Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace

Disclaimer: The bottle of Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace reviewed here is a sample.

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace is a sparkling rosé wine.

Alsace

As the name states it is  a wine from the Alsace region. This is an area in North Eastern France on the banks of the Rhine. Bordering Germany and Switzerland,  Alsace has not always been under French control.

Wines made in Alsace differ from the French norm in that they are often a single varietal. Moreover, unlike wines from Burgundy, indentify that varietal on the bottle. Riesling is the most commonly planted grape in the region. Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris round out the top three. This trio representing over half the planted area in the region.

Pinot Noir, while representing only about 10% of the plantings in Alsace is the most popular red wine grape. Lucien Albrect Crémant d’Alsace is 100% Pinot Noir.

About Crémant

Crémant is a style of sparkling wine, made using the same technique as its more famous cousin: Champagne.

Crémant d’Alsace is a French Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC). An AOC is similar to the AVA in the US. The French government recognized the AOC by decree in 1976. This style of wine can use any of the following varieties: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Auxerrois .

All rosé from the region uses Pinot Noir. Blanc de Noir implies a white sparkling wine of that varietal.

If you like sparkling wine, Crémant is worth investigating. It usually sells for a lower price than Champagne.

Lucien Albrecht

The Albrecht family trace their winemaking history to Romanus Albrecht. Romanus planted grapes in 1425. Then in 1698, Balthazar Albrecht moved to Orschwihr; where Lucien Albrecht are based. Whichever date you take as the start, the family have a long tradition of winemaking.

Lucien Albrecht make both still and sparkling wine. They made their first Crémant in 1971. They list two sparkling wines on their website:  a brut and the brut rosé that we review here.

Tasting Lucien Albrecht Rosé

The nose offered aromas of bread, ripe strawberries, and tangerine. In the mouth, tight beads delivered an initial taste of cream and fruit. Subsequent sips added orange citrus acidity to the flavour.

The wine is rich in fruit. Amber commented that it did not seem very dry to her. Checking the fact-sheet reveals residual sugar at 12.7g/l. The label describes the wine as Brut. However, this level of residual sugar pushes the wine up into a Dry category.

This is a delightful sparkling wine, ideal for brunch with lox and bagels and/or a fruit compote. Just do not waste it by mixing into a Mimosa. The wine sells for less than $20, a bargain for a sparkling wine that is both approachable and with surprising complexity.