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Crémant-de-Loire is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) sparkling wine produced in the Loire Valley vineyards covering the Loire Valley, Anjou and Touraine. AOC wines are vinified according to the “méthode champenoise traditionnelle”.
The story of Crémant-de-Loire begins on the banks of the Loire
Famous for its châteaux, crossed by the Loire River: the Loire Valley bears the mark of the vine and the kings of France. Vines have been cultivated here for two millennia, and have flourished thanks to the development of numerous monasteries and abbeys.
The commercial and economic expansion of Holland between the 16th and 17th centuries had an impact on the development of the Loire vineyards. Indeed, merchants from the North, enriched by the cloth industry, stocked up in the region, allowing vineyards to flourish. Particularly white wines from Les Ponts-de-Cé, Saumur or Vouvray. But it was not until the 19th century that sparkling wines became popular.. Aware of Northern Europe’s taste for the region’s wines, and after several years of technical experimentation, Belgian wine merchant Jean Baptiste Ackermann developed the production of fine bubbly wines from the Loire Valley.. The development of the railways also favored the commercial expansion of this wine. The first AOCs were created in 1936.
Crémant-de-Loire vineyards draw their strength from the Loire and its surrounding rivers
The production comes from a particular geographical area, frequently more than 100 meters above sea level. However, the maximum cultivation altitude never exceeds 200 meters. The production area is heterogeneous, flat in the north but much more hilly in the south. The vineyards cover a vast geographical area. Cultivation takes place along the Loire, but also near its tributaries, the Vienne, Indre and Cher rivers. The geographical area covers some 200 kilometers, and includes 318 communes.
The production area covers a wide range of climates. The vineyards of Anjou-Saumur have a temperate oceanic climate, while the Loire Valley and Touraine have oceanic and continental climates. These mild climates have a profound influence on wine quality. In ancient times, in Roman times, vineyards were already planted. to benefit from the mild, hybrid characteristics of this climate. The region is protected from extreme cold as much as it is from heat waves. These climatic conditions have made it possible to grow vines and are a guarantee of the quality of the sparkling wines produced by our winemakers.
TheCrémant-de-Loire appellation is cultivated over a 250-kilometer stretch of land that can be divided into two soil types. The first type of soil, close to the tuffeau on the banks of the Loire, is clay-limestone. This is the soil of the Saumur and Touraine terroirs. In this region, numerous cellars have been dug out of the limestone rock, an exceptional environment for the design and storage of these wines. The second type, more to the west of the territory, is made up of schist and clay-schist soils.
Crémant-de-Loire, a floral, gourmet wine
The white wine is made from Chardonnay and Chenin grapes. Red wines are made from black grape varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau (black and grey), Pineau d’Aunis and Pinot Noir. Single-varietal or blended, the grape varieties are either white (Chenin, Chardonnay) or black (Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Pineau d’Aunis…). However, in the Saumur region, Chenin is the most widely used grape variety, sometimes blended with Cabernet. The latter is mainly used to make Crémant rosé (sometimes blended with Grolleau). In white, Crémant-de-Loire has a more or less pale yellow color, with silver or gold highlights. Rosés come in a wide range of colors, from salmon pink for the palest to deep raspberry or cherry pink for the most intense. The bouquet of the whites is complex: white flowers, white- or yellow-fleshed fruit, dried fruit enhanced by notes of brioche, butter and honey. Rosés exude scents of strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant and other red berries. The Crémant-de-Loire blanc is complex, full-bodied, generous and fresh on the palate, with richly fruity flavors. Crémant-de-Loire rosé is delicious, fresh and round.
Crémant-de-Loire goes wonderfully with fish
White wine is made from two grape varietiesChardonnay and Chenin. Red wines are made from black grape varieties, the use of which varies according to the terroir: Cabernet Franc, Grolleau, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis and Pinot Noir. In addition, most Crémant rosés are made with Cabernet, although they can sometimes be blended with Grolleau.
To the eye, Crémant-de-Loire blanc has a clear, golden yellow color., sometimes pale, with hints of silver or gold. The rosés have a wide range of colours, from salmon pink to reddish-brown. for the paler ones to shades of raspberry pink or cherry pink for the darker ones.
On the palate, the white presents a variety of aromas: subtle and sensual like white-petaled flowers, fruity like pear, with hints of dried fruit at the end. Rosés reveal red fruit aromas. Crémant-de-Loire blanc is complex, full-bodied and long-lasting. Its amplitude and generosity are combined with great freshness. Crémant-de-Loire rosé is round on the palate and surprisingly fresh.
Great vintages of the Crémant-de-Loire appellation
The best vintages from the appellation were awarded for the following years: 1928, 1929, 1945, 1947, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1989, 2002, 2005. 1929 and 2005 are considered particularly exceptional vintages. The years 1945 and 1989 are also referred to as “vintages of the century”. But it’s undoubtedly the 1947 and 1959 years that are the greatest above all else, described as the “vintage years of the millennium”. Exceptional white wine vintages include 1929, 1933, 1945, 1947, 1055, 1959, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2005. As for rosé wines, these are the years 1928, 1929, 1945, 1947, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1976, 1978 and 1989.
Two outstanding estates in the Crémant-de-Loire appellation
Domaine de Nerleux
The Domaine de Nerleux is located 9 kilometers from Saumur. The estate means “Black Wolf” in old French, and is located in the Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg area. The property features 17th and 18th century tuffeau (limestone) stone architecture, typical of the region, which has the property of draining and absorbing excess water in order to restore it to the vines at opportune moments.
This geological feature produces full-bodied wines with silky tannins. A blend of nine generations of tradition and modernity, the estate’s winemakers offer an astonishing variety of award-winning cuvées.
Domaine des Grandes Espérances
This Crémant de Loire domaine works in four main areas: “vins de copains”, micro-cuvées, bubbles and grape juice. Accessibility and conviviality are at the heart of this domain’s DNA. With a surface area of 24 hectares, the estate is committed to producing responsible wine. Terra Vitis “In other words, with the utmost respect for the earth and its ecosystems. As such, the estate is in the process of obtaining the “organic label”. Overall, the wines are silky and festive, just waiting to be shared with friends and family.
