Winemaker Notes
This Crémant de Loire Brut has a golden yellow color, with fine, long-lasting foam. The aromatics open with notes of citrus fruits, particularly orange and mandarin, accompanied by floral aromas. A second aromatic wave offers sweet pastry notes. A very fine balance is revealed in the mouth, reflecting an excellent maturity. Sustained length in the mouth, with notes of peach and apricot.
Its elegance makes it suitable for any occasion. It is ideal as an aperitif with canapés and savory appetizers, or with any fish or shellfish.
Blend: 40% Chardonnay, 40% Chenin Blanc, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Pinot Noir
In 1864, Alfred Gratien built his cellars on the Saumur hillside, in the ancient tu eau tunnels. Originally a mining site, these stone quarries were used to build the region’s various monuments including the Château de Saumur. The quarries had been abandoned for several years when Alfred Gratien purchased the estate and became the owner of 50 acres of vines and 3 miles of tunnels. It was then that he began the production of sparkling wines in Saumur. After establishing a second House in Epernay that same year, he also began producing champagne.
Sometime later, he met Jean-Albert Meyer, who was a winemaker’s son from the region of Alsace. The partnership between these two extremely passionate men helped the company grow exponentially, making the work of Alfred Gratien more sustainable. In 1884, Mr. Gratien started to work on the château Gratien, but died before its completion in 1885, leaving Jean-Albert Meyer as the General Manager of the cellars. Under the direction of Mr. Meyer, the business was prospering so well that, in 1886, Mrs. Gratien decided to make him her business partner and the name of the cellars was changed to Gratien & Meyer.
Over the next 120 years, the winery was managed by the Meyer family, passed down from one generation to the next. In early 2000, the family, wishing to further advance Gratien & Meyer, sold the winery to the German firm Henkell & Co. Today, Gratien & Meyer cellars, proud of their 150 years of tradition, are resolutely focused on the future. The handover breathed new life into the company through modernization and investment in new constructions, including the renovation of the facade of château Gratien and its grounds, the installation of new production equipment and the creation of a reception area called the “Balcon Sur Loire”.
With a view of the sunny Loire Valley as its backdrop, the Gratien & Meyer maison is a majestic sight. Gratien & Meyer’s Saumur vineyard brings together 3700 acres, spread over 93 communes, that run along the south of Saumur. Dominated by Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, the vineyard is primarily known for producing white wines. Though not native to the land, the origin of the Cabernet Franc grape dates back to 990, when it was first imported from Bordeaux by Brenton sailors
The Loire plays a key role and gives the region the famous “Anjou sweetness”, lauded by the poets Ronsard and du Bellay. Surrounded by exceptional land comprised of several Controlled Designations of Origin, the Crémant de Loire designation is made up of primarily Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc covering a large part of the Loire valley.
At Gratien & Meyer, modern technologies are used only to improve traditional methods. From bottling to packaging and aging in the cellars, all stages of production happen right on site in the hillside of Saumur.
Gratien & Meyer exclusively hand harvests their grapes of the Crémant de Loire and ages the wines for a minimum of 12 months, going beyond the legal requirements, in order to allow their aromas to fully develop. This results in crémants of incomparable aromas and quality.
Praised for its stately Renaissance-era chateaux, the picturesque Loire valley produces pleasant wines of just about every style. Just south of Paris, the appellation lies along the river of the same name and stretches from the Atlantic coast to the center of France.
The Loire can be divided into three main growing areas, from west to east: the Lower Loire, Middle Loire, and Upper/Central Loire. The Pay Nantais region of the Lower Loire—farthest west and closest to the Atlantic—has a maritime climate and focuses on the Melon de Bourgogne variety, which makes refreshing, crisp, aromatic whites.
The Middle Loire contains Anjou, Saumur and Touraine. In Anjou, Chenin Blanc produces some of, if not the most, outstanding dry and sweet wines with a sleek, mineral edge and characteristics of crisp apple, pear and honeysuckle. Cabernet Franc dominates red and rosé production here, supported often by Grolleau and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sparkling Crémant de Loire is a specialty of Saumur. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are common in Touraine as well, along with Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and Malbec (known locally as Côt).
The Upper Loire, with a warm, continental climate, is Sauvignon Blanc country, home to the world-renowned appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Pinot Noir and Gamay produce bright, easy-drinking red wines here.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.