What to drink this week

Joys of crémant

More characterful than Prosecco and cheaper than Champagne, crémant is the fizz of the moment, says Harry Eyres

A word I hear more on wine lovers’ lips these days is crémant, referring to a wide variety of non-champagne sparkling wines made throughout France. Crémant can be made in the haughty, aristocratic wine regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, is perhaps most commonly associated with the Loire, but can also originate in Jura, Alsace or Limoux (where it usually goes under the name of blanquette).

Why you should be drinking it

Crémant has obvious advantages of price over Champagne and, unlike Prosecco, is made by the traditional method, acquiring its bubbles via a second fermentation in bottle, not tank. This gives more complexity and character than you get from Prosecco, although you should temper your expectations when the price tag hovers at about the £8–£10 mark.

What to buy

The Loire seems an obvious place to start. The high natural acidity of the widely planted Chenin Blanc grape, which can make you wince in still wines, is ideally suited for sparkling wine. Lidl’s Crémant de Loire (£7.99; www.lidl.co.uk), 85% Chenin and 15% Chardonnay, is remarkably good for the price, pale greenish-straw in colour, green-apple crisp and dry. Jura is home to several unusual grapes, but Crémant du Jura Domaine de Montbourgeau (right, £14.50; www.the winesociety.com) is 100% Chardonnay and shows lovely lemony freshness on the nose, with a core of ripe, apricoty fruit. From Alsace, Jean Becker Crémant d’alsace ‘B’ de Becker Extra Brut (£19.95; www.davywine.co.uk) is pale yellow-gold, with a hint of New World richness and ripeness, although it finishes quite dry.