Yes you can get fine French sparkling wine grown organically and even biodynamically without breaking the bank if you shop carefully, do some research, buy in advance, and consider Crémant! After all, Crémant is made in the same process as Champagne — the grapes just come from other regions of France. So what are those regional differences? We compare three classic French bottles of bubbles–Crémant from Loire and Jura plus a Champagne from Verzy with yummy pairings that are perfect for holiday gatherings large or small.

Hosting or heading to a holiday party? You know someone will have sparkling wine so consider these small bites, soup, salad, warm bread! Cesar salad is great because you can have the ingredients ready, and then toss them together at home or there. Squash soup also is super for a party and can be vegetarian or vegan. Bring along some pumpkin seeds for a garnish– they’d be good on the Cesar too! 

While the latkes are more work, they are so fabulous with sparkling wine as a small serving with a dollop of creme fraiche and caviar. 

3 French Bottles of Bubbles 

• NV Maison Foucher Brut Cremant de Loire AOP
• NV Domaine Andre et Mireille TISSOT Cremant du Jura AOC
• NV Mouton Leroux& Fils “L’Atavique” Brut Nature Champagne Verzy Gran Cru

Holiday Menu for French Bubbles 

• latkes with caviar and creme fraiche 
• mushroom brie bites en crout
• duck japaeno sausage puffs
• charcuterie: LaTur, truffle prosciutto, olives, brie  
• roasted butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds 
• cesar salad with anchovies and fresh grated parmesan
• fresh baked bread 

NV Maison Foucher ‘Cuvee des Roys de Naples’ Brut Cremant de Loire AOP 

ABV: 12%
SRP: under $30
Grapes: 50% Chenin Blanc, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay,
Importer: T Elenteny Imports
purchased on clearance at BevMo for $13

Hand harvested grapes are grown in vineyards in Montlouis-sur-Loire and Lissault-sur-Loire soils of silex and sand on a bedrock of limestone “tuffe” using “at lutte raisonee” or “the reasoned struggle” meaning growers avoid chemicals but are not certified organic instead preferring to be “more than organic” using biodynamic, and other strategies but the criticism is that it’s way to claim a status without committing to it or paying for certification. Basically, you need to know and trust the grower or the importer.

After the still wines are assembled, second fermention occurs in bottle (“Methode Traditionelle” or Methode Champenoise), then spend 24 month elevage sur latte (two times longer than is required by appellation laws). They use a moderate dosage of 8-9g/l in their production of about 25000 bottles.

Appearance:  Very pale yellow almost platinum

Aroma: Lemon Verbena, green grass, lemon, clean minerality, limestone, biscuit, shortbread cracker, quince

Palate: Lemon, sea water, very delicate bubbles, green apple, long clean finish. This wine is such a pleasing sipper on its own, and great with food as well.

Pairing: Absolutely perfect with the caviar topped latkes, there is a reason that this is a lovely appetizer with bubbles, no surprise that it is fabulous with a Cesar salad. Lovely with the la tur. Nice with the butternut squash loving the richness. Very nice with our brie bites. great with the truffle procuitto. so lovely with the sausage puffs.

Our favorites with this wine were the latkes with the caviar, the LaTur cheese on fresh baked bread, the Cesar salad and the soup.

NV Bénédicte et Stéphane Tissot Crémant du Jura AOP Extra Brut

ABV: 12.5%
SRP: $35
Grapes: biodynamically farmed 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 6% Pouolsard, 5% Trousseau,
Importer: Winewise
Sue purchased at Point du Chene 

Since Sue knew we were doing French sparkling wine, when she saw this wine from Jura she knew she had to get it so we could compare the wines and the regions.

Stéphane and Bénédicte Tissot took over from his parents, André and Mireille who began the project in 1962, and began farming biodynamically in 2004 in Arbois in Jura 30 miles west of Switzerland specializing in classic and little-known grapes like poulsard a native, thin-skinned red grape, and trousseau a high acidity grape native to eastern France. They make low-intervention/natural wine, vegan; this wine had d0 dosage and was disgorged Jan 2023.

Appearance:  Very foamy coming out of the bottle, gold, hint of peach pink, the blush of stone fruit

Aroma: Licorice, fennel, mountain meadow, mint, sage, juniper berry, very earthen, soda cracker, 

Palate: Minty fresh, woodsy, earthen, very complex, limestone, baking soda, soda cracker, salinity, and chalkiness, very clean and delicious

Pairing: Very good with the mushroom brie encrote mini bites, fantastic with the latkes topped with creme fresh and caviar, what a beautiful treat, The LaTur on a fresh baguette and the wine was out of this world together. The Comte and the wine are in perfect harmony bringing out a nutty sweetness in both the food and the wine, so ice with the salad, every element of the salad goes great with the wine, the soup is very sweet with this wine. So very nice with our sausage puffs, the rich fatty flavorful duck sausage and the bacon in the sausage are a perfect companion with the wine.

Our three favorite pairings of the evening with this wine were the LaTur on fresh bread, the mushroom brie encroute mini bites, and the duck bacon jalapeno sausage puffs.

 

NV Mouton Leroux& Fils “L’Atavique” Brut Nature Champagne Verzy Gran Cru

ABV: 12%
SRP: $80
Grapes: Certified Organic, Practicing Biodynamic 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay
Importer: Skurnik
purchased at BevMo on clearance for $40

As the importer says, “If you’re looking for creaminess you won’t find it here.” Ninth generation winemaker Sébastian Mouzon explains that “In Verzenay, the mineral is inside the fruit. In Verzy, the fruit is inside the minerality.” I’d love to be able to compare the fruit and the wines to know for myself but for now we’ll take his word for it as this is definitely crisp and full of minerals! 

Certified organic grapes come from seven hectares in 50 plots mostly in Verzy, and mostly Pinot Loir and Chardonnay with four percent Arbanne, Petet Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Biodynamic practices include using tinctures of horsetail, dandelion, wicker, nettle, yarrow and oak plus biodynamic horn manure 500 preparation with horses for ploughing and sheep to control cover crops.

Winemaker Sébastian Mouzon collects 20 berries from each vine before harvest to to make a “starter” yeast for fermentation– a process called pied de cuve so individual yeast strains to recognize each other– with fermentation and elevage in a mix of steel tanks and 500-liter, and 4 to 5-year-old Jadot barrels. Allowing malolactic means Sébastien can use less sulfur. 

Unfiltered; disgorged November 2019 and made from 50% 2016, 50% 2014/2015.

Appearance:  Golden, delicate tiny bubbles, 

Aroma: Brioche, apple danish, almond, marzipan, fresh green apple, apple blossom, 

Palate: Apple danish, Granny Smith apple, very tart, caramel apple, lemon curd, lingering almond finish. 

Pairing: The rich fried food bring out the brioche in the wine. Fantastic with the caviar and latkes, the whitefish and saffron caviar really works quite nicely with the wine. Great with the brie bites bringing a beautiful richness that is perfect with the wine. Fine with LaTur, and Comte but we both wanted the Comte in a grilled cheese sandwich with the wine. Fantastic with the Cesar salad, so many interesting flavors that did not exist without this pairing . The soup was also so fantastic with the wine.

Our three favorites with this wine were the latkes, the soup and the salad. Yum!

Looking for more French sparkling wine? Here you go: 

• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm opened an Abbesse de Loire Crémant de Loire Rosé to Celebrate the Holiday
• Terri of Our Good Life popped a Champagne Marie de Moy Brut Rosé to Start a Progressive Dinner Party
• Cam of Culinary Cam serves The Widow Cliquot and A Twisted Caviar Menu

Looking for more affordable sparkling wines this holiday season that are also ORGANIC, practicing regenerative agriculture, and going for biodynamic certification?

We have three (maybe four!) from Domaine Bousquet which we will be pairing with a traditional Argentine Christmas menu coming up on Friday!