Crémant de Bordeaux

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Crémant de Bordeaux Les Cordeliers

The Crémant de Bordeaux is a rather light sparkling wine from the Bordeaux wine-growing region . The sparkling wines of the region are characterized by their fruity character and are mainly blended from the Sémillon , Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grape varieties , but also partly from the secondary varieties Ugni Blanc , Colombard , Merlot Blanc or Ondenc . The combined share of the minor varieties must not exceed 30%.

The rarer Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé is made from the grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon , Cabernet Franc , Carménère , Merlot , Malbec or Petit Verdot . The processed vines must come from Bordeaux in any case. 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 de Bordeaux is much cheaper at around € 6 to € 9 / bottle, but cannot be stored for that long. The Crémant should be enjoyed at the latest two to three years after purchasing the bottle at a drinking temperature of 5 to 7 ° C.

Harvest quantities

Although similarly produced sparkling wine in Bordeaux had long existed under the name Bordeaux Mousseux, the AOC Crémant de Bordeaux was only introduced on April 3, 1990. After a tentative start until 1998, the amount pressed has increased continuously since then. In 2004, a total of around 16,500  hectoliters of Crémant de Bordeaux were declared by more than 60 winemakers. Until 1998 the average volume was only 6,000 hectoliters.

The basic yield (the harvest restriction) is 65 hectoliters / hectare ; an amount that can be corrected up to 20% depending on the age group.

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. However, the minimum sugar content of the must (→ must weight ) for the base wine must be at least 136 g / l for the red grape varieties and 144 g / l for the white grape varieties.

The language of the label

In addition to the term “AOC Crémant de Bordeaux”, the terms Blanc de Blancs , Blanc de Noirs , Brut , Millésimé and Rosé can also be listed on the label .

  • the reference "Brut" indicates a dry aging with a maximum residual sugar content of 15 g / l.
  • the designation "Millésimé" indicates a vintage wine, that is, the berries of the base wines used in the Crémant come from one vintage
  • the “rosé” of the Crémant was blended with at least one red base wine made from red vines.

The main producers in the region

literature

Commons : Crémant de Bordeaux  - Collection of images, videos and audio files