Crémant d'Alsace

Grapes

The cahier des charges allows six varieties for white Crémant d'Alsace: Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Rosé Crémant d'Alsace is made from Pinot Noir only.¹

How it is made

The wine is made exclusively by second fermentation in glass bottles, that is, by the traditional method. Pressing is limited: base wines come from no more than 100 litres of must per 150 kg of grapes.¹ Tirage may start from 1 December after the harvest. The bottles then rest at least 9 months on the lees, and the wine reaches consumers no earlier than 12 months after tirage.^1,2 After disgorgement the overpressure must be at least 4 atmospheres at 20 °C.¹

Labelling

The appellation name must be printed on the part of the cork that sits inside the neck of the bottle.¹

Place in Alsace

According to the Alsace wine council (CIVA), Crémant d'Alsace represents a quarter of Vins d'Alsace production. More than 500 producers belong to the Crémant producers' syndicate.²

The 2025 draft amendment

The rules on this page follow the text published in June 2025 for the national opposition procedure, a draft amendment of the cahier des charges.¹ That text also lists VIFA varieties (varieties of interest for adaptation): Voltis, Opalor, Selenor, Souvignier gris, Johanniter, Chenin and Vermentino for white wine, Coliris, Nebbiolo and Syrah for rosé. They would be limited to 5% of a holding's plantings and 10% of the blend, and their names could not appear on the label.¹ From the copy we read, it is not clear whether this part is already in force or still a proposal, so treat it as unconfirmed. See also Voltis.