It’s not New Year’s Eve

It’s August, which means a couple of things: one, I’m late with this post (didn’t make July); and two, summer is going much too quickly. And…as the title makes clear, it’s not year-end, which too often is the only time we think about sparkling wine. Time to change that way of thinking!

To help ease you into your new “bubbles normal”, and to appeal to a broad swath of Wine MD readers, I thought it would be good to showcase a Pinot Noir-based sparkling rosé with an everyday price tag.

Our bubbles come from France, but not Champagne. Remember, “everyday” is the operative word here. Loyal readers know that you can’t be called Champagne unless you come from the Champagne region of France. However, France makes great sparkling wine in a variety of other regions, all using the same meticulous process as Champagne: a second, in-the-bottle fermentation often referred to as the “Traditional Method”.

In France, this non-Champagne sparkling wine is known as Crémant. While Crémant producers adhere to many strict regulations, their finished product is usually quite affordable. Because of the many different regions that produce Crémant, you will find a wider variety of grapes than in Champagne.

So where can you find Crémant? Pretty much all over France…

As always, shout out to Wine Folly

Today, we are going to that famous wine region in the extreme northeast corner by the German border: the Alsace. Probably the most well known wine from Alsace is dry Riesling. Other popular varietals are Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Gewurtztraminer. All whites. In fact, 90% of all wine made in Alsace is white.

One more map to make an important point:

See that orange blob just east of Paris? That’s Champagne, the most northern latitude wine growing region in France. Further east, in yellowish-green, is Alsace. The point here is that sparkling wine does well in cooler climate regions, and Alsace fits the bill.

Let’s have a look at our wine: Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé. About $19

So with all this talk about Alsatian white wine, why is ours red(dish)? Well, that remaining 10% of all grapes grown in Alsace is a red varietal, in fact the only one allowed - Pinot Noir! The vineyards in Alsace benefit from rain shelter provided by the Vosges (“Vohzh”) Mountains, resulting in a long, mild growing season. Pinot Noir does well here.

This Old World label is New World friendly. It tells us all we need to know: It’s a Crémant; it’s from Alsace; it’s a Rosé; and it’s made in a Brut style, meaning it is very dry, with only a very small amount of added sugar. It is also very low in alcohol - only 12%. You have to read the back label to find out it is made from Pinot Noir. In Alsace, a Crémant Rosé must be 100% Pinot Noir. This wine spent 18 months in bottle before release.

Lucien Albrecht vineyards

Lucien Albrecht (“Lu-shen All-bresht”) is one of the most distinguished producers in Alsace, making great wine for over 300 years. It is now part of the Foley Family empire, home to famous names such as Chalk Hill, Ferrari-Carano, Chalone and Four Graces.

Time to Taste!

This tasting was so much fun! I was not ready for the bubble explosion that happened as I poured. Just like a beer, the head of foam (sparkling winemakers refer to this as “mousse”) was unbelievably frothy, and lasted a long time. The fine bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass were like one of those Airborne tablets dissolving! By the way, I used a regular wine glass. Sparkling wine in a flute looks fancy, but you can’t smell anything.

In my glass, the wine is a pale to medium salmon color, maybe trending toward copper. Beautiful. On the nose, you get all kinds of red fruits. Hard to pick just one out, but that first sip confirms it: red fruits dominate. Now I got strawberry for sure, but also tart fruits like cranberry and pomegranate. Maybe rhubarb too. The lively acidity provides a long, bright finish. Interestingly, a little lemony note comes through at the end. After some time in the glass, it does get a little creamier, which is a nice quality.

Food:

Take a playbook page from the Doctor’s last two posts: Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. This wine is so versatile. It pairs really well with seafood, particularly something in a shell (or salmon sashimi). It can also go sweet, as a nice accompaniment to dessert that has both chocolate and berries. And of course, sparkling rosé is great all by itself. ‘Nuff said.

The Bottom Line:

This wine is just flat out fun: very satisfying; fruit-driven and classy, without the Champagne sticker shock. Give it a try and see what you think. If you like this style, maybe try a Rosé of Pinot Noir sparkler from Oregon (I had a great one from Sokol Blosser when I was out there last September). Or maybe explore Crémants from different regions in France.

So what are you waiting for? Remember, it’s not New Year’s Eve.

Until next time,

Cheers