The Sparkling Rise of Crémant de Bourgogne Abroad

Crémant de Bourgogne Gains Popularity Among Devotees of Sparking Wine

In 2024, 22.3 million bottles of Crémant de Bourgogne were exported to enthusiastic lovers of French bubbly throughout the world. Learn why this sparking wine has gained popularity, which wines we recommend at Elden Selections, and what to pair with them.

The Facts About Crémant de Bourgogne

Every product strives to have that ‘Holy Trinity’ of characteristics that endear it to customers – quality, great value, and the excitement of something new or special. Luckily for Burgundy’s much loved sparkling wine known as Crémant, it ticks all three boxes. Its fan base is growing as a result, too – not only has it become a French classic, but it is increasingly popular across the Atlantic in the United States too. You can find some great examples of Crémant de Bourgogne on Elden Selection’s Burgundywine.com site here.

Figures from May 2024 show that 40% of French Crémant (it can be made in 7 different regions of France, not just in Burgundy) went abroad. Alsace led the way with most bottles exported, followed by those from the Loire, but Crémant de Bourgogne came in third place, at 22.3 million bottles.

In contrast, sales of Champagne have declined for 14 consecutive months. Tough economic headwinds around the world seem to be to blame in large part. Crémant’s big selling point is that it is a high-quality product but without the premium price tag that Champagne lovers have to endure.

In the US, sparkling wine – especially prosecco and Crémant ­ is doing very well, it seems. Between 2019 and 2022 sales rocketed by 30%, and the prediction is that they will rise a further 15% by 2026. There’s no denying the magic of drinking some fizz for a special occasion or celebration. But far from being just a summer picnic drink, people are now enjoying these wines throughout the year, and finding that they are excellent accompaniments to certain foods too. Even though prosecco is a markedly different wine, it can take much credit for Crémant’s rise in popularity because it has attracted many new customers to sparkling wine – it’s just that now they are looking for a high-quality alternative that doesn't have the high price tag of Champagne.

Crémant de Bourgogne follows the rest of Burgundy in only using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, (occasionally you’ll find some Aligoté, Pinot Meunier, and Gamay in there too) but despite that (or perhaps because of it) there are an astonishing array of types and flavors of this type of wine to get to know. The reason? It’s the famous terroir that Burgundy has to offer – the rock and soil that the vines grow on. It means each village and vineyard attached to it makes a Crémant of a slightly different character, and getting to know them all and their producers is one of the joys of the hobby.

Remember that Crémant is a different beast to Champagne. It’s not trying to be Champagne – rather, it’s rapidly coming to prominence all over the world for its unique ‘creamy’ nature (hence the name). That being said, the production methods of Champagne and Crémant are virtually similar. It is only Prosecco which differs in this way; for example, the Italian wine has its second fermentation in a tank, usually of stainless steel and is a quick process whereas secondary fermentation for Crémant and Champagne takes place within the bottle and is a much longer process.

There are four main varieties of Crémant de Bourgogne:

• Blanc – made from a minimum of 30% Pinot Noir or Chardonnay – white-gold in colour, floral and slightly acidic

• Blanc de blancs – light and lively, made using Chardonnay

• Blanc de noirs – from Pinot Noir / Pinot Meunier generally, this wine has a bit more ‘body’ as it’s made from black grapes, which give white juice

•  Rosé – usually made entirely from Pinot Noir, sometimes with the addition of Gamay, and with a beautiful pink-gold color

When looking for a great Crémant, consider the Domaine Borgeot Crémant de Bourgogne by brothers Pascal and Laurent Borgeot, sold by Elden Selections on BurgundyWine.com. It is produced in the same way as Champagne but is more affordable and made on a smaller scale by one of our best small producers. Brothers Pascal and Laurent, the fourth generation of winemakers in their family, have a bright future ahead. Pascal’s daughter Julia is also a talented vigneron and a key part of the team.

We also offer Louis Picamelot’s Crémant de Bourgogne ‘Les Reipes’. This Blanc de Blancs Crémant is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes and is known for its precision, great purity, and elegant bubbly finesse. The wine exhibits freshness with citrus notes and complexity from the Chardonnay, making it suitable for a wide range of meals. It is aged on fine lees for several months and undergoes secondary fermentation in the cellar for over 3 years. This Crémant is ideally tasted 6 months after the disgorging date.

What Foods To Eat With Sparkling Wines

It’s one of the great selling points of Crémant that it is not merely an aperitif, but can be a fully-fledged accompaniment to some great food dishes. What you pair it with depends to a large degree on what type of Crémant you are drinking. Here are some suggestions:

Blanc: any main dish which includes lighter meats like poultry with fruit in the sauce like pears or dried fruits will go well with a Crémant Blanc.

Blanc de blanc is a particularly good accompaniment to seafood according to many fans – in particular, dishes such as river fish and scallops.

Blanc de noirs, with its extra ‘body’ by virtue of the black grapes it is made from, can be matched with more adventurous and flavorful dishes like snails or braised meats such as oxtail. And of course, Burgundy’s most famous poultry dish of all – Bresse chicken – would work wonderfully too.

Rosé: this would work very well as a dessert wine, with pretty much anything that complements its pinkish/red flavors in the fruit world – strawberries, redcurrants, or a fruity ice cream or sorbet.

Visit Burgundy – Be Our Guest at Domaine De Cromey

We’d love to welcome you and your family as our guests at our baronial manor house nestling amongst the vines in Burgundy – the Domaine de Cromey. The locals refer to it as ‘the Chateau’. In the 1600s, there were lords of Cromey. However, the property was primarily a baronial farm with a significant winery, as evidenced by the surrounding vineyards, vast vaulted cellars, and imposing wine press. Today, you have the opportunity to stay with us at Cromey and enjoy living like lords and ladies!

For over 35 years, we have been living in Burgundy and working with small production, undiscovered wineries to offer you exceptional wine and the passion behind its creation. Domaine de Cromey was born out of that same passion. The restoration and rejuvenation of the estate, vineyards, and gardens pay tribute to that culture and reflect a lifestyle that we take great pleasure in sharing with our guests.

If you do come to this most spectacular of landscapes, you could even visit some of the sparkling wine producers and see the land they make their wines from. They are spread all over the region – in the Yonne department there are some 55 communes producing wines under the appellation Crémant de Bourgogne; the Côte-­d’Or boasts 91; 154 exist in the Department of Saône-­et-­Loire; and 85 are in the Rhône. All in all, Burgundy has just over 2,000 hectares which produce this most opulent of appellations – so there is plenty for you to discover!

Have you heard about our Library Club? It’s all about sharing our most rare, scarce and exceptional wines with discerning fans like you – wines that often aren’t on our website even! And did you know you can take part in the fun of a wine auction at historic Hospice de Beaune and buy a share in a barrel of wine? Click here to learn more about it.