Cremant

Question 1

What is the common feature of all 3 cremant regions?

Answer 1

• Whole bunch pressing, hand harvested
• Max yield at pressing: 100L/150 kg(grapes)
• Min 9 months’ on lees
• Min 12 months maturation between tirage and release (incl. 9 months on lees)
• Max 13% ABV
• Min 4 bar

Question 2

What are the important 3 cremant regions?

Answer 2

Cremant d’Alsace
Cremant de Loire
Cremant de Bourgogne

Question 3

What are the two AOCs in Loire for sparkling wine?

Answer 3

AOC Saumur

AOC Vouvray

Question 4

What is the typical wine style of cremant d’alsace for white sparkling?

Answer 4

• Medium intensity
• Apple, pear
• Biscuit autolytic notes
• Medium+ to high acidity
• Light to medium body
• Usually brut
• pinot blanc dominated

Question 5

What is the typical wine style of cremant d’alsace for rose sparkling?

Answer 5

• Made from pinot noir
• Very good quality
• Med - medium+ flavour intensity
• Red berried fruits

Question 6

What are the typical hazards for Alsace?

Answer 6

• Rain at harvest
• Shortage of water )irrigation not permitted)
• Spring frost (warmer, earlier spring causes early bud break)

Question 7

Where is Pinot Blanc grown in Alsace?

Answer 7

• Pinot Blanc grown on lower level elevations (high yield, not suitable for top quality still wines), cooler sites with higher valleys (struggle to ripen for still wines)
  e. g. Munster Valley

Question 8

What are the grape varieties for Cremant d’Alsace?

Answer 8

• Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir
• Muscat, Gewurztraminer –> not permitted
• Riesling –> allowed but use in still wine mostly Pinot Blanc (inexpensive)

Pinot Gris: sometimes used with more prominent fruit –> raise quality

Chardonnay: allowed in this appellation, not others in Alsace

For Rose: only Pinot Noir is allowed

Question 9

What is the prestige category of Cremant d’Alsace?

Answer 9

Cremant d’Alsace Emotion

• created in 2012
• 75% pinot blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir (separately or together)
• 24 mo on lees
• not very popular

Question 10

What is the climate of Alsace ?

Answer 10

• Located at Eastern flanks of Vosges foothills: Vosges protects vineyards from westerly winds –> sunny, continental climate
• Dry, hot in growing season
• High diurnal range (continental climate) –> retain acidity with cold nights while progress with ripening on hot days –> ripe flavours

Question 11

What is the typical wine style of Cremant de Bourgogne?

Answer 11

Range of styles are made:
White:
- Brut
- Medium+ to high acidity
- Medium intensity: lemon, apple (cooler area), apricot (warmer area)
- brioche autolytic notes

Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, roses are made

Question 12

Where do the grapes come from for Cremant de Bourgogne?

Answer 12

Fruits can be sourcd from any of Burgundy departements:
Yonne (Chablis), Cote d’Or (Cote d’Or), Saone-et-Loire (Chalonnais, Macconais), Rhone (Beaujolais)

Mainly from

1) Macconais (Chardonnay - Cave de Lugny), Cote Chalonnaise (Rully)
2) Beaujolais
3) Area around Chablis (Yonne, Chatillon-sur-Seine) –> south of southernmost Champagne
4) Hautes Cotes de Beaune, Hautes Cote de Nuits
5) Flatland vineyards on the Cote d’Or
- -> cheaper vineyards, cooler sites

Question 13

What are the grape varieties allowed in Cremant de Bourgogne?

Answer 13

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir - dominant varieties

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