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ALSACE<br />
STYLE<br />
levels – Extra-Brut, Brut and Demi-Sec – whites<br />
and rosés, Chardonnay and Pinot noir grape varieties<br />
and organic farming techniques, where there<br />
is a style to suit every taste. “Depending on sales<br />
and markets, our aim is to anticipate maturation<br />
times on the lees which offer a genuine guarantee<br />
of quality”, adds technical and winemaking director<br />
Nicolas Garde. “The wines are mostly blended from<br />
Pinot blanc and Auxerrois grown over a broad range<br />
of complementary vineyard sites. Our Crémants<br />
have nothing to be ashamed of compared with<br />
Champagnes, as evidenced by the 80% surge in<br />
sales over three years. We have the potential to<br />
supply wines in the future whose quality continues<br />
to increase and which align with consumer trends”.<br />
HAVE A WINEGROWER’S BREAK AT DOMAINE KUEHN<br />
UNWAVERING SUCCESS<br />
The Crémant d’Alsace appellation was officialised by<br />
decree in 1976 and has established a place for itself as<br />
the most widely drunk sparkling wine for at-home<br />
consumption in France after Champagne. Legal<br />
specifications are strict and standards are stringent<br />
for the 500 producers that belong to the Crémant<br />
d’Alsace producers’ organisation, ensuring a high<br />
quality product. “Since the 1990s, sales have followed<br />
a constant, regular upward trend”, points out the<br />
organisation’s managing director Olivier Sohler.<br />
“Our sales have now reached 40 million bottles<br />
annually, 22% of them in export markets, with<br />
growth in Europe, Eastern European countries and<br />
the United States. The rate of growth can be ascribed<br />
mainly to consumer trends and reasonable pricing”.<br />
Sparkling wines in Alsace now boast a 33% share by<br />
volume, which is a record. “Our direct-to-consumer<br />
markets don’t compare us with other sparkling<br />
wines or Champagne because demand is specific”,<br />
stresses Mathieu Zoeller from Maison Zoeller. “What<br />
our local and non-local customers mostly want is a<br />
quality product with suitable pricing”. The popularity<br />
of the French industry has now filtered through<br />
to export markets across-the-board, with wines that<br />
align with consumer expectations around the world.<br />
Their success is undeniable.<br />
A FESTIVE OCCASION FOR THE STAFF AT KUEHN ALSACE WINES<br />
SPRING 2024 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
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