# Maison Idiart Crémant de Loire Brut Blanc (NV)

- **Producer:** Maison Idiart
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Grolleau, Cabernet Franc
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €21
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 6–8 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, peach, blossom, lemon, bread, brioche, honey, almond, hazelnut

## About this wine

Maison Idiart was established in 2014 by Nicolas Idiart, who at just 19 years old became the youngest-ever graduate of Bordeaux's prestigious École du Vin. After honing his winemaking skills across Chinon, Touraine, Muscadet, Australia, and New Zealand, Idiart returned to the Loire Valley to build an artisanal négociant house focused on terroir-driven wines. Sourced from key sparkling sub-regions including Anjou and Touraine, this Crémant de Loire AOC highlights grapes grown on a rich mosaic of chalk, clay, limestone, schist, and granite soils.

## Interesting facts

- Founder Nicolas Idiart graduated from Bordeaux's École du Vin at age 19, the youngest graduate in the school's history.
- Aged on its lees for up to 30 months, exceeding the AOC minimum requirement of 12 months for extra complexity.
- Hand-harvested in small crates across Anjou and Touraine to preserve grape freshness and prevent oxidation.

## Food pairing

Vibrant acidity and fine bubbles effectively cut through rich fats, making this sparkling wine ideal for fresh seafood, raw shellfish, and soft goat cheeses.

## Wine making process

The grapes are harvested entirely by hand in small crates to protect berry integrity prior to pressing. The wine is produced using the Méthode Traditionnelle, utilizing first-run juice for primary fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Following primary fermentation, secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle. The wine undergoes an extended lees aging period of 24 to 30 months—well beyond the 12-month AOC requirement—before disgorgement with a low Brut dosage.