2014 Domaine Durrmann Crémant d'Alsace Brut

Region: Alsace > France

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Certified organic; sandstone + shist soils, natural fermentation with native yeasts in inox tank; aged on its lees for one year in tank and then two more in bottle after a second fermentation, which is is started by organic cane sugar; bottled unfined/unfiltered with no sulfites added, zero zero, 12% ABV

Winemaker:  Yann Durmann

MOUNTAIN MAGIC: Yann is making wine from his old family house in the middle of Andlau, a beautiful village nestled on the slopes of the Vosges mountains in France’s northern Alsace region. Here is vineyards cling to steep and rocky hills.

This bucolic estate in Alsace has been certified organic since 1998, but they’re really on the biodynamic track, working towards a philosophy they call “agro-ecology.” As in biodynamics, they consider their farm an ecosystem that needs a true balance between the various flora of vines, fruit trees, and grass for sheep. Grass and cover crops flank the vineyards, which they do not plow in order to keep this cover crop year round (to store more carbon in this humus, which helps in the struggle against climate change). There are trees in and around the vineyards to shade the vines -- climate warming is real in Alsace, so he’s doing what he can to preserve freshness in the wines. In 2004, Yann introduced sheep into his vineyards where they munch the grass and naturally fertilize the fields. He even cultivates his vines without cutting branches during summer because it “hurts the plant and goes again the natural character of the vine”.   How much do we love this guy?

Almost as much as we love this wine!  This is a Crémant only because it’s made in Alsace.  But we’re talking Champagne method and Champagne quality - or actually better than most Champagne even, and 1000% cleaner.  Vibrant and energetic, with crazy acidity, it tastes like a sparkling infusion of sour cherry, apple blossom, rose petal, and wet stone.  We got the last 2 cases in California - and you need this for holiday celebrating. Go get it.