Handpicked Gems in AOC Champagne & Crémant

Champagne and Crémant get their bubbles the same way: a second fermentation in a glass bottle, where the wine then rests on its lees until disgorgement. What sets them apart comes down to the rules: each appellation sets its own calendar, grapes, harvest and pressing.

Tirage, Lees and Release: Two Calendars

For a Crémant d’Alsace, de Bourgogne or de Loire, the tirage (bottling for the second fermentation) can start on December 1 after the harvest. The wine then spends at least 9 months on its lees, and it cannot go on sale until at least 12 months after the tirage.

Champagne moves more slowly. Its tirage cannot start before January 1 of the year after the harvest, disgorgement cannot happen before 12 months, and release comes at least 15 months after the tirage.

These are minimums. In Crémant d’Alsace, time on the lees often runs well beyond nine months. When the back label gives a disgorgement date, take note: it tells you how long the wine has been off its lees.

Each Region Has Its Own Grapes

In Alsace, a white Crémant is made from Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir or Riesling. Burgundy allows eight grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Aligoté, Gamay, Melon and Sacy. The first four make up at least 30% of the blend, and Gamay stays at 30% or less.

Crémant de Loire draws on three white grapes, Chardonnay, Chenin and Orbois, and six grapes classed as red: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pineau d’Aunis and Pinot Noir. Together, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis make up no more than 30% of the blend.

On a Champagne label, Blanc de Blancs means the wine comes only from white grapes, with no single variety required. The Jura and Limoux also make their own Crémants, each with its own list of grapes.

In the Vineyard and at the Press

Crémant d’Alsace, de Bourgogne and de Loire are all hand-harvested; in the Loire, harvesting machines are even expressly banned. No more than 24 hours can pass between picking and pressing.

At the press, these three Crémants can draw at most 100 liters of must (about 26 gallons) from 150 kilograms of grapes (about 330 pounds). Champagne sets its limit at 102 liters of settled must per 160 kilograms. In the Loire, grapes go into the press whole; in Alsace, that is the rule for white Crémant.

To compare two bottles, start with the appellation on the label: it tells you which rules the wine followed.

Rosé, Corks and Buying: Your Crémant and Champagne Questions

Which grape is used for rosé Crémant d’Alsace?

Rosé Crémant d’Alsace is made from Pinot Noir alone. In Burgundy and the Loire, rosé has no grape of its own and draws on the appellation’s full grape list.

Can a rosé Crémant be a blend of white and red wine?

A rosé Crémant de Bourgogne can be a blend of white and red base wines, made before the tirage. The red also comes from the appellation’s own grapes. In Alsace and the Loire, the appellations provide for skin contact (maceration) or saignée. Rosé Champagne can come from either blending or saignée.

What is printed on the cork of a Crémant d’Alsace or Crémant de Loire?

The cork of a Crémant d’Alsace or Crémant de Loire carries the appellation name, on the part that sits inside the neck. Both appellations require it. On a vintage Champagne, the year appears on the cork as well as on the label.

Where can you buy Champagne and Crémant direct from the winemaker?

You can buy Champagne and Crémant direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. Each order is prepared and sent by the producer, not from a warehouse.

See also: AOC Crémant d'Alsace - AOC Crémant de Bourgogne Wine - AOC Crémant de Limoux