CREMANT D'ALSACE - Joseph Pfister

Description & Press Reviews:
Wine Style:   Crémant d'Alsace

Crémant wines are often mistaken for Champagnes and are made by the same methods but in other regions of France so therefore can not officially be called “Champagne.” Crémant is the French word for "creaming" - this means that they are made with slightly more than half the pressure of champagne. This doesn’t give them any less sparkle but makes a wine with a fizzy mousse of bubbles and a delicious refreshing tingle on the tongue.

The market leader in at-home sales of AOC sparkling wines in France is Crémant d’Alsace. These wines are made with exactly the same grapes as Champagne (Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay), and with the same method, but often come from estates that are considerably older.

Crémant d'Alsace Joseph Pfister comes from Ammerschwihr in the Kaefferkopf Grand Cru vineyard and is made from a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Auxerrois.  This is a lovely pale yellow colour with a dense, very fine mousse lasting to the very last sip in the glass. It is very fruity on the nose with definite hints of apricots, lime blossom and plums. It is light and fresh on the palate and an ideal wine for accompanying an entire meal, from the aperitif to the dessert.

Joanna Simon (Sunday Times, The Wine Gang, Decanter) -  a dry, creamy, fruity blend of Pinots . . . I recommended a Crémant d'Alsace with Asian food in my first column, as a match for spicy Sichuan and milder Chinese dishes, but I can't help feeling that Alsace's dry sparkling wine remains quite a well kept secret in the UK. Too well kept in my view, so I hope I'm about to change that.

The Scotsman - Rose Murray Brown
"Sparkling Company - Under £10 - Lime blossom aromas, very creamy deep fruits, good finish for the price."

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