Crémant d'Alsace is the appellation for white and rosé Sparkling wines from the Alsace wine region in northeastern France. Introduced in August 1976, the appellation now accounts for about a quarter of the region's production, or about 45 million bottles per year, up from 31 million in 2009. Outside of Champagne (240km to the west), it is the dominant French sparkling wine appellation, with more than half of all crémant production. The cooperatives are the most important players, with Wolfberger alone producing 6 to 7 million bottles.
But many of the region's most prestigious estates produce sparkling wines. As with all French Crémant appellations, the traditional method is used to make Crémant d'Alsace. The wines must spend a minimum of nine months maturing on their lees to ensure a certain level of complexity. This ageing on the lees gives the wines a toasty, nutty, sometimes flinty Character.
André Hugel was an 11th generation member of Famille Hugel, one of the region’s most influential and highly-regarded wine families. The Hugel family settled in the town of Riquewihr, located in the heart of Alsace, all the way back in 1639. André ran Famille Hugel along with his brothers, Jean and Georges, as it developed into one of the world’s top producers. It owns 30 hectares (ha) of prime plots in the Haut-Rhin area, half of which are classified as Grand Cru, and it buys grapes from a furth ...
France’s 2022 wine harvest is likely to be between 42.6 million and 45.6m hectolitres, up by 13% to 21% on the frost-hit 2021 vintage and more in-line with the country’s five-year average. One hectolitre is equivalent to 100 litres. Yet drought could impact on yields in the coming weeks, adding extra uncertainty in several regions, said the French agriculture ministry’s Agreste statistics unit. Expected vintage quality isn’t covered by the preliminary outlook. It added the 2022 growing season is ...
Inside the Decanter magazine July 2022 issue: FEATURES Fuller-bodied rosés: proud to be pink, Elizabeth Gabay MW Can rosé wines really age?, Elizabeth Gabay MW 10 reasons to drink English sparkling wine, Susy Atkins Decanter guide to picnicking for wine lovers, Chris Losh Piedmont Nebbiolo guide: the latest releases, Aldo Fiordelli Winemaker profile: Sam Kaplan, Jonathan Cristaldi in Napa Valley LEARNING Wine wisdom: Expert tips to help you on your journey through wine Read the new issue in full ...
