Cremant de Bourgogne is the appellation for the white and rose sparkling wines of Burgundy, made predominantly from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in the methode traditionelle. Created in October 1975 to complement Bourgogne Mousseux (the title for sparkling red wines), the appellation is now applied to more than 13 million bottles of wine every vintage.
Cremant de Bourgogne wines may be white or rose and can vary in sweetness levels from brut (dry) to demi-sec (medium-dry). White Cremant de Bourgogne can be either blanc de blancs – made from white grapes (Chardonnay, Aligote, Melon de Bourgogne, Pinot Blanc) – or blanc de noirs, made from black grapes (Gamay, Pinot Noir). The rose wines are produced from Pinot Noir, with varying quantities of Gamay.
The terroirs of Cremant de Bourgogne vary considerably, as the appellation covers nearly 400 parishes throughout Burgundy. Wines from the cool, chalky soils around Chablis in the north are perceptibly different from those produced in the warmer climes and granitic soils of the south. The most-southerly communes in the appellation's catchment area are better known for their Beaujolais wines and are actually within the Rhone administrative department.
Burgundy's sparkling wines first appeared at the beginning of the 19th century, when the best examples were produced from the vineyard sites now classified as Grand Cru. The high asking prices for Grand Cru Burgundy wine in the modern market have now made this practice very rare indeed. Instead, the production of prestige sparkling wines is dominated by the vineyards of Champagne, around 100 miles (160km) to the north.
