Cremant, it’s like French for Prosecco.

You can expect a cremant to be made in a similar fashion to Champagne. The bubbles are created in the bottle by adding stuff to create a small secondary fermentation (aka “methode champenoise” on the label). So cremants aren’t as cheap as your cheap ass bubbles (which more likely carbonate wine like soda).

Cremants will feature grapes native to the region on the label. So a Cremant de Bourgogne can be made from Chardonnay or Pinot Noir (just like Champagne). But my favorite is Cremant d’Alsace, which are made from the region’s very fragrant and lovely Riesling, Pinot Gris and Blanc grapes to name a few. René Muré, imported by Bobby Kacher, produces a very reliable and widely available Cremant d’Alsace ($16-18). It manages to smell zesty and creamy, with a bright flavor that’s not too bracingly citrus. All I know is I easily knocked back a bottle+ of it at the Swedish Housewife’s brunch last week.

The great thing about cremants is–they are as seriously good as they are seriously inexpensive, and you shouldn’t have to mix them with anything.