Cremant d'Alsace Flashcards
What %age of total production of wine is cremant d’alsace?
-25%
What %age of growth are vys are declared each year for cremant ?
-15%
-increased demand in sparkling
What is the main grape in Cremant d’Alsace?
-pinot blanc
What are the typical flavour characterists in cremant d’alsace?
-medium intensity
-apple and pear
-brioche/biscuit
-brut style
Where are the vys for CDA?
-east of Vosges foothills
-200-400m sea level
-Vosges protect from prevailing westerly winds
What is the climate?
-sunny, continental
-dry and hot- growing season
-rain at harvest= problem
-hot days and cool nights= flavour ripeness high acidity for trad method
What are the other problems in alsace?
-water shortage= problem= irrigation not permitted
-spring frost- worse in recent years w warmer and earlier springs
=reduction in yields
What are the grapes used in CDA?
-pinot blanc
-riesling
-pinot gris
-chard
-pinot noir
auxerrois
What %age is pinot blanc of total Alsace vy area?
20%
What are characteristics with pinot blanc in Alsace?
-early budding= spring frosts
-prone to fungal disease
-early ripening= harvest much earlier than other varieties
-pear, apple, high acidity
What grapes are not permitted?
-muscat and gewurtz
What is the only grape that is allowed to make rose?
-pinot noir
-v good quality
how are the vys pruned?
-to a greater cropload
(base wines don’t need high concentration of flavour)
When must growers declare that they are going to make cremant from particular vys?
July
How are the grapes harvested?
-hand- whole bunch pressing mandatory
=high quality fruit juice, low phenolics
As the potential alc is low, what often happens?
-chaptalisation
Describe the WM
-single vintage, no reserves
-time on lees during 2nd ferm= short (12m) =primary fruit
-better producers= more time on lees= biscuit, brioche, complexity
-rose- skin contact 12-24 hours
What is the majority sweetness level of CDA?
-brut
What are the %ages of coops, merchants, independent growers?
-43%
-37%
-20%
What is the growth of CDA in terms of vol of production?
-more than doubled
-2020= 40 mill bottles
Markets?
-72%= France
-exports rising
What is the Cremant d’Alsace Emotion?
-launched 2012
-top quality category
-min 75% pinot blanc, chard, poinot noir
