Crémant de Limoux

AOC since 1990 · traditional method

Crémant de Limoux is the AOC for white and rosé traditional-method sparkling wine from 41 communes around Limoux in the Aude, recognised in 1990.1,2 Chardonnay is the main grape, Mauzac is capped at 20% of the blend, and the wine spends more than 9 months on the lees.1

Grapes and blends

Chardonnay is the main variety. Chenin, Mauzac and Pinot Noir are complementary.1 The blend rules are detailed:

RuleWhiteRosé
Chardonnay and Chenin together60-90%60-90%
Chardonnaymin 30%min 30%
Cheninmin 10%min 10%
Pinot Noirwith Mauzac max 40%min 15%
Mauzacmax 20%max 20%

Source for the table: the cahier des charges as amended by the order of 10 October 2017.1

Production

Crémant de Limoux is made by the traditional method. Tirage may not take place before 1 December after the harvest. The wine then stays more than 9 months on the lees and is released no earlier than 12 months after tirage.1 The base yield is 70 hl/ha, with a ceiling (rendement butoir) of 78 hl/ha. After disgorgement the overpressure must be at least 3.5 bar at 20 °C.1

Volume

For the 2016 harvest, 45,493 hl of Crémant de Limoux were declared, according to an INAO document from 2017.3 That is about one and a half times the 31,414 hl of Blanquette de Limoux.3 More recent official figures were not found.

Three sparkling wines of Limoux

The same area produces three sparkling wines. Crémant de Limoux is Chardonnay-led. Blanquette de Limoux is at least 90% Mauzac and also uses a second fermentation in bottle.3 Blanquette méthode ancestrale is Mauzac made by a single fermentation that finishes in the bottle (ancestral method).4

See also

Blanquette de LimouxRegionsBlanquette méthode ancestraleRegionsMauzacGrapesChardonnayGrapesTraditional methodMethodsFranceRegions

Sources

  1. Ministère de l'Agriculture (BO-Agri). Cahier des charges AOC « Crémant de Limoux » (décret n° 2011-1785, modifié par arrêté du 10 Oct 2017), BO-Agri (2017-10-10)
  2. INAO. Fiche produit Limoux blanc / Crémant de Limoux
  3. INAO. Demande d'expérimentation: machines à vendanger, AOC Limoux mousseux (CNAOV, 15 June 2017) (2017-06-15)
  4. INAO. Fiche produit AOP Limoux (méthode ancestrale)

Facts checked on 2026-10-19