine des Huards, 2018 Update
The wines of the Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny appellations are not, I imagine, discovered by chance. You don’t frequently spot them alongside the Sancerre, and the Pouilly-Fumé, and other ubiquities on the wine list of everyday wine merchant or restaurant. Among the more obscure and peripheral appellations of the Loire Valley, alongside Jasnières, Haut-Poitou and Saint-Pourçain (and one or two others I can think of), tracking down the wines of Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny require some genuine bottle-hunting talent. They are worth the chase though, Cour-Cheverny being home to the otherwise rarely encountered Romorantin grape, the best examples absolutely delicious. And as for Cheverny, mostly an easy-drinking Sauvignon–Chardonnay blend, this appellation can also impress, especially when one of the other permitted varieties, the obscure yet cerebral Menu Pineau, gets a look in. Cheverny can also be red of course, more on which in a moment.
One of the leading names to look out for in the region is Domaine des Huards; the strength here is definitely Cour-Cheverny, the François 1er cuvée one of the best examples of the appellation. Having said that, proprietor Michel Gendrier also makes an interesting range of red wines which feature Pinot Noir, with varying but generally small percentages of Gamay in the blend. And it turns out he produces some pretty good Crémant de Loire as well, this being my first encounter with these wines.
Please log in to continue reading: