Crémant Flashcards
Translation Since when How did Crémant come about? Number of Regions Name the main 5 most important (with year granted AOC if poss) Name of Governing Body representing them
Creamy
An EU term used since 1985 for White or Rosé Sparkling wine made outside Champagne. Orig planned to protect the name Champagne and stop the use of the term Méthode Champenoise before Spain joined EU in 1986 and stop them using the term ‘Champaña’
8 Regions making Crémant 5 Main:
1975 Bourgogne - 1st Crémant AOC
1975 Loire - Stricter regs than Vouvray and Saumur
1976 Alsace - Largest prodding region by far
1990 Bordeaux - Most production in Entre deux Mers
1990 Limoux in Languedoc-Roussillon making since 1550s
1982 FNPEC - Federacion Nationale des Producteurs et Elaborateurs de Crémant
Common main regulations for Crémant?
Manual Harvest
Min pot alc % 9% / 9.5% Limoux
Grapes typical of region although Alsace allowed Chardonnay
Whole Bunch Pressing - Max 100ltr from 150kg Grapes (Champ 102ltr/160kg)
Max 150 mg/l SO2
2nd Ferment in Bottle - Transfer permitted for Splits and > Magnum
Min 9mo Lees - 12mo Tirage -> Sales
Finished sugar after Liq D’Expedition <50g/l
Which regions have adopted Criteria for longer lees ageing of Crémants?
Bourgogne - Eminent min 24mo / Grand Eminent min 36mo
Alsace - Emotion Min 24mo + other criteria
Crémant d’Alsace
1976
Largest Crémant appellation, around 50% of total sales
2017 (FNPEC) 32.5m bottles (lower due to frost in 2017)
Crémant ~ 25% total Alsace output 3,500ha for Crémant prodn
Grapes mainly grown on Alluvial plains and at foot of hills
Chardonnay only permitted for Crémant also Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris
Auxerrois and Riesling
Pinot Blanc - white flowers, peach and Brioche. P Gris adds body
Rosé- 100% Pinot Noir only, not much as not much grown
2009 Emotion 24mo lees + Min 75% Pinot Blanc, Chard and/or P.Noir
Producers: Dopff au Moulin oldest 1574 1st to make fizz in Alsace
Joseph Cattin, Edward Schaller
Co-ops 1/3 of output Arthur Metz, Cave d’Eguisheim
Crémant de Bordeaux
1990
Grapes from anywhere in Bdx but centred Entre Deux Mers
Mainly from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon - Tight, nutty and Light Honey
Min 70% mix Semillon, Sauv B, Sauv Gris, Muscadelle, Cab Franc, Cab Sav, Merlot
Max 30% Colombard, Merlot Blanc,Ugni Blanc
Rosé Macerate or Saignée or blend before Tirage
Producers - Biggest Co-op Vignerons de Saint Petersburg Génissac
120 growers with 300ha dedicated to Crémant
Big - Jaillance - 500k bottles
Oldest Les Cordelliers (St Emilion)
Crémant de Bourgogne
1975 1st Cremant AOC
Grapes from anywhere but mainly:
North - Auxerre and Chatillon-sur-Seine - Grapes and Climate as Champs
South - Rully, Cote Chalonnaise - Warmer = riper = Full, rich, soft
Most make base wine and send to Contractors in Beaune,
Nuits saint Georges and Rully
Grapes mainly Chardy and Pinot Noir
Also Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Aligoté, Melon, Sacy and Gamay (max 20%)
Extended lees intro 2013 from 2016 vintage:
Eminent 24mo Grand Eminent 36mo
Producers Michel Prunier, Albert Bichot
Co-ops Cave de Lugny / Cave de Viré
Limoux
1990 Languedoc-Roussillon @ foot of Pyrenees
1st Region in France to make Sparkles - since mid 1550s
Rumour Dom P studied here before moving to Abbey of Hautvillers
Cooled Med and Atlantic breezes and by altitude
Soil - Shist, gravel and rocks
Grapes - Chard Min 50% / Chard+Chenin Max 90%
Also Chenin 10~40%, Mauzac, PN+Mauzac max 20%
Pinot N max 15% White / Min 15% Rose
Min 9.5% pot alc / Max finished 13.5% min 3.5 bar
1990 - Blanquette de Limoux - created to protect indigenous Mauzac
Min 90% Mauzac + up to 10% Chard and/or Chenin
Mauzac - Hi crisp acidity + flats Bruised Apple Vini as Crémant
2017 (FNPEC) - 5.4m bottles - 60% Dom / 40% Expt and increasing
Rgn also makes Blanquette de Limoux Methode Ancestrale
Prodn 2 x Large Co-ops, 240 Independents + 20 Negociants
Co-op - 1946 - La Cave des Vignerons Sieur d’Arques 350 members with 400ha
Domaine Paul Mas, Domaine Rosier
Clairette de Die
Die loc Drôme Valley (trib of Rhône) Nr. Valence
Grapes up to 700m on Chalky Clay Limestone
Grapes 100% Clairette Blanche - Aromatic + Hi Acidity
Transfer Method permitted but Trad meth quite common
Yeast removed Filtration or disgorge
Min 9mo lees
Abv usually 11~12.5% / Max 13.5% Dry/OffDry Min 3.5 bar
Clairette de Die Methode Ancestrale (aka Tradition) also made
Cave de Die Jaillance - 75% prodn
Loire Sparkling general overview (runs and grapes another slide)
Links to Champs?
2nd Largest Sparkle rgn in France but well behind Champs
Prodn since 1811 - Ackerman and Laurence (now Ackerman)
Prodn centred Saumur and East Touraine (Vouvray / Montlouis)
Climate - Anjou-Saumur - Gentle Maritime / E of Tours Semi Continental
Grapes grown 2nd best sites on Clay/Limestone of Paris Basin = slow ripening = maintain acidity
Chenin Blanc - principal - lo yields (50hl/ha) = Neutral, Grape, Grass, Hay with Hi acidity
Some prods prefer softer regs of Saumur/Vouvray (Mach harvest, higher juice extract, and less sympathetic pressing), claim Crémant too generic
Cremant sales now overtaken Saumur/Vouvray and get higher €
2017 Crémant (FNPEC) - 16.5m bottles
Links to Champagne: Bollinger owns Langlois,
Alfred Gratien Champs owns Gratien and Meyer
Taittinger owns Bouvet-Ladubay
Loire Sparkling
Regional styles and grapes used
Crémant de Loire (2017 FNPEC 16.5m bott)
Common Regs as other Crémants
White/Rosé Chenin mainly + Chardy, Cab Franc / Cab Sav
Alc min 9% / Max 13% 4 Bar
Others allow machine harvest, higher extract just 130kg grapes / 100ltr
Saumur - Chenin, Chardy (max 20%), Can Franc + others
Anjou - Chenin min 80%, Sauv Blanc, and Chardy
Vouvray - Chenin (many @ 100%) Spkl = 60% rgn prodn
Montlouis - Chenin - Sparkle approx 55% rgn prodn
Vouvray, Montlouis - Rosé from Cab Franc and Non Dosé increasing
