WTN: Lucien Albrecht Cremant Pinot Rose

The wines of Alsace continue to impress me.

Here's what I said about a Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose Cremant d'Alsace sparkler we used just recently at the Alsace Seminar of the French Wine Scholar Program.

Enchanting Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé Pinot Noir sparkling wine for under $20

What? A top quality Brut Rose sparkling wine from France priced under $20? A classic secondary-fermentation-in-the bottle “Champagne Method”? Made from 100% Pinot Noir?

Yes, to all three. But it’s not from Champagne. It’s from Alsace, that narrow sliver of an appellation between France and Germany bordering on the Rhine River, nestled up against the backdrop of the Vosges Mountains.

Granted, Alsace is most famous for its still white wines---Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner---but there’s a considerable amount of Pinot grown there, as Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.

The Crémant AOC of Alsace allows both white and rosé bottling and must make these sparkling wines in the “Cuvee Traditionelle” (meaning in the Champagne Method, but not using the forbidden word of “Champagne”, which is also an AOC).

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rose is 100% Pinot Noir grapes, hand-picked and gently pressed with a long pressing to extract a subtle pink blush from the grapes, then fermented in the traditional manner. Finally, it is rested on the lees for nine months in the bottle to gather additional flavors before it is riddled and bottled.
It’s a Brut designation---but there is the tiniest perceptible bit of sugar in this, not so much to make it sweet, but just enough to round out the berry flavors and mellow it around the edges.

And if you like berry flavors, you will love the Albrecht Brut Rosé, because it is full to overflowing with tart raspberries, black cherries, and fresh sweet strawberries, with an interesting light herbal touch in the finish to make it interesting.

Hands down, this is one of the best bargains there is in sparkling wines; it’s rare when you can find this quality---especially in Pinot Noir---from a highly-regarded French producer for under $20.

Is it Champagne? No. But at this quality, with this style, at this price…it doesn’t have to be.

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace is imported to the U.S. by Pasternak Imports.

I have a bottle of this in my cooler now. Which brings up a question. This is the last of several bottles I bought a couple years ago. Is this intended for early drinking or can it hold its charm for five years or longer?

Think I have seen this too.

Thanks Hoke for a very thoughtful thread.

I have a bottle of this in my cooler now. Which brings up a question. This is the last of several bottles I bought a couple years ago. Is this intended for early drinking or can it hold its charm for five years or longer?

JC, I believe it is intended (and priced) for drinking upon release...so short term. I think it is constructed more for immediate freshness of fruit; It should, however, be good for a few years. It never lasts long enough in my wine rack for me to know, though.

Bob, et. al.:

I think the entire category of French Cremant is getting better quality, and has been vastly improved within the last...oh, ten or fifteen years.

Currently I believe Alsace is doing some of the best, although the Loire makes tons of the stuff. Not all of it top quality, however. But when it's good, it's very good.

Even Bordeaux now is making some impressive---for the price point---sparklers these days.

And when you can find it, the Cremants from Bourgogne are at good price points and top quality.

I've been through several bottles of this over the last few years. I seem to remember having it at a "budget sparkler" tasting somewhere a few years ago, where it pretty much kicked the ass of every other wine in the lineup.

Good stuff, particularly for the price.