Alsace 101 Flashcards
What year did Alsace achieve AOC status?
1962
What is the rain shadow effect?
A mountain range that forces air upward, causing it to drop its moisture content on the windward side and leaving drier air on the leeward side of the range
What is mountain range in Alsace?
Vosges Mountain
What is the result of the rain shadow effect created by Vosges Mountain?
Alsace is one of France’s driest and sunniest climates with better vineyards expose to maximum sunlight at southern/south-eastern/warm eastern aspect
Name the two départements
Haut-Rhin & Bas-Rhin
Which département have over two-thirds of Alsace’s grand cru vineyards?
Haut-Rhin
What is the climate of Alsace?
Continental
What is the name of Alsace’s local pink sandstone?
Grés de Vosges
What are the 4 noble grapes of Alsace?
Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains, or Muscat Ottonel), and Gewurztraminer, mostly planted in premier and grand cru vineyards (with minor exception to the rule)
What is another synonym for Pinot Blanc?
Klevner
What is another name for Gutedel?
Chasselas
What is the percentage of printed grapes on varietally labeled Alsace AOP wines?
100% of the grape with the exception of Auxerrois may be accorded the title of “Pinot Blanc” on the label
What varietals represent the largest volume of Alsace production?
Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois
Describe the characteristics of Alsace’s Riesling?
Most planted grape and also to ripen, dry, pronounced acidity and minerality, and higher in alcohol then Germanic’s Riesling, since 2008, Riesling can only be made in the dry style
Describe the characteristics of Alsace’s Pinot Gris?
Formerly known as Tokay d’Alsace or Tokay Pinot Gris, full and rich expression, with spicy-smoky qualities and medium plus acidity
Describe the characteristics of Alsace’s Muscat?
highly aromatic with fragrant floral and grapey notes, lower in acidity
Describe the characteristics of Alsace’s Gewurztramine?
highly aromatic and lower in acidity, perfumed, sweet spices and tropical fruit, higher in alcohol, likely to be off-dry
What is the Klevener grape?
A pink variant of Traminer or known as Savagnin Rose, or Klevener de Heiligenstein (a commune in the Bas-Rhin), moderate aromatic, high acidity, bottled in 5 communes of Alsace App: Heiligenstein, Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, and Obernai.
Explain the term “Edelzwicker”?
“Noble Mixture” or inexpensive blended wine that is not vintage dated and no indication of percentages or varietals on the label.
Explain the term “Gentil”?
Superior designation for blended wine with a minimum of 50% noble grapes and the based wines must be vinified separately.
Describe the style of wine Marcel Deiss advocate for?
Field blends that vinified together and labeled under a vineyard name to emphasize Alsatian terroir
How many grand cru vineyards are in Alsace?
51
Name the first designated grand cru and the year it was decreed?
Schlossberg and 1975
Name the last designated grand cru and the year it was decreed?
Kaefferkopf and 2007
Describe general requirements for grand cru AOP wines
produced mainly singe variety wines from only noble grapes with 1 exception and mandatory hand harvest
Name 2 grand crus that produced blended wine
Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
What is the only exception in grand cru varietal?
Zotzenberg permits Sylvaner varietal to be produce here
List the minimum potential alcohol level for all noble grapes
Riesling - 11%
Muscat - 11%
Pinot Gris - 12.5%
Gewurtztraminer - 12.5%
Name 2 houses that choose not to promote admissible wines as Grand Cru AOP
Trimbach “Clos-Ste-Hune” and Hugel
What are the 2 designations for late harvest wines of single noble varietal ?
Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles
Describe characteristics of Sélections de Grains Nobles
Generally picked over several sorting and harvesting for the best botrytized grapes (or trie), suppressing varietal character, always dessert like
Describe characteristics of Vendages Tardives
Emphasis on varietal purity with some botrytis characters, may vary in sugar level and can be quite dry
What are the minimum must weights for SGN grapes?
276 grams per liter - Muscat & Riesling
306 grams per liter - Pinot Gris & Gewurtztraminer
What are the minimum sugar levels for VT grapes?
244 grams per liter - Muscat & Riesling
270 grams per liter - Pinot Gris & Gewurtztraminer
What is the only red variety allow in Alsace AOP?
Pinot Noir, resulting in light red and rose
Give 3 facts about Crémant d’Alsace AOP
blends of Pinot Blanc (majority) and Pinot Noir.
Only appellation to allow Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Auxerrois to be authorized
Rose version of Crémant d’Alsace are solely made from Pinot Noir through maceration or saignee method
What is the Saignee method?
“To bleed” or pulling juice from a tank of red must for richer more concentrated wine.
What region are Côtes de Toul AOP and Moselle AOP located?
Lorraine, a declining wine growing area
Describe the wine styles in Côtes de Toul
Light red wine made from Pinot Noir, white wines are made from Auxerrois and Aubin, rose made in pale Vin Gris style from Gamay and Pinot Noir
Describe the wine styles in Moselle
Red, white and rose wines are primarily made from Auxerrois and Pinot Noir, with some varietal label of Muller-Thurgau and Pinot Gris
