We are in Alsace, France right now, and we are enjoying the Crémant d’Alsace! What is “Crémant d’Alsace,” you ask?
We first need to start with a little wine education. Many people often use the word “Champagne” for any sparkling wine, but that is not correct! If you are a wine-geek, you already know this, but the word “Champagne” can only be used for sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. So, you can get sparkling wine from California, Italy, Spain and from a bunch of wine regions in France — almost anywhere in the world where wine is produced. But, it’s only called “Champagne” when it comes from a certain small area of France.
So, Crémant d’Alsace is the sparkling wine of Alsace — the wine-producing region in Eastern France right along the German border. They make some great wines here – lots of Rieslings, Gewurztraminers and Pinot Blancs. But, they also make great sparkling wine. Crémant d’Alsace is generally a bit less expensive than Champagne, but the taste is outstanding. (The fancy name “Champagne” can often add a few bucks – or more – to your wine bill.)
We love to drink local and our taste buds are thanking us for Crémant d’Alsace this week. (It’s a scorcher and it sure is refreshing!) But, even between tours to Europe, we look for wines to remind us of our adventures – so, check your local wine shop for a Crémant d’Alsace and give it a try.