Generally Cremant Champagne seldom makes an appearance as this specialty wine is only the domaine of houses committed to the style. In fact, so few took up the challenge that the Champagne authorities agreed to give away exclusive use of the term ‘Cremant’ in the early 1990s! Cremant wines are bottled at lower atmospheric pressures than full sparkling wines, for Champagne between 3.5 to 4.5 atmospheres compared to the normal 6 atmospheres. This provides a softer, less forceful mousse. The other essential requirement is a ‘creaming’ character, which in reality is achieved only in the finest examples.

Mumm ‘Mumm de Cramant’’ is special among Cremant styles. It is a Blanc de Blancs made exclusively from Chardonnay from a single harvest from Mumm’s 20.38 hectares of the Cramant grand cru site in the Cote des Blancs in Champagne. It is made only in the best years. As the wine is aged on lees for only two years instead of three, it can not state the vintage on the label. The wine is bottled at 13.5% alc and has a dosage of 6.0 g/l rs. Encapsulating the purest expression of the chalky soil, it has exceptional tautness of minerality along with piquant floral and citrus aromas and flavours. A steeliness lines the structure and provides great finesse, freshness and length. The textures are truly ‘creaming’ and the subtle nature of the mousse completes the wine. It is the perfect aperitif, and will be sensational with shellfish, but will accompany all seafood.