Crémant d'Alsace Extra Brut 2020, Mélanie Pfister

Crémant is the term used for any sparkling wine made using the Champagne method but that does not come from the region of Champagne itself. From female winemaker Mélanie Pfister, extended time on the lees gives this wine all the nutty and yeasty notes we want from a classic method sparkling wine, but also shows the unique terroir of the Alsace region. There is a vibrant core of fruit, balanced by a firm backbone of minerality. And it is oh so dry! If you like Champagne and other classic sparkling wines, we encourage you to give this one a try!

The acronym Breit comes from Hangenbriete, the name of the vineyard. The appellation rules for this wine were promulgated in 1976, and Mélanie’s father started making crémant in the early 1980s. From the first, he worked with a long aging period. Today, the Pfisters consistently make an unusually elegant, perfumed, top-end crémant. The wine rests on its lees for a minimum of twenty-four months (most French crémant, regardless of origin, ages on its lees for about nine months or so). There are three to four disgorgements of a given year’s production, and what you’re drinking could have aged as long as thirty-six months on its lees. This is a single-vintage wine without any older reserve wine, but the vintage is kept discreetly on the back label rather than printed on the front because of the multiple disgorgements. The final sentence in the back label text gives the exact number of months of aging on the lees. Production averages 800 cases annually; dosage is 3-4 grams per liter, making this an extra brut.

About the Winery

Nestled in the rolling hills near Strasbourg, Domaine Mélanie Pfister is one of Alsace’s most exciting modern estates—with roots that go back to 1780. Today it’s run by Mélanie Pfister, the eighth generation to lead the family domaine and the first woman to do so. After stints at legendary estates like Zind-Humbrecht, Méo-Camuzet, Château Cheval Blanc, and Craggy Range, Mélanie returned home in 2008 to steer the winery into its next era.

Pfister farms about 10 hectares spread across over 40 tiny parcels—including prized Grand Cru Engelberg—using certified organic methods and practices guided by the FAIR’N GREEN sustainability initiative. Mélanie’s approach emphasizes precision, balance, and transparency: native yeast fermentations, low sulfur use, and long lees aging are the norm. Most of her wines are bottled without filtration to preserve nuance and site expression.

While deeply rooted in Alsatian tradition, Pfister’s wines feel strikingly modern—fresh, structured, and expressive, with just the right amount of flair. She’s earned a devoted following for her deft touch with Riesling and her playfully named field blends like Rendez Vous en Blanc, which turns a medley of Alsace’s classic grapes into something utterly new. If you’re looking for Alsace with a twist—this is your domaine.