Cremant d'Alsace: Joseph Cattin Grande Cuvee

Alsace is unique among the French wine regions due to its German influences, which play an equal role in sculpting the area's language, traditions - and even its wines. Many of its slopes face east, benefiting from plenty of sunlight, as well as a very special variety of 'terroir' made up of granite, limestone, clay, loam, and volcanic soils. Alsace shares the River Rhine with Germany as a common border. Its summers are hot and sunny, and it is the driest region in France after Roussillon in the south.

Sparkling Alsace wines are made under the AOC Crémant d'Alsace, using the traditional method (as used in Champagne). The grapes are picked right at the start of the harvest, when they are at their freshest. This helps the wines to be vibrant, with a cleansing acidity. The grapes authorised for Crémant d'Alsace production are Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay. Crémant d'Alsace can be produced as either brut (white) or rosé. These sparkling wines are traditionally made by undergoing fermentation twice: once in the barrel, then once in the bottle. Yeast and sugar are added to the bottle, creating a naturally sparkling wine.