Appellation
Crémant de Loire
Identity card
RegionalAOPWhiteRoséSparkling
Loire Valley · Recognised on 17 October 1975
- Village
- Regional
Key points
- White or rosé, second fermentation in bottle; hand-harvested.
- At most 100 l of must per 150 kg of whole grapes.
- On sale no earlier than 12 months after tirage.
Grape varieties
WhiteRoséSparkling
Allowed varieties
Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Orbois, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pineau d'Aunis, Pinot Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d'Aunis · 30% at most of the blend
In italics, without a link: grapes with no entry yet.
Production rules
74
hl/ha
Maximum yield
9
% ABV
Minimum natural alcohol
Minimum ageing: At least 9 months on the lees, in bottle
- Maximum yield
- How much wine a hectare may produce under the appellation (a higher, exceptional ceiling often exists). The lower it is, the less can be made: one of the levers on how concentrated the grapes are. For reference: 35 hl/ha to 80 hl/ha across 124 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum natural alcohol
- The alcohol the grapes' own sugar must be able to give, without enrichment: a ripeness threshold at harvest. For reference: 9 % ABV to 14.5 % ABV across 72 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum ageing
- A minimum ageing period the specification requires before the wine may be sold to consumers.
Terroir
- Water: The Loire, Vienne, Indre and Cher, over about 200 km
- Soils: Schist in the west; clay-limestone and tuffeau in the east
- Climate: Oceanic, more continental in the east (Sologne)
Wine style
- Apricot
- fine, persistent bubbles
- white flowers
- peach
- freshness and softness
AOC geographical area (by commune; not a vineyard plot delimitation): INAO, geographical areas of quality and origin labels (October 2026 edition) · Open Licence
Specification
8 June 2026
Order of 8 June 2026 approving the specification of the AOC “Crémant de Loire” (JORF no. 0135 of 11 June 2026, text no. 24; BO-Agri no. 25 of 18 June 2026). Appellation first recognised by the decree of 17 October 1975.
Labelling terms
- The geographical name "Vin de Loire" may be added
- A registered lieu-dit name may appear, in smaller type
- The appellation's name is printed on the cork
Sources
- Official sourceCahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée « Crémant de Loire »— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) / Ministère de l'agriculture
- Official sourceDélimitation des aires géographiques des SIQO (jeu de données ouvert de l'INAO)— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) / data.gouv.fr
Crémant de Loire, recognised by decree in 1975, is an appellation for white and rosé sparkling wines whose geographical area takes in communes of five departments, from Maine-et-Loire to Loir-et-Cher, for about 200 kilometres. The wines are made solely by second fermentation in bottle, from hand-picked grapes; they may not be released until twelve months after tirage. Nine varieties are allowed without ranking, among them Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc.
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Crémant de Loire
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