Jean-Baptiste Adam
Crèmant “les Natures” – NV
Region: FRANCE - ALSACE
Jean-Baptiste Adam
For more than 400 years, Jean-Baptiste Adam and his family have been grape growers and winemakers in Ammerschwihr. Throughout the centuries the Adam family has farmed vineyards, made wine, sold wine locally and sold wine in foreign lands. They survived the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), the Valois and Bourbon dynasties, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic wars, annexation by Germany and back to France, WWI, WWII, famine and disease.
Jean-Batiste V joined the winery in 1982, at the age of 21, after finishing his studies of wine, enology, and marketing. In 1996, Jean-Baptiste took over full management of the property from his father, Jean-Marie. Soon after taking charge of the company, he modernized the winery and created a processing and storage facility for the production of Crémant. In 2003, he converted the vineyards to biodynamic agriculture wholeheartedly. Today, he is considered a leader of biodynamic farming practices in Alsace.
Jean-Baptiste’s daughter, Laure, is the 15th generation to work in the family business. Armed with a BS in Viticulture and Enology, a Wine and Commerce license, and a master’s degree in Wine Management & Marketing, she is an integral part of the business.
Jean-Baptiste Adam produces wines of elegance, balance, minerality and longevity.
Grapes / Soils
| Pinot Blanc (40%), Chardonnay (30%), Pinot Noir (30%) | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 2 acres |
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
- Size of vineyard (acres): 2
- Soil composition: Granite
- Training method: Double Guyot
- Elevation: 656 feet
- Vines/acre: 2850
- Yield/acre (hl): 27.27
- Exposure: Southeast
- Year vineyard planted: from 1975 to 2010
Harvest Notes
- Hand harvested in early September
- Cold soak for 12 hours at 50ºF
- Fermentation and aging in century French wooden cask for 6 months
- Size of aging containers: 317 – 2060 gallons (12hl to 78hl)
- Length of bottle aging minimum: 18 months on lees
Winemaker's Notes
Pale yellow color with golden tints, with dense, very fine mousse. Highly expressive, fruity nose of grapes and ripe stone fruits combined with the typically vinous character of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, giving way to floral notes. In the mouth, the fine bubbles comes to caress the palate and then fleshy side of some fruit appears. It gives a hint of roundness, naking a pleasant, balanced and harmonious wine.
Perfect as an aperitif or accompany fish or seafood.
Wine Summary
Pinot Blanc (30%), Chardonnay (30%), Pinot Noir (30%); alcohol: 12%; vine age – planted 1975 – 2005; granite soils; fermented in century wooden cask at 68°F to 76°F; aged 6 months; aged in bottle on lees for 18 months.
Technical Information
- Alcohol (%): 12.0
- pH level: 3.1
- Residual sugar (grams/liter): 5.84
- Acidity H2SO4 (grams/liter): 4.89
Reviews
89 Points
Jean-Baptiste Adam’s pale-golden, non-vintaged Crémant d’Alsace Les Natures is a classic Champagne blend made in Alsace. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were fermented in old wooden casks (fouders) and kept on the bottle for 18 months before disgorgement. The wines has a subtle and fresh bouquet which reveals classic Champagne aromas of lemons, apples and brioches along with some herbal flavors in a very subtle and delicate way.
© Wine Advocate, March, 2017
90 Points
Beautifully aromatic notes of ripe apple make for a most appetizing nose. The soft fizz on the palate underlines both the fruity apple purity and the bready backdrop of autolysis. A very harmonious refreshing wine that is dry, utterly light and moreish.
Wine Enthusiast, December, 2017
90 Points
Pale straw with a persistent stream of small bubbles. Vanilla and sweet spices complement white flowers and stone fruit on the enticing nose. Then juicy and vibrant, offering crystalline flavors similar to the aromas. Very vertical wine that finishes long and clean; will make a nice aperitif. Vinified in used 500-hL oak barrels and spends at least 18 months on the lees. This is a blend of 50% Pinot Blanc, 25% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.
Vinous, April, 2018
91 Points
Made from an almost-equal blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, this has aromas of freshly cut white flowers and hints of buttery pastry. On the palate there are fine bubbles expressing fleshy apricot and lemon flavours. It is delicate and nuanced, a lighter style than some of the others in the tasting but has harmony and subtle persistency. The estate celebrated their 400 anniversary in 2014 with 15th generation winemaker Laure assisting her father Jean-Baptiste, one of the leading biodynamic farmers in Alsace. 2020 – 2024
Decanter, August, 2020
91 Points
If you like lighter, fresher-style champagnes, then you should enjoy this Alsace Crémant a lot. I like the delicate apple, pear and berry notes, as much as the elegant, medium body and the long, clean finish that pulls you back to the glass for more. A blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot blanc. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.
jamessuckling.com, July, 2021
General Info
| Country | France |
| Region | Alsace |
| Appellation(s) | AOP ALSACE – AOP CREMANT D’ALSACE- AOP ALSACE GRAND CRU -AOP VENDANDES TARDIVES- AOP SELECTION DE GRAINS NOBLES |
| Proprietors | Jean-Baptiste Adam, Laure Adam |
| Founded | 1614 |
| Winemaker | Mathilde Jaegler and Philippe Ruhlmann |
| Annual Production | 50,000 to 66,000 9L cases |
| Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | Certified Biodynamic DEMETER since 2007, Certified Organic by EcoCert France |
