Crémant & Blanquette

Crémant is the term used in France to designate classic method sparkling wines produced mainly in Alsace, Burgundy, Loire and other regions of France. The grapes from which these fine sparkling wines are made are the same as those used to produce the still wines of the respective appellations. An exception is, however, the Loire, where Sauvignon is not considered suitable for sparkling wine production and the main grape variety for Crémant de Loire is Chenin Blanc with its aromas of lemon, quince, pear and camomile. The Crémant de Alsace, although it can be monovarietal, is generally a Pinot Blanc-based blend, soft and broad like the Crémant d'Alsace Brut Gustave Lorentz (91 pts WE). From Burgundy come the Crémant de Bourgogne, based on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which are closer to Champagne and in which, when the Pinot Noir dominates, floral and fruity scents of great charm and elegance advance.

Blanquette de Limoux is the name of a classic method produced in the foothills of the Pyrenees, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region from the sparkling of Mauzac grapes, locally known as 'Blanquette'. It is one of the first bottle-fermented wines whose production era may predate that of Champagne.