The 33 winegrowers of the small Cour-Cheverny AOC (Loir-et-Cher) agree: their appellation is not recognized as much as it deserves. “We’ve been racking our brains for a long time,” smiles Michel Gendrier, operator in Cour-Cheverny (Loir-et-Cher) and president of the union which also includes the more famous Cheverny appellation.
The simple solution would be to choose another village, but AOC Chitenay or Cormeray, that doesn’t necessarily sound better. “In the past, we thought of Mont-près-Chambord, but it’s a bit heavy,” recalls Michel Gendrier, who ended up getting closer to Chambord.
Chambord relaunches its own wines
Initially, the public establishment was “rather reluctant”, says Jean d’Haussonville, the emblematic director known for having scrapped in court against the use of the image of the royal castle by the brewer Kronenbourg. But things are changing, especially since Chambord is relaunching its own wines, which it produces under the Cheverny appellation, or as Vin de France. “If we could produce under the Chambord appellation, we would be delighted,” he adds.
This name change supposes an extension of the Cour-Cheverny appellation, to include the Château de Chambord. This is in progress with the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO). On the other hand, for the modification of the name, it will be necessary to constitute a file with the European authorities. “We are only at the beginning,” admits Michel Gendrier.
In 2010 and after several years of study, the slopes of Tricastin in the south of Drôme had obtained a new name, the AOC Grignan-les-Adhémar, to get rid of their too nuclear image.