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Crémant is a white wine, sometimes rosé, from Alsace, whose distinctive feature is its sparkling character. It is one of the few wines that do not belong to the large family of still wines. This sparkling wine is vinified according to the méthode champenoise, but as it does not have the appellation champagne, it is called “méthode traditionnelle”.
Alsace is a historic and world-renowned wine-growing region. Each year, around 1,200,000 hectolitres of wine are produced in the region’s 9 AOCs (Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée). It stretches over a territory more than 120km long, sometimes hilly around the Vosges mountains, sometimes flat when it comes to the broad plains of Alsace. Crémant d’Alsace was awarded the AOC and AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) labels in 1976.
The unique origins of Crémant d’Alsace
Crémant has a singular history that sets it apart from the more classic Alsace appellations. In 1900, a winegrower from Riquewihr in Alsace by the name of Julien Dopff returned from the Exposition Universelle in Paris, where he had seen a demonstration of Champagne disgorging. An experienced white wine producer, after a two-year training course he applied the méthode champenoise to his white wines, producing what he called “Champagne Dopff”.
As we all know, at the end of the First World War, Alsace returned to the French fold, and by the same token, so did Julien Dopff’s estate. However, as the conditions for the “Champagne” appellation are very strict, especially geographically, the latter was forced to change the name of its sparkling wines. It wasn’t until 1975 that the director of the Wolfberger wine cooperative seized on the name Crémant, which had fallen out of use in Champagne, to describe Alsatian sparkling wines.
Crémant d’Alsace and its range of terroirs
Crémant is grown and vinified at low altitudes, particularly on the Alsace plains. The parcels reserved for Crémant production cover 3017 hectares. They benefit from plenty of sunshine and relatively little precipitation, with humidity limited by the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains. This moderate hydration is perfect, since the stressed vine must draw its resources from mineral-rich soils and subsoils. Cépages will reveal better aromas.
Crémant is made from grape varieties grown in a wide variety of soils. The vast majority of them are clay-limestone, with limestone in the case of plots near the foot of the hills. Some have marly clay or even calcareous marl soils. Finally, some plots are distinguished by their alluvial soils, rich in sediments once carried by the Rhine, an inexhaustible source of minerals and nutrients for the vines.
Crémant d’Alsace, a sparkling wine with many possibilities
The Crémant d’Alsace charter allows for two possibilities. On the one hand, crémant can be a single-varietal wine made entirely from one of the following grape varieties: Chardonnay B, Pinot Blanc B and Auxerrois B, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling. On the other hand, Crémant can be made from a blend of several of the above-mentioned grape varieties in any proportion. It’s important to take this huge range of possibilities into account when tasting Crémant d’Alsace.
For Crémants Blanc de Blancs, we can generalize our tasting observations. It has a pale yellow color, with some tending towards gold. Whatever the case, the bubbles in crémant should always appear in straight lines along the side of the glass. On the nose, it releases floral scents such as hawthorn and jasmine. Citrus notes are also commonplace when it comes to Crémant Blanc. Grapefruit and tangerine are particularly distinctive. The most discerning noses may be able to detect aromas typically associated with Crémant Blanc fermentation, notably that of toasted brioche. These are fermentative aromas. Crémant Blanc is fresh and delicate on the palate.
Crémant Blanc de Noir, commonly known as Crémant Rosé, has a raspberry-tinged pink color and a fine mousse. Here again, we expect the bubbles to rise in straight lines along the wall, without which Crémant would not qualify for the appellation. Crémant Rosé offers intense aromas of red fruits such as strawberries and redcurrants.
Crémant is a wine to be drunk young. Its ageing potential is therefore quite low. In fact, we recommend keeping a bottle of Crémant for no more than 4 years.
Crémant d’Alsace, a benchmark festive wine
Crémant is a sparkling wine made using a technique that replicates the Champagne method. No one will be surprised by the festive character of this wine, and its impact on food and wine pairings.
Crémant goes wonderfully well with aperitifs, especially those based on cheese or crudités. Cheese Gougères are a perfect match for Crémant d’Alsace, especially Blanc de Blanc.
On the other hand, it goes perfectly with the sweet flavors of desserts. Crémant will certainly be appreciated with Kouglof or meringue desserts.
Surprisingly, Crémant Blanc goes very well with white meats cooked with white wine, especially Riesling. In fact, chicken or coq au Riesling will be sublimated by Crémant Blanc. Pairing it with iodized flavors such as fish or shellfish will never be a problem.
Last but not least, Crémant d’Alsace generally goes very well with cheese dishes, to which it brings a certain contrast: a Flamiche au Maroilles accompanied by a white or rosé Crémant is an excellent example.
Crémant is generally served between 7 and 9°C.
Old vintages, the best for Alsace Crémants
Crémant d’Alsace has no other specific appellation. The years considered as exceptional vintages and millennia for Crémant are : 1929, 1959, 1961, 1983, 1985 and above all 1990, considered the best of all.
AOC Crémant d’Alsace estates pioneers in Biodynamics
Ribeauvillé cellar
The Cave de Ribeauvillé is a vineyard of undeniable scope. It covers more than 235 hectares. In particular, it boasts 8 Grands Crus and aa diversity of unrivalled terroirs. The entire estate is rigorously managed according to a quality charter. It guarantees manual harvesting, rigorous control of yields controland organic farming.
One of the estate’s main aims is to respect the techniques of yesteryear. The selected grapes are brought to the winery and, once pressed into bunches, their juice flows into vats powered simply by gravity. Although the estate is committed to preserving tradition, it is well equipped to work with the purest grape varieties possible. Thanks to its investment in state-of-the-art state-of-the-art equipment, the wines of the Cave de Ribeauvillé promise the purity of the grape variety respect identity of each terroir.
Jean Baptiste Adam
Since 1614, the Jean-Baptiste ADAM family has flourished and worked tirelessly in their vineyards. With a passion for wine that goes back four centuries, the Adam family’s priority is to perfect the most advanced winemaking and grape-growing techniques. They are the guarantors of quality in this field. In 2004, the family began converting this Crémant d’Alsace estate to biodynamic viticulture.
