Sparkling wine#Cr.C3.A9mant
As Crémant is called French, Belgian and Luxembourg sparkling wines as opposed to champagne and sparkling wine for the designation is valid since 1 September 1994 referred effervescent drinks with appellation of origin, the outside of the Champagne region by the process of fermentation in the bottle (French méthode champenoise ) are produced.
Before this time, was understood as Crémant a champagne that filled bar instead of the usual 6 bar overpressure only the statutory minimum requirement of 3.5. Since the term Crémant was not protected, even increasingly more wineries outside the Champagne used it. To avoid misunderstandings, they gave from 4 July 1975 to the acquis and waived in the Champagne to the term Crémant. In the EC Regulation No 2332/92 (new 310), lays down the criteria for the production of Crémant. A new name for the champagne with half pressure there is not yet.
Known representatives of Crémant d'Alsace from Alsace, Crémant de Bordeaux from the Bordeaux, the Crémant de Bourgogne from Burgundy, Crémant de Die, Crémant de Limoux, Crémant du Jura from the Jura and the Crémant de Loire from the field the Loire.
On 4 January 1991, the appellation Crémant de Luxembourg was introduced for quality sparkling wine of the Luxembourg Moselle. The special feature is that this, in remembrance of the champagne production by Mercier, during the Belle Époque in the city of Luxembourg, the first appellation outside of France was the world that was allowed to use the term Crémant. 2008, the appellation Crémant de Wallonie defined in Belgium ( see also the article viticulture in Belgium).
Although the grape varieties from region to region, essential rules of sparkling wines, however, are specified as standard. These include, for example, the whole bunch pressing, a maximum fill of 100 liters of cider of 150 kg of grapes, a maximum level of 150 mg / l of sulfur dioxide, a minimum period of nine months for the time spent on the yeast and an obligatory taste test. Crémants are gentle sparkling, their carbonic acid is relatively subdued.
Depending on the grape variety used, you can still find the names Blanc de Noirs or Blanc de Blancs on the label, provided that the white of Crémant is made exclusively from red or white grapes; In addition, many producers produce rosé Crémant.
The term Crémant was introduced in the late 1980s, when the use of the term méthode champenoise outside the Champagne region of France was prohibited on request by the European Union. However, the term méthode traditionnal is still allowed.
Mainly in Switzerland Crémant is used as a name for the classic dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 50 to 60% with a relatively high content of cocoa butter.