Celebrating the Holidays with Crémant

This month the French #winophiles are celebrating with all manner of Crémant from France. If you have never heard of Crémant wines, it is time to change that both for your palate and your wallet. Crémant wines are made in a host of French regions, outside of Champagne, as you can see from the above graphic.

The wines are made in the traditional method, just like Champagne, but come at a fraction of the price. Secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle rather than in autoclave which is how charmat made wines such as Prosecco are created.

Crémant are extremely well made wines, tend to have a creamy mousse and lovely perlage, and are absolutely ones to keep for special occasions, everyday meals, and also to bring to a party.

There are eight regions in France that produce. Some are very well known such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, and the Loire Valley and the famous region of Bordeaux. Others are smaller regions such as Savoie, Jura, Die, and Limoux. All are absolutely wines to try.

One of the very interesting facets of these Crémant style wines is that they are made from a variety of grapes. Crémant de Limoux can be made from a combination of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Mauzac and Pinot Noir. It is said that the first sparkling wine actually came from this region, produced in 1531, by the monks at the abbey in Saint-Hiliaire.

Crémant de Loire on the other hand can be made from Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Orbois, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau (Noir and Gris), Pineau d’Aunis and Pinot Noir.

Those from the Jura are usually a blend of Chardonnay, Poulsard and Pinot Noir. The region got AOC status for their Crémant in 1995 although they had been making it for many years.

Please join us for a holiday twitter chat at 11:00am EST, on Saturday, December 18th. You can find us by using the hashtag #winophiles. Join the conversation and let’s dish about these amazing bubbles.

Check out these articles by fellow enthusiasts and bloggers:

Check out these wonderful articles by fellow enthusiasts and bloggers:

A Delightful Duo of Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Aperitif with Flair – Crémant de Bourgogne and Amuse-Bouche by Grape Experiences

Champagne Sabering Louis Boillot Cremant de Bourgogne by David Glancy Master Sommelier and French Wine Scholar from San Francisco Wine School

French Crémant with Tasty Nibbles by Always Ravenous

High-Low Pairing: Domaine Allimant-Laugner Crémant d’Alsace Rosé + Takeout Chinese by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

On the Road with Cremant d’Alsace by Somm’s Table

Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil paired with a Cremant Cocktail for a fun Holiday Celebration by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Sparkle-up Your Comfort Food with Crémant d’Alsace by Food Wine Click!

Sparkling Wine Secrets: Celebrate the Season with Biodynamic Bubbles from Bourgogne and Alsace with Festive Finger Foods by Wine Predator

Tasting Cremants with Janice Robinson by Wineivore and