Crémant

Crémant is a sparkling wine whose name comes from the word crème – cream, which refers to the smooth and dense foam formed after pouring. This type of wine originated in Champagne, where it was once produced with gentler effervescence due to lower bottle pressure (3.6 atmospheres compared to the usual 5-6 atmospheres). The lower pressure results from a smaller amount of sugar added before the secondary fermentation, leading to finer bubbles.

In 1985, an agreement was made that banned the use of the term méthode champenoise for wines outside Champagne. Other regions began using the term crémant. This sparkling wine is produced using the same method as champagne but from different regions, which includes a minimum aging time on lees of 9 months. Seven French regions have official AOC designations for crémant: Burgundy, Alsace, Loire, Bordeaux, Limoux, Die, and Jura, along with Crémant de Luxembourg.

Crémant can rival champagne under certain conditions, but its main advantage is a lower price. While champagne remains the king of sparkling wines, crémants attract with their attractive price and quality production process.

Crémant is thus an excellent sparkling wine produced using the traditional method, offering high quality at a more favorable price than champagne.