Sparkling wine is one of my favorite parts of the holidays. Our usual bargain-priced standbys are Zonin Prosecco and Segura Viudas Cava, but sometimes you may want to uncork something a little fancier, or give it as a gift. May I humbly suggest Crémant d’Alsace, a sparkling wine made in the Alsace region of France?
In my opinion, unless you’re hosting a party of hardcore Champagne lovers, Crémant d’Alsace will please a wider range of palates than Champagne. Crémant d’Alsace tends to be less acidic and less “toasty” (for lack of a better word) than Champagne-region sparkling wines. We have tried and really liked the charming Lucien Albrecht Crémants — my favorite is the rosé. And at a recent tasting, this $18 Willm Blanc des Noirs Crémant blew a much more expensive California sparkling wine out of the water. It had livelier flavors, more subtlety, and more depth than its Napa Valley competitor, which tasted harsh and acidic in comparison.
Plus, it’s a pretty color! This is a Blanc de Noirs, so the slight hint of pink you’re seeing is a bit of the color from the skins of the Pinot Noir grapes.
The best part? Most Crémant d’Alsace sparkling wines will be under $20. This is a great example of the quality-to-price you can get if you’re willing to look for unusual regions or unfamiliar labels.
How do you pronounce Cremant d’Alsace?
I think it’s “CRAY-mont dall-SAS” — that’s my closest recollection of how the nice wine store folks pronounced it!