Louis Bouillot, Crémant de Bourgogne

Gorgeous French sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - but at this price?! Many of the thrills of the more famous region to the north, this is sparkling wine that is delicious, complex and full of ripe yellow and golden fruit flavours that deliver a satisfying mouthfeel and a long finish.

Crémant de Bourgogne though is more than just a Champagne-like option: it's made in a different and more consistent climate, from fruit that typically gives broader and riper flavours on the palate. True, Champagne's magical terroir and the typical ageing process in the chalky caves make for the most spectacular wines of their style in the world, but this isn't Champagne!

In fact, the other Crémants from around France are not trying to copy Champagne either, it is simply that as a colossus of a wine style, all others that are similar will always tend to be compared to it. This is different, but very similar.

The biggest reason for the similarities (beyond bubbles) is that the two principal grape varieties in Champagne are the two principal grape varieties in Burgundy and that is why it is such a great region for making sparkling wines. It's not to say that The Allotment hasn't served Crémant and been congratulated on their Champagne while simultaneously neglecting to correct their guests on purpose, it's just that... well, you know... no one likes a know-it all.