“It’s not in line with our values”: squabbling around the rules of production of Crémant d’Alsace

2023-08-07 22:56:00

We will still say that the Alsatians are chauvinists and want to preserve their territory. This time, it is the recent decisions of the National Federation of Crémant Producers and Elaborators that have provoked the ire of Alsatian winegrowers. A structure that wishes to develop sales of the effervescent beverage that continues to seduce year after year.

“The Federation says it is ready to relax certain rules to increase production volumes, but this is not in line with our values, so we preferred to resign”, explains Olivier Sohler, director of the Syndicat des producteurs de crémant d’Alsace (Synva ).

In Synva’s sights: the possibility of using the harvesting machine. “Traditionally, grape harvesting is done manually in Alsace. This technique ensures the delivery of whole fruit to the press”, develops Olivier Sohler.

45% of the bottles sold in France come from Alsace

The national federation of producers and elaborators of crémant also plans to reduce the marketing period of a vintage from 12 to 9 months. “The aging of the crémants will take less time, which will also alter the quality,” estimates the director of Synva. If the National Federation has not yet reacted to the departure of all the Alsatian cooperative cellars, the resignation is a blow for the structure.

Sales of Crémants d’Alsace alone account for 45% of the bottles sold nationally each year, followed by Crémants de Loire and Bourgogne almost equally. Thanks in particular to exports, sales of crémants produced in France crossed the one hundred million bottle mark for the first time in 2022.