Description

Appellation : Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Crémant d’Alsace

Production : 120.000 bottles

Location: in the area of Beblenheim, Riquewihr, Ostheim, Zellenberg and Mittelwihr.

Altitude: between 200m and 280m

Climate: Continental with cold and freezing winters in contrast with warm and sunny summers as well as in fall.  Alsace is enjoying a favourable microclimate with particularly low rainfall (hardly more than 500 mm per year)

Type of soil: Limestone pebbles and interlayered marls of Eo-Oligocene age. The subsoil is made of Tertiary border conglomerate of the Rhinegraben.

Viticulture

Pinot Noir

The whole vine area is under « Viticulture Raisonnée » growing. It means a sustainable way of farming with rationalised phytosanitary protection of the vine and environmental awareness of the full process from vineyard to bottling.

The grapes used for the Crémant are hand-picked right at the start of the harvest in September. It is at the ideal moment for vinification, when the natural sugar and acidity of the grapes are most finely balanced.

Winemaking

According to the strict production rules set by decree in 1976, the hand-picked grapes must be transported in bins holding less than 100 kg and the whole clusters needs to be gently pressed during 4 to 6 hours.

After the traditional fermentation (without malolactic), it is in the bottle itself that, thank to a secondary fermentation, the « prise de mousse » takes place and the wine becomes sparkling. Then, after a 15 to 18 month ageing « sur lattes » (on the lees), the bottles are rotated daily, gradually moving from the horizontal to the vertical position, in order for the yeast deposit to accumulate into the neck of the bottle. Then, the bottle neck is frozen, the sediment is ejected by natural pressure and the resulting space is filled with concentrated grape must, in order to provide the “Brut” style of this wine. (les than 15g residual sugar)

Analysis 

Alc. by Vol.: 12.5% Total Acidity: 4.9 g/l (H2SO4) Total Sugars: 13 g/l.

Tasting Notes

This wine offers a nice fine stream of bubbles. Fruity with strawberry aromas, the Pinot Noir allows some richness and lasting freshness.

This cremant makes an ideal cocktail or reception drink. It has also, due to a slightly sweetness a real interest with fuity desserts.

D’VINE ESTATES SARL Tel.:1-514-623-1680 Email: bsparr@dvine.ca