Category: Classy Crémants

Bubbly’s take…

An exquisite supermarket find! This is one of those remarkable Crémants that you simply cannot get enough of. On a casual night in, we drank it while making dinner, we drank it as an apéritif, we drank it with dinner and we even drank it after. This wine opens with a fullsome flavour, reminiscent of strawberries. Even if you are not keen on particularly fruity wines, this one is backed by drier sherbet notes, being quintessential of many Crémants. Certainly worth sampling for fans of Rosé and Crémant alike!

Would go well with…

As a Rosé Crémant, we think this is a fairly versatile wine but perhaps being better suited to fish or vegetarian dishes. Incidentally, while we’ve almost certainly blogged this recipe before, we made a delicious French honey-mustard tarte that made a superb pairing, as a pre-pizza snackette, with this enchanting wine:

Where to buy…

Sainsbury’s

Bubbly’s take…

This is a remarkable Crémant and testimony to the Champagne-matching qualities of this species of sparkling. It is a dry yet smooth wine that comes out of the bottle with an eager fizz. We would, perhaps, best describe this Crémant as ‘pleasantly sour’, with some undercurrents of lemon. In summary, we feel this multi-faceted Crémant is an excellent sparkling and also a meaningful substitute for Champagne.

Would go well with…

Well, we had this with a Turkish meze and it paired just fine. If you are thinking of something more traditional, then we think it would also go well with a cheese board.

Where to buy…

Nicolas

Bubbly’s take…

We loved this Crémant! As you’ll see, the Vigneron’s Wife comes in a very classic bottle and pours with a buzzing froth. It is rich in flavours of apple and watermelon, and has a lovely tart bouquet. We think this Crémant would be a real party-pleaser at dinner parties. Delicious, sassy and punchy… what more could one want from a Crémant?

Would go well with…

So, we enjoyed this with dinner – cod served over jasmine rice – and the Vigneron’s Wife took centre stage. But we think this excellent Crémant is also sufficiently potent to pair with stronger dishes. (Also, goes well with a Friday evening and Disney+.)

Where to buy…

Naked Wines

Bubbly’s take…

This one is quite a potent Crémant. Another Limoux-produced sparkling, the Cuvée Royale conjures a bold and solid taste. We think this one would be best-suited to more seasoned purveyors of Crémant, who would appreciate this wine’s strong and layered flavour.

Would go well with…

We think this Crémant’s strength also gives it versatility. It should pair well with most dishes and it is also a fitting apéritif.

Where to buy…

Waitrose

Bubbly’s take…

A fair few years ago, there had been some talk (… and concern) of Alsace region wines becoming sweeter. While we’re certainly partial to a sweet dessert wine, we’re pleased to report this Crémant d’Alsace is conspicuously dry. The Crémant d’Alsace Paul Mittnacht is also reassuringly strong, with notes of honey and ripe fruit. Though a potent and effervescent sparkling, we found its palate was evocative of autumn and harvest. We think this is a fitting wine for those nights when you want some fizz but you’re not quite sure what… give this one a go!

Would go well with…

The Paul Mittnacht is a robust wine so we think this would pair well with even more pungent dishes. While we did enjoy this Crémant all by itself, we do think this one deserves, at the very least, some nice canapés or nibbles. Perhaps some cheese or smoked salmon?

Where to buy…

OddBins

Bubbly’s take…

This striking Brut is widely available in Tesco. It’s light, fruity and very well-received. If you want to find a solid rosé Crémant without any fuss then we think this one could fit the bill.

Would go well with…

We enjoyed this Crémant with a lovely cheese-based pasta dish. However, we think this could also be enjoyed as a wonderful apéritif with friends.

Where to buy…

Tesco

Bubbly’s take: This delightful Brut is everything we imagined a good sparkling wine to be. It’s dry yet delicate, and ornate yet enchanting. This Crémant is made in the fairytale-like region of Alsace in France, adjacent to the German border in the East. It is one of several fabulous-looking wines made by this enchanting vineyard. Dopff & Irion’s Blanc de Blancs blend is also an award-winner, having been given a bronze accolade during the 2019 Decanter Asia Wine Awards.

Would go well with: A Caesar salad…. we’re serious! This wine needs to shine so don’t combine it with anything too strong, otherwise you’ll risk overpowering its dry but well-refined notes. It would also work as an apéritif or with a light dessert (sorbet?).

Where to buy:.

Bubbly’s take: This was a pleasant surprise. We’ll admit – we picked this one up at the supermarket, with only half a glance at the label. But we’re definitely glad we did! This Crémant brings a strong and chirpy taste to the palate. This is a pleasant-looking and versatile wine that will go well with most things. It’s a delight to drink straight from the fridge and we enjoyed cooking with this when we made grilled lime salmon with a tasty avocado-mango salsa (and enjoyed another glass with the dish!):

Would go well with: As we say, this is a versatile wine so we wouldn’t be shy about trying this with most dishes, be it a lunch or dinner, or a starter or main. Equally the Calvet Crémant would make a great apéritif. We enjoyed this with a fairly tangy fish dish (above); we noticed this Crémant was particularly good at moderating and reconciling sharp and sweet tastes so it should be able to hold its own with stronger recipes.

Where to buy: