You can make a toast with sparkling Crémant d’Alsace at a wedding or graduation as easily as you can pop that cork (without a corkscrew!) and savor each sip at a brunch, backyard barbeque, or poolside picnic. As a bonus, if you are near the popular wine and spirits retailer, Binny’s, you have access to a month long promotion featuring a discount on Crémant d’Alsace as well as a free tasting of all wines from that region in each of their thirty locations on June 28 from 1-4pm. On that day, their Alsatian wines are on sale.
If that isn’t enough to entice your taste buds to take a trip to Binny’s or your local wine shop and savor a beautiful bottle of the bubbly, how about this? Everyone regardless of where they live is invited to participate in an online twitter tasting, Taste and Chat, on Thursday, June 26 from 6-7pm CST. Just tweet @drinkAlsace and use the hashtag #AlsaceRocks. The participant with the best tweet, wins a $250 Binny’s gift card for purchasing Alsace wines. Are you in? The wines featured in the tasting are reviewed below so pick up some bottles and start enjoying!
Of course, there may be some of you who are wondering, what is this thing called Crémant d’Alsace of which you speak? It’s bubbles, right, so it must be Champagne!? Not exactly…One difference (and there are several) is that sparkling wines made in the French region of Champagne are called…Champagne. And sparkling wines made anywhere else in France must be named, you guessed it, something else! In this case, Crémant d’Alsace is from the region of Alsace where vineyards are found between the foothills of the Vosges Mountains to the west and the Rhine River to the east. With Swiss and German influences, you can just imagine how beautifully these wines pair with regional dishes!
Crémant d’Alsace wines can be made from a blend of grape varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Auxerrois, or Chardonnay or from a single variety such as Pinot Noir to create Blanc de Noirs. The grapes for Crémant d’Alsace are hand harvested many days before grapes for other wines from Alsace and are bottled in the production area with the same bottle shape as those from Champagne. Crémant d’Alsace is intended to drink young in order to enjoy its delicate, light, refreshing aromas and tastes. It is a perfect aperitif, pairs well with appetizers, seafood, white meats, desserts…or frankly, with anything you would like!!
The following four wines will be featured at the June 26 twitter tasting…
*Lucien Albrecht Blanc de Blancs Crémant d’Alsace Brut (sample) – The blend of 80% Pinot Auxerrois, 10% Pinot Blanc, and 10% Chardonnay made for a memorable glass of wine! I loved the bubbles tickling my nose, the gentle red fruit aromas, and the delicate tastes of berries. Domaine Lucien Albrecht is one of the oldest Alsace family owned estates with roots from 1425 and in the early 1970s, Lucien Albrecht, father of the current owner and winemaker, was one of the three founders of the regulated Crémant d’Alsace. Cost is around $22.
*Gustave Lorentz Crémant d’Alsace Brut (NV) (sample) – Another sparkling taste sensation was this dry wine from 33% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Blanc, and 33% Pinot Noir. More bubbles, fresh aromas, and subtle tastes of citrus with the high acidity I love make this Crémant d’Alsace a wonderful choice for any occasion! Serve this wine chilled and if you’d like, the Gustave Lorentz will make a delicious addition to any cocktail requiring a sparkling wine. Cost is $24.99.
*Dopff et Irion Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé (sample) – A gorgeous sparkler of 100% Pinot Noir, this Brut Rosé was easy on the eyes with a fresh salmon color. Subtle raspberry and cherry aromas led directly to a pleasant palate profile of the same, lively bubbles, and a touch of class from beginning to end. Wine connoisseurs since the 16th century, the Dopff and Irion families have been integral in the financial success of the village of Riquewihr. Cost is $17.
*Domaine Charles Baur Crémant d’Alsace Rose (NV) (sample) – I shared this delectable Crémant of 100% Pinot Noir with friends one recent evening. The orange/pink color with persistent bubbles and aromas of raspberries and florals made me, well, just happy! We all loved the creamy, refreshing, elegant feel of the wine on the palate. Domaine Charles Baur is located in the village of Eguisheim which is west of Colmar in the southern portion of Alsace. Cost is $20.
Enjoy these affordable bottles of Crémant d’Alsace and get creative with your food or friend pairing so you’ll be ready for the twitter chat on June 26. Any combination goes with these lovely, budget friendly sparklers…which is why I love Crémant d’Alsace so much! Hey, that sounds like a good tweet…what will yours be? I’ll “see” you on twitter on June 26 at 7pm CST!
Cheers to Crémant d’Alsace because #AlsaceRocks! ~ Cindy
