Crémant d'Alsace

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Crémant d'Alsace

The Crémant d'Alsace is a sparkling wine from the Alsace wine-growing region containing approx. 12% alcohol by volume . The sparkling wines of the region are characterized by their fruity character and are mainly blended from the Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois grape varieties , but also partly from the Pinot gris , Pinot Noir , Riesling or Chardonnay varieties. The rarer Crémant d'Alsace rosé is made from Pinot Noir . The processed grapes must come from Alsace.

Origin of the term Crémant

Due to the use of classic bottle fermentation , which is similar to the production process for champagne , the wine is called crémant ; an indication of high quality. The term Crémant was introduced throughout France when the winegrowers in Champagne successfully enforced the ban on the worldwide common name Méthode Champenoise to characterize bottle fermentation. Compared to a winemaker's champagne, the Crémant d'Alsace is significantly cheaper at around eight to ten euros per bottle, but it cannot be stored for that long. The Crémant should be enjoyed at the latest 4 years after filling the bottle at a drinking temperature of 5–7 ° C.

Harvest quantities

Although similarly produced sparkling wine had existed for a long time in Alsace, the AOC Crémant d'Alsace was only introduced on August 24, 1976. After a tentative start until 1979, the amount pressed has increased continuously since then. In 2004, a total of 214,946 hectoliters of Crémant d 'Alsace were declared by more than 500 winemakers. This volume was 35% above the average yield for the years 1999–2003. (Source: Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace).

The basic yield, i.e. the harvest restriction, is a high 100 hectoliters / hectare; an amount that can be corrected up to 20% depending on the age group.

The production shares while nearly equally between the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin on.

The berries are usually picked a few days before the harvest of normal still wines , as the base wines of a sparkling wine should have a strong acid structure. The minimum sugar content of the must for the base wine must, however, be at least 145 g / l.

The language of the label

In addition to the name “AOC Crémant d'Alsace”, the names Blanc de Blancs , Blanc de Noirs , Brut , Millésimé , Rosé and Sigillé can also be listed on the label . These mean:

  • Brut: dry aging with a maximum sugar content of 15 g / l.
  • Millésimé: the berries of the base wines used in the Crémant come from one vintage.
  • Rosé: the Crémant was blended with at least one red base wine made from Pinot Noir vines.
  • Sigillé: the Crémant was awarded a prize by the Confrérie Saint-Étienne .

Movie

  • 360 ° geo-report - Crémant, the fine Alsatian for the festival. Documentary film, Germany, 2017, 52:18 min., Script and direction: Jean-Luc Nachbauer, production: MedienKontor, Geo , arte , series: 360 ° Geo-Reportage , first broadcast: December 31, 2018 by arte, summary by ARD .

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