France has the best and most famous sparkling wine in the world: Champagne. However, not all sparkling wines produced in France are called Champagne, and only sparkling wines that use legal grape varieties and legal traditional craftsmanship in Champagne regions in accordance with the french Champagne region regulations can be called "Champagne". Wines produced in other regions with the same process can only be called sparkling wine. Today we will talk about the excellent sparkling wine outside of champagne - Cremant.
What is Clement?
Clement refers to the sparkling wine made in France by the traditional method, except for the Champagne region. There are 8 regions in France where sparkling wines can use the title of Clement, and sparkling wines made in Luxembourg can also be called Clement. Clement can be white or rosé, dry or semi-dry. It has a production and brewing process similar to Champagne, including secondary fermentation in the bottle, and thanks to its excellent quality and lower price than Champagne, Clement has become an excellent substitute for Champagne.
How is Clement brewed?
The traditional brewing process is grape picking - whole bunch pressing - initial fermentation - mixing and blending - secondary fermentation - puree aging - turning the bottle - spitting mud - rehydration - plugging and sealing the bottle. After the wine grapes are harvested and gently pressed, the fermentation takes place in stainless steel barrels, and some producers choose to leave part of the wine in oak barrels. Before fermentation begins, the grape juice is clarified. After the first fermentation, the liquor is blended to make Base Wine, and others are stored.
The next step is to put the liquor in a bottle for secondary fermentation. Winemakers bottle stationary base wines and re-ferment them with wine, sugar and yeast. The carbon dioxide produced in this process is incorporated into the liquor. When the liquor reaches a certain alcohol level, the yeast cannot survive, and the dead yeast is deposited at the bottom of the bottle, and these dead yeasts are called puree. When the liquor comes into contact with these purees, it produces a charming flavor of toast, toast and biscuits. In order to obtain a pure liquor, it is also necessary to carry out Riddling, so that the sludge is eventually deposited in the bottle mouth, which is convenient for final removal.
How does Clement taste?
Most Clément sparkling wines are dry, highly acidic, light to medium in body, and usually have yeast aromas from fermentation in bottles, while rosé sparkling wines usually have a delicious aroma of red fruits such as strawberries, but also with a crisp acidity and subtle yeast flavors. Depending on the region, there can be a lot of other aromas. For example, Loire sparkling wines often have rich fruity and floral notes, and are known for their sweet flavors of lemon, pear and honey. Even within the same region, the style of sparkling wines can vary greatly. In the north of the Burgundy region, you'll find crémont sparkling wines in a refreshing and fresh style, while southern Burgundy's style is more mature and bold.
How is Clement different from Champagne?
Although the production process of the two sparkling wines is very similar, there are some important differences between the two. Historically, the term Clement has been used to mark semi-sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region. Champagne, on the other hand, is used to denote sparkling wine.
Since the enactment of the relevant wine laws in 1985, Champagne vintners cannot continue to use the term Clement. Clement has become a legally protected name with the status of AOC (French Origin Nomenclature Control), which is the quality label for the highest grade of wine in France. Only sparkling wines brewed by "traditional methods", including fermentation in bottles, can be used.
The main differences between Champagne and Clément sparkling wine are:
- Champagne comes from the Champagne region, and Clement comes from eight other French appellations outside of Champagne;
- Champagne can only be made from seven varieties. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier are the most important wine grapes, in addition to Pinot BLanc, Petit Meslier, Arbanne and Fromenteau. And there are many other options for Créman's wine grapes;
- Champagne is usually more expensive.
Also as a sparkling wine, the difference between Clement and Prosecco is much greater than the difference between Clement and Champagne:
- Most of the Clément wines come from France. Prosecco wines come from 2 legal regions of Italy: Friuli and Veneto;
- Clement is the in-vial secondary fermentation method, while prosecco's second fermentation stage uses the tank fermentation method;
- Most Clément sparkling wines are dry and have a yeasty flavor. Prosecco tends to have subtle sweetness and more intense fruity and floral notes.
- As the uncrowned king of Spain's sparkling wine, Cava is also produced using the traditional method. So, what is the difference between Clement and Kava?
- As mentioned above, Clement is from France. Kava comes from Catalonia in northeastern Spain, and most kava sparkling wines are produced in the Penedes sub-appellation;
- The wine grapes that can be used with Crémont sparkling wine vary depending on local wine laws. There are four main varieties of wine grapes in cava: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada and Subirat.
Where are the Craiman sparkling wines brewed?
In France, there are 8 regions where sparkling wine is labeled with Crémont. They are ALsace, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Die, Jura, Loire, Limoux and Savoie.
What grape variety is Clement made from?
Vintners must follow the rules of winemaking in the region, so the wine grapes vary from place to region, and most of them are grape varieties with their own characteristics:
Alsace: Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling.
Bordeaux: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Malbec, Merlot, Muscadelle, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon.
Burgundy: Aligote, Chardonnay, Gamay, Melon de Bourgogne, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sacy.
Dee Town: Ari gaute, Clairette, Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains.
Jura: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Savagnin, Pinot Gris, Trousseau.
Loire: Arbois, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pinot Noir, Pineau d'Aunis.
Limu: Chardonnay, Shinan Bai, Mauzac, Pinot Noir.
Savoie: Aragont, Altesse, Chasselas, Jacquere.
Which wine glass is best for Clément wines?
The best cup type for holding clements is the flute-shaped cup, a long, thin glass that helps to preserve the bubbles in the wine for a long time, and it is also possible to use a tulip-shaped sparkling glass.
Does Clement need to decant? What is the best drinking temperature?
Like most sparkling wines, Clement does not need to decant, and contact with oxygen is not good for sparkling wine. In addition, pouring them into the decanter will make the delicate bubbles disappear quickly, which will make the wine bland and tasteless. The optimal drinking temperature for Clements is between 6-8°C, and to reach this temperature, place it in a regular refrigerator or ice bucket for about 30 minutes before opening the lid.
How long does Clement save when opened?
After opening a bottle of Clement, you can tighten the bottle with a log stopper or reusable stopper, and then put it in the refrigerator. Clement after opening the bottle needs to be consumed as soon as possible within 2 - 3 days.
What are the foods that Clement can go with?
Clement sparkling wine has an unexpectedly versatile ability:
- Overall, it can be paired with light vegetarian options, such as vegetable soups based on pumpkin or eggplant. Salads are also a good choice.
- Sparkling wines from the Loire Valley are a great accompaniment to seafood such as salmon, shrimp or oysters.
- Sparkling wines from Burgundy or Alsace are great with fried foods such as squid and chicken, and are also great with spicy foods, as the bubbles in sparkling wine help temper the spiciness and clean the mouth.
- Finally, sparkling wine pairs well with milk and goat cheese.
If you are a lover of sparkling wine and the price of champagne is prohibitive, then Clement is a great choice for you. It's of high quality, fine bubbles, can be paired with a variety of foods, and the price is more affordable. Therefore, when looking for a high-quality French sparkling wine, you may want to consider a bottle of Clement.