Crémant D’ Alsace - Domaine Armand Gilg

Crémant D’ Alsace - Domaine Armand Gilg

Date Tasted: 08/2024

Crémant d'Alsace, established in 1976, is now France's second-largest sparkling wine category after Champagne. Produced in Alsace using the méthode traditionnelle, it undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, with a minimum of nine months lees ageing to develop complexity. This process imparts toasty, nutty, and flinty characteristics to the wine. After disgorgement, a dosage is added to adjust sweetness levels, ranging from brut nature to demi-sec.

Crémant d'Alsace accounts for about 25% of the region's output, producing 45 million bottles annually. It uses grape varieties such as Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, and Chardonnay for its whites, with Pinot Noir exclusively for rosé.

🍷 Appearance: It has a pale, bright lemon colour. Its delicate, persistent bubbles have a touch of elegance.

👃 Nose: A beautifully complex bouquet offering layers of fresh lemon zest, ripe pear, and honeycomb. Hints of bread dough blend with the fragrant notes of nectarine and white blossoms, creating an enticing aromatic profile.

👅 Palate: Exceptionally creamy on the palate, with fine, elegant bubbles, this wine bursts with intense flavours of juicy apricot, zesty lemon, and ripe apple. It is medium-bodied with a vibrant, high acidity that enhances its freshness and balance.

💞 Finish: The finish is long and lingering, leaving a satisfying impression with every sip.

🍷 Drink: Enjoy now or cellar for up to 5 years.

🍽️ Food Pairing: A superb companion to fresh oysters, delicate seafood dishes, or light appetisers.

Score: 92 / 100

Name: Crémant D’ Alsace Extra Brut

Producer: Domaine Armand Gilg

Variety: Chardonnay

Vintage: 2016

Region: AOC Alsace, France

Alcohol: 12,5%

Retail Price: 19€

Serving temperature: 5-7 C°

Drink it until 2030