Crémant has been hitting the press lately and is tipped to take over from the nation’s well-loved Prosecco. With headlines like this I thought I must give it a try!
Firstly, what is Crémant?
Crémant is a sparkling wine made in seven regions in France. Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne, Crémant de Die, Crémant de Loire, Crémant du Jura, Crémantde Bourdeaux and Crémant de Limoux.
The most Crémant is produced in the Crémant d’Alsace who produce more than half of all of it made. The meaning of the word Crémant seems to come from middle french Crémer, meaning ‘creaming’ and is made by the méthode Champenoise. So, what is the difference between Crémant and Champagne if they are made using the same method?
Well, Champagne is appelation coming from a specific location geographically which is protected by law. Grapes from Champagne tend to be three times the cost and the ageing process takes longer, a minimum of 15 months.
For the Crémant making process the grapes are made into a still wine then put into bottles to ferment. The fermentation of sugar into alcohol means carbon dioxide is released. It is during the second fermentation process that the carbon dioxide is enclosed under pressure, which produces the bubbles after opening. This second process in the making of Crémant lasts around 9 months but the Crémant cannot be sold before 12 months after bottling.
Crémant is less effervescent than Champagne and also costs quite a bit less so it is better on your bank balance 🙂
The Crémant we tried was from Aldi and is the award winning Crémant du Jura costing 7.99 per bottle.
Crémant du Jura has a lovely golden straw colour and a persistent delicate fizz. On the nose I got a pleasant floral and the makers state brioche notes. The taste is crisp yet soft, a nice golden delicious apple flavour with the slight tang of lemon and mandarin. It is so pleasant and easy to drink.
In my opinion it is creamier than Prosecco and not as sweet. Also it isn’t as dry on the pallet as Champagne can be. I like Prosecco yet not actually keen on Champagne and really liked the Crémant.
I would strongly recommend Crémant if you like either Prosecco or Champagne as it really makes a delightful change. Am I a convert? Well, on my last two trips to the supermarket I have looked past the Proseccos for the Crémant.
So… chin chin, treat yourselves and try the Crémant.
