Cremant

Question 1

Minimum ageing?

Answer 1

9 months on lees, 12 months from tirage to release.

Question 2

Maximum abv?

Answer 2

13%

Question 3

Six permitted varieties in Cremant de Alsace?

Answer 3

Pinot blanc, riesling, pinot noir, pinot gris, auxerrois, chardonnay.

Question 4

CDA: What are the characteristics of Pinot Blanc?

Answer 4

Apple, pear, light floral notes, medium + to high acidity, light bodied, early ripening/easy to grow e.g. munster valley.

Question 5

Grape growing for Cremant d’Alsace?

Answer 5

Sheltered by Vosges Mountains, warm/dry summers, rain near harvest an issue, risk of overripening.

Question 6

Max hl/ha for CDA?

Answer 6

80

Question 7

When do CDA producers have to declare production?

Answer 7

July

Question 8

CDB total hectares?

Answer 8

2,000 about 10% of Bourgogne production.

Question 9

Main sources of grapes for CDB?

Answer 9

COOLER CHEAPER SITES: Maconnais for chardonnay, cote chalonnaise, beaujolais, areas around Chablis, Hautes CDB & Hautes CDN, flatland vineyards on Cote D’or.

Question 10

What grape varieties are permitted in CDB?

Answer 10

Chardonnay, Aligote, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Melon, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc

Question 11

CDB: Maximum yield?

Answer 11

75 hl/ha

Question 12

CDB: declaration of production?

Answer 12

End of March?

Question 13

Cremant de Bourgogne Eminent?

Answer 13

Minimum 24 months of lees ageing.

Question 14

Cremant de Bourgogne Grand Eminent?

Answer 14

36 months of lees ageing, 3 months in bottle, brut only, white only (PN and CH).

Question 15

CDB: Total hl of production?

Answer 15

170,000 hl.

Question 16

CDB: Exports?

Answer 16

38%

Question 17

Cremant de Loire grape varieties?

Answer 17

Chenin blanc, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, pineau d’aunis, grolleau noir/ gris, pinot noir, chardonnay, orbois.

Question 18

What characteristics does Chenin Blanc add to Cremant de Loire?

Answer 18

Apple, citrus, nuttiness and honey with age.

Question 19

CDL: Maximum yield?

Answer 19

74 hl/ha

Question 20

CDL: Production declaration?

Answer 20

July

Question 21

How does Saumur and Vouvray Mousseux differ to Cremant de Loire?

Answer 21

Mechanical harvesting permitted, lower harvest yields, more juice extraction permitted (lower quality), minimum 12 months between tirage and release.

Question 22

Saumur Mousseux key points?

Answer 22

White: 60% Chenin Blanc
Rose: 60% Cab Franc
All other Loire varieties are permitted including 10% Sauvignon Blanc.
Annual production: 10.6m bottles
Ha: 1,300ha

Question 23

Vouvray Mousseux key points?

Answer 23

Minimum 95% Chenin Blanc, only other permitted variety is Orbois (local).
Average production: 8.2m bottles
Ha: 1,200ha

Question 24

Cremant de Loire main growing areas?

Answer 24

Around Anjou and Touraine, mainly focusing on Saumur.

Question 25

What are the sites like for Cremant de Loire?

Answer 25

Flatter, lesser sites with a higher concentration of clay in the soil.