Crémant, the lesser-known French sparkling wine, is experiencing a renaissance in the UK as sales surge and Britons increasingly turn away from prosecco. According to recent figures, more sparkling wine was sold in the UK in 2017 than ever before, with crémant sales at Waitrose up 28 per cent this year and Majestic reporting a 16 per cent increase. Marks & Spencer also noted that crémant outperformed its premium prosecco and Italian sparkling wine offerings.
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) revealed that 3.7 million bottles of crémant were sold in the UK last year, reflecting growing interest. Adrian Smith, The Independent’s wine and spirits expert, attributes this to the diverse flavours of crémant, which is produced in regions including Alsace, Loire, Burgundy and Limoux. “Each region has its own style, terroir and flavour profile, making it a lot more complex than prosecco,” he said.
The rising popularity of crémant is part of a wider surge in sparkling wine sales across the UK, with the WSTA reporting that over 134 million bottles were sold last year. Rebecca Hull, champagne and sparkling wine buyer at Waitrose, noted that crémant is “well priced and well made,” using the traditional champagne method. Sales at Waitrose were up 72 per cent last year compared to 2016, and the wine was a hit over Valentine’s Day.
Hull added, “We expect crémant to be one of our customers’ favourite fizzes in 2018.” The trend suggests that consumers are seeking variety while staying true to the sparkling wine trend, with crémant offering a complex and affordable alternative to prosecco.
