Champagne is too expensive so we’ve got the next best thing, Crémant! Crémant is a catchall term for sparkling wine made in other areas of France. In this case it’s coming from Limoux, in Languedoc. This wine uses a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as the base, like many Champagnes. Unlike Champagne though, this uses a reserve of Chenin Blanc must to kick off the secondary fermentation.
The final dosage is just 2g/l, making this wine Extra-Brut, or just slightly more dry than your standard Brut. It’s confusing, I know. Anyway how does it taste?
Overripe pear, apricot, and pineapple make up the fruit profile, along with a little hint of cherry. There is a fair presence of yeast aromas due to the 3 years of aging these bottles saw, expect brioche, toast, and almond. Ultimately this wine struck me as being Champagne-ish but with a youthful exuberance.