As many of our customers know, crémant is the password for excellent quality-price ratio French sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne (secondary fermentation in the bottle, followed by disgorgement to clean out the sediment) but outside the Champagne region. Mélanie and her father organically farm 10 hectares in Alsace, 20 kilometers west of Strasbourg, with Mélanie taking the lead in the cellar. Their Crémant d'Alsace is 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot blanc from the Hangenbreite vineyard. It spends 24 months on the lees in bottle before disgorgement. It tastes like orchard fruits in the icebox, with a dusting of flint; fine and very dry but not severe. To drink with loved ones, or to help you put up with less-loved ones, or just because you’re craving bubbles. Shrimp dumplings and other dim sum fare, tarte flambée, pork and apple pie.
