Be a most welcome guest, bring a sparkly Crémant d'Alsace to your next party, your hosts will love you.

The holiday season is on, time to party and be jolly and sparkly. I like to bring a little gift for my host or hostesses just to say thanks and sparkling wine is always appreciated.

Campagne is great, Prosecco, Cava good too, but how about something different, the sparkling delight from northern France, Crémant d'Alsace.

Here are two we tried at a diner party hosted by our friends Dana and Greg this weekend. Both bottles were big hits, a soft golden brut by Mittnacht Freres and a rosy pink bubbly delight from Paul & Philippe Zinck.

Oooh looking a little foggy here, this goes down so easy.

Cremant is a name given to French sparkling wine that is not Champagne.   It is made by the same process but of different grapes. As with Campagne the grapes are hand harvested. When from Alsace they are riesling, pinot blanc, pinot noir, pinot gris, auxerrois blanc or chardonnay for the blanc. For rosé wines, only pinot noir.

To bear the name Crémant d'Alsace the wine must be bottled in the their place of production, in bottles the same shape as those used for Champagne. That shape lends to quality production and presentation. 

Dana and Diana muse over the bottles.

You will find further designation such as blanc de blancs (white wine from white grapes), blanc de noirs (white wine from black grapes), brut (very dry), millésimé (vintage wine), or rosé.

Mittnacht Freres Cremant d'Alsace Brut is 50% pinot auxerrois, with riesling, pinot blanc, pinot noir, and pinot gris. It has very nice soft opulent bubbles with a dry yet flavorful taste. It is from A family-run estate begun in 1958. Miitnacht has been called a domaine to watch, one that produces expressive, beautifully made wines from traditional Alsace varietals and is Certified Biodynamic.

Paul & Philippe Zinck Cremant d'Alsace Rose has bright soft flavors of currants and cherries. The acidity is nicely present but the wine finishes with a sweet creamyness that we liked a lot. A product of the rich earth, silt, chalky with clay-silt and volcanic ash, of the Zinck winery located in Eguisheim, a lovely village in Alsace.

 

Greg and I just like to drink.

Mittnacht Freres Cremant d'Alsace can be found at Gary's Wines. The Zinck Cremant d'Alsace Rose may take a little more searching, but is worth the hunt.