Loire Valley – One of the eight wonders of Crémant

France offers the world some of the finest wines and regions, known globally and loved most dearly from Bordeaux to Champagne, Burgundy to its neighbour Beaujolais. You can spend a lifetime exploring the wonderful wine regions of France from enjoying a glass of sparkling wine to a refreshing rosé, set up perfectly for any wine tourism enthusiast with chateaux producers with exquisite dining to grower Champagne labels with bed and breakfast services to enhance their annual turnover. Quite literally you can enjoy any style at any price level when you explore the wines that France offers.

Sparkling wines are in abundance in la belle France with of course the king of wines, Champagne, being it’s most famous creation with “come quickly I am tasting the stars“, a quote attributed to Dom Perignon, being a world famous quote. Another famous sparkling wine, and one not to be looked over is the Crémant which is fast gathering popularity and indeed made in the very same way, méthode traditionelle, as that of Champagne.

In all there are eight regions of France that can use the title of producing Crémant:

• Crémant d’Alsace
• Crémant de Bordeaux
• Crémant de Bourgogne
• Crémant de Die
• Crémant du Jura.
• Crémant de Limoux
• Crémant de Loire
• Crémant de Savoie

I would suggest to any sparkling wine lover to at least try one of these regions of Crémant as the flavours are very pleasing and in most occasions, you will find the price point very attractive and especially considering that they are a traditional method wine.

One of the eight regions is from the Loire Valley and that is the Crémant de Loire, with wine growing areas being Saumur, Touraine and Anjou (main area for growing being Saumur).

A total surface area of 1,200 hectares (2,965 acres), 87,000 hl / 2,298,297 gallons (10% rosé) annual production *

So what about the wines?

In the UK the rise of popularity within consumers for sparkling wines is on a big increase, the exports of Crémant de Loire wine to the UK have risen by 34% in 2017**. Whereas Champagne and more recently Prosecco have dominated the sparkling wine market in the UK, Crémant looks set to be the next go-to bottle of fizz on UK supermarket shelves.

Claire Duchene, Communication Director for Loire Valley Wines (the trade body that represents all wines from the Loire Valley region) stated:

“We’ve really seen a sharp increase in exports of Crémant de Loire to the UK in the past year. We’re not surprised at all as this sparkling wine offers UK consumers a quality French sparkling wine. We predict Crémant de Loire is likely to be one of the bestsellers on the UK market in the next couple of years.”

I wish to thank Sopexa for sending the Glass of Bubbly a fine selection of Crémant de Loire wines to taste:

Domaines des Hauts Perray Crémant de Loire (£11.06): “A pleasant and lively sparkling wine full of ripe green/apple flavours with hints of spice, caramel and pastry.”

Campalou Vouvray Brut (£17.71): “White rose blossom, chalk aromas. A dry zesty and crisp taste with dark green apples and hints of toasted bread.”

Abbesse de Loire Crémant de Loire rosé sec (£13.99): “Touch dry and yet crisp and refreshing with faint red berry fruits / chalky flavours.”

To find out more about Crémant de Loire wines visit www.vinsdeloire.fr

 

* Taken from figures quoted on LoireValleyWine.com

* Exports (in terms of volume in hl) of Crémant de Loire to the UK increased by 34% in 2017