Winemaker Notes
The balance and freshness of Cremant d’Alsace come from the subtle match of the three grape varieties: Chardonnay for its vivacity & fruit, Pinot Blanc for its refined elegance and Pinot Noir for its persistence and subtle dark fruit. Clean and zesty, there's a lemon rind quality to the nose along with whiffs of red fruit. The palate is refreshing, balanced and has a big personality.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Coppery apple aromas lead into a creamy, tingly mousse. Granny Smith notes are complemented by anise, chervil and marjoram flavors for a sophisticated, herbaceous sip. The long finish is all tangy apple freshness. Pair this wine with roast chicken and let it help you out with the seasoning. Quintessential.
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James Suckling
A blend of 63% Pinot Blanc Auxerrois, 22% Chardonnay, 9% Pinot Noir, and 6% Pinot Gris, this wine features a pale yellow color and notes of red currant, raspberry, cranberry, and kirsch. On the palate, green apple, gooseberry, and lemon zest complement the red fruit, along with a touch of herbaceousness and lively acidity. Hints of elderflower and flint meld with croissant on the finish.
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The Somm Journal
Just because a wine has bubbles doesn’t mean it has a bubbly personality. This one, however, most certainly does. Like the perfect party host, it brings together just the right mix of elements at just the right moments, thanks to its own composition of equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir: Touches of toast, mineral, and honey all mingle with golden apple and lemon just as creaminess and zing strike up a rapport
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Tasting Panel
Made in the Cham-pagne method, this blend of 60% Pinot Blanc, 20% Chardon-nay, 10% Pinot Gris, and 10% Pinot Noir is clean and fresh, with notes of honeyed apple, jasmine, and white tea. Lovely, soft bubbles dissipate to reveal a croissant finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Gustave Lorentz has produced consistently fine sparkling wines. The Brut is pleasing, firm, and lasting on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of dried fruits, sandalwood, and ripe citrus. (Tasted: December 17, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
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.
Small but mighty, this picturesque region in northeastern France is renowned for its white wines produced by passionate families whose winemaking roots span generations and even centuries. Nestled between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River, Alsace benefits from a sunny, dry climate and a long growing season. It is one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world — one of the many reasons why Alsace rocks!
Alsace wines include dry, mineral-driven Riesling, earthy Pinot Gris, refreshing Pinot Blanc, exuberant Gewurztraminer, elegant Pinot Noir, and more. From traditional-method sparkling wines to easy-drinking AOC Alsace, to complex Grand Cru bottlings from 51 distinct sites, and rich, late harvest wines, Alsace produces a wine for every occasion. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and are labeled with the grape name. The region is also one of the greenest wine-producing areas in France, with 36% of its vineyard area certified organic.
Riesling, the region’s calling card, is dry, fresh and floral in its youth, developing complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Pinot Blanc is an affable food partner or porch sipper. Pinot Noir, the only red grape in AOC Alsace, is now authorized in three Grand Cru areas and is also used for Crémant d’Alsace sparkling rosé. Any bottle you choose will offer deliciousness, pleasure and value that is unprecedented in other wine regions.