Louis Bouillot’s first sulfur-free Crémants de Bourgogne

The Louis Bouillot wine house is completing its collection of Crémant de Bourgogne wines with two new sulfur-free cuvées: A Blanc de Blancs and a Blanc de Noirs.

Louis Bouillot is taking a step forward in the art of making great Crémant de Bourgognes and bringing out the very best the fruit has to offer. In short, from grape to glass, sulfur-free crémant is the way to go!

These crémants unabashedly showcase Burgundy’s two emblematic varietals:

-        The Chardonnay grape in Perle d’Ivoire, a lively and fruity blanc de blancs for an invigorating aperitif.

-        The Pinot Noir varietal in Perle de Nuit, a broad and indulgent blanc de noirs for lovers of powerful emotions.

One might think this were a risky operation because vinifying these wines requires rigor and painstaking work that starts in the vines. The grapes must be healthy and rich with good acidity, which is indispensable for the wine to hold its own. The plots selected for this type of vinification are two terroirs from the Louis Bouillot vineyard.

-        The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Chenôvre-Ermitage in Savigny-lès-Beaune for its Chardonnays. This plot of 30-year-old vines, that offer moderate yields of around 55 hectoliters per hectare, and grow at 420m above sea level, enjoy a cooler microclimate that ensures later ripening and thus greater vigor.

-        The Couchois for its Pinot Noirs, with fairly high vines at 400m above sea level that ripen fairly late, ensuring powerful wines.

Precise and meticulous vinification, without sulfur of course, uses bioprotection* to ensure rapid fermentation and avoid contamination. The wine rests on its lees for a year while the sparkle forms, protected by carbon dioxide. In order to prevent oxygen getting in, the bottles are kept pointing downwards after one year to continue maturing on the lees for at least 10 months. The lees form a barrier between the capsule and the wine. Then, when they are disgorged, a low dosage is added to harmonize the wine before it’s ready to taste.

Careful vinification straight from the press

-        Plot-by-plot vinification

-        Only first-pressed juice is used, with bioprotection*

-        Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation is closely monitored in temperature-controlled, insulated vats

-        Special glass is used to protect the wine from UV light

-        Sulfur-free racking off using a special yeast

-        Ageing on the lees and prise de mousse of between 18-24 months

-        Minimal extra-brut dosing of 4g per liter (liqueur without sulfur) to preserve the character of the wine

*Bioprotection: The addition of neutral and non-fermentable yeasts to fill the void and prevent bacteria from forming.