Even though we’ve all had plenty of sparkling wines over the November/December holiday season, that doesn’t mean finding a new one to try has to wait until Valentine’s Day. This show, which aired before my long hiatus until mid-December, included an eye-opening crémant from Jura. Never heard of this subregion of France? I had, but had not tried a Jura crémant before this show and now I’m a fan.
Sparkling Wines for Any Occasion
I’m shortening the blog for this segment of the show that aired on November 4 to focus on one type of sparkling wine and its region of note. That would be French Crémant sparkling wines, how they are made and where in France they are made.
Only wines that come from the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne. While some California producers have grandfathered in that name, just remember there is no such thing as California champagne, regardless of what the label states.
Crémant: If you love the taste of Champagne, this is another term to remember as it connotes wines of France done in the same Méthode Champenoise process. Crémant de Loire, Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne and Crémant de Limoux are examples of excellent sparklers without Champagne’s often stiff price tag.
Sparkling wines have been with us for centuries, but they did not originate in Champagne. Nonetheless every other sparkling wine producer wishes they could put champagne on their label. All the quality houses use the méthode champenoise or simply the traditional method.
Sparkling wine grapes
The classic grapes in the Champagne region are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. However many different grapes can be employed to make a sparkling wine. Pinot Noir is often the red grape of choice for Rose and Pinot Meunier much less frequently outside of Champagne. On the other hand many white wine grapes have been employed for sparkling wines. Generally the best white wine grape in a region is the one selected.
Types of Sparkling Wines
Regardless of the wine grapes used, there are two primary ways of making a sparkling wine; the Champagne method or the Charmat bulk process. In the Charmat process the secondary fermentation is done in a large pressured tank, not in the bottle, which considerably shortens production and is less costly. The bubbles are neither as fine, nor the mouthfeel as frothy and creamy.
Mouthfeel
One of the reasons the traditional method is preferred is in the mouthfeel. The mousse is generated by the small, intense bubbles that surge up from the glass base. The nucleation site within the glass will also alter the bubble activity. Wouldn’t you prefer a meringue-like sensation on your mouth than a soda pop taste?
Details of Champagne Method
While fizz in a wine can be by accident, the champagne method was a way to deliberately induce a second fermentation even though it took a while to perfect. This applies to all sparkling wines done in the champagne or traditional method. The terminology is all French, however.
- The liqueur di tirage is a mix of yeast, wine and sugar added to induce a second fermentation.
- The riddling process gradually tilts and twists the bottle until it is nearly inverted and the sediment has moved into the bottle’s neck. It was developed by Madame Clicquot.
- The disgorgement removes the sediment by freezing the bottle neck before extracting the plug
- Finally a dosage or liqueur d’expedition of wine and sugar is added to top off the wine.
Early on the dosage could be up to 100 grams per liter, which is very sweet indeed. Now most sparklers have dropped Sec (Dry), Demi-Sec and Doux (sweetest) types.
- Brut Nature – no added sugar and under 3 grams per liter of residual sugars
- Extra-Brut – between 0 and 6 grams per liter of residual sugars
- Brut – less than 12 grams per liter of residual sugars
- Extra sec (or Extra Dry) – between 12 and 17 grams per liter of residual sugars
In Champagne, since the late 20th century, early 21st century the warming trend permitted a longer hang time, riper grapes, better farming techniques, and less reliance on sweeter dosage. While brut wines have been around for some time, we are now seeing Extra-brut, Zero Brut and Brut Nature wines. Gruet Sauvage is an extra-brut for example.
Crémant: the Other French Sparkler
Near the end of the 1980s a new term, crémant, was defined to identify French sparkling wine from other regions. Production rules insist on hand harvesting, gentle pressing, bottle fermentation and a minimum of nine months aging on lees, but differ according to the predominant grape varieties of the respective regions. For example; in Alsace, sparklers are made from Pinot Blanc and Riesling; in Burgundy, obviously Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but also Aligoté.
- The wine regions using the term ‘Crémant’ obtain clearance from INAO, France’s appellation body. There are now eight Crémant regions.
- Limoux is where sparkling wine originated and was documented. The creation of the term crémant added a third category of sparkler there.
A list of the most popular Crémant regions are listed below.
- Crémant de Bordeaux: Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Cabernet
- Crémant de Bourgogne; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Aligoté
- Crémant d’Alsace: Primarily made from Pinot Blanc, but Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are allowed. Rose must be 100% Pinot Noir
- Crémant de Loire: Primarily Chenin Blanc, but also Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc
- Crémant de Limoux is within the Languedoc region and made sparkling wine long before Champagne started production
- Crémant de Jura is covered below
Crémant de Jura
I was excited to find a crémant from the Jura region at Total Wine so I could talk about this lesser-known region. I love discovering wines and regions I haven’t experienced before, and this is the smallest wine region in France. Some of this information comes from www.wine-searcher.com.
Crémant du Jura is an appellation established in 1995 that covers sparkling, méthode traditionnelle, white and rosé wines made in the mountainous Jura region of eastern France. Sparkling wines have been made in such a manner in the Jura since the 18th Century. It was previously sold as vin mousseux, under the region’s other appellations. The towns of Arbois, Chateau-Chalon and L’Etoile are defined AOCs with their own regulated grapes and production methods.
The production area of Crémant du Jura is identical to Côtes du Jura, its counterpart for still wines. This includes 105 communes in total, stretching nearly 50 miles from Champagne-sur-Loue in the north to Saint-Amour in the south.
Crémant de Jura details
- Roughly 520 acres of vines produce these sparkling wines and constitute one in four of all bottles sold by Jura wineries.
- Wines are a combination of Chardonnay and Savagnin and the darker-skinned Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau.
- Crémant du Jura Blanc must contain a minimum 70 percent of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Trousseau. Crémant du Jura rosé must contain at least 50 percent of the gris or noir grapes.
- Aged with their lees for a minimum of nine months. The wines must spend minimum of 12 months in the cellars before release.
Jura Grapes
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are well-known grapes although the terroir of Jura does affect the unique flavors they possess in the glass. The earlier-ripening Chardonnay has gained in popularity in this very cool wine region. The other three grapes require a bit more description.
Savagnin: This green, thick-skinned grape has a fascinating history going back 900 years. It’s a signature grape of Jura, also known as Traminer in Germany. The famous Vin Jaune is made exclusively with Savagnin, done in a Sherry-like flor system. It has a citrus, floral character with crisp acidity.
Poulsard: This is a small thin-skinned grape from the Arbois AOC of Jura. The wines are rustic, garnet colored, wafting flavors of mushrooms, raspberries, dragon fruit, and strawberries, all enshrouded with a funkiness that is best described as “distinctly French.” It’s a light alcohol red, but quite rare.
Trousseau: Also known as Trousseau Noir, Bastardo, Merenzao, and Verdejo Negro, is a red wine grape originating in the Jura region of eastern France. It’s pale and light-bodied with intense, rich alcohol levels. It has a firm tannic grip with depth and yet weightlessness. It has aromas of deep cherry, violets, strawberry, orange marmalade, lemon peel, nutmeg, black pepper, ripe cheese, seafoam, cured meats, and aged game. It has a chewy and pithy texture with a creamy soft silky finish.
Trousseau thrives in Jurassic soil compositions that are well-drained and limestone-laden with schist plus sand over granite and slate. Interestingly enough, the term Jurassic originated from the first geological studies of the Jura Mountains – Jurassique
For your consideration: Tissot-Maire Crémant de Jura, Brut Lapiaz, 12% ABV, $18
Located in Arbois, Tissot-Maire specializes in Crémant. Founded in 1896 by Joseph Tissot, the House of Tissot became partners in the early 2000s with Henri Maire, another major Jura family. Domaine Maire et Fils began its long wine journey in 1632 – nearly 400 years ago. By combining their two houses, Tissot-Maire claims to have the largest wine-growing estate in the Jura region.
Brut is a level of sweetness comparable to off dry. Lapiaz (La-pee-us) is a nod to the eroded limestone geological formations found in Jura. According to Tissot-Maire, Brut Lapiaz symbolizes “the rough and rustic climate of the Jura which gives our Crémant du Jura its unique style…” This is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.
Award tasting note: “Lively mousse, very fresh with orange peel and elegant, creamy fruit. Good texture and long length. – Panel Chair: Matthew Stubbs MW , Co-Chair: Anne Krebiehl MW” – Silver, International Wine Challenge
Recent Comments