Alsace Flashcards
What is the climate in Alsace?
Continental with cold winters and warm, sunny and unusually dry summers
What makes the climate in Alsace warm, sunny and unusually dry?
Protection from the Vosges Mountains in the west
What historical events have influenced the wines of Alsace?
Frequent changes in control between France and Germany
Germany influence is seen in aromatic varieties such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer
How do the Vosges Mountains influence rainfall?
Most rain clouds stop on the western side of the mountains so the eastern side where viticulture is found only has around 600mm per year (less than half of what falls in the west)
What issues are there associated with rain in Alsace?
- Summer drought due to moderate rainfall (irrigation not permitted)
- Rain spread evenly throughout the year - can cause issues for flowering and fruit set
What are the wettest and driest months in Alsace?
August - wettest
September/October - driest
What factor is key for ripening in Alsace’s northerly latitude?
Long sunshine hours
What is the most important drying influence in Alsace?
The Fohn wind
Warm wind - raises temperature and reduces fungal disease pressure
What growing conditions do the topography of the Vosges foothills provide?
Diverse sites at a range of altitudes suitable for growing many different grape varieties
Where are the best vineyards in Alsace generally situated?
200-250m altitude
Facing south, south/east or south/west for maximum sunlight interception
What phrase is often used to describe the soils of Alsace?
‘A mosaic of terroirs’
Broadly speaking, what is the main difference between the vineyards on the plain and those on the hillsides?
Plain - deeper, more fertile soils which promote vegetative growth (better suited to high yields for inexpensive wines)
Hillsides - less fertile and better draining, promoting slower growth and higher quality fruit
What are the four permitted noble grape varieties?
Riesling
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Gris
Muscat
What are the main characteristics of Riesling?
- Suitable for cold climates
- Late budding
- Needs long sunlight hours and good drainage to ripen fully
- Can produce good quality at relatively high yields
- Good disease resistance to mildew and rot
What are the main characteristics of Gewürztraminer?
- early budding
- early ripening
- vigorous - lots of canopy management needed
- vulnerable to chlorosis, powdery mildew, grey rot, grapevine moth
Why is Gewürztraminer picked late in Alsace?
To achieve fully ripe skins, maximise aromatics and avoid unripe tannins
What are the main characteristics of Pinot Blanc?
Early budding
Early ripening
Can accumulate high levels of sugar (thus medium to high potential alcohol)
Susceptible to botrytis and downy mildew
Why are picking dates for Pinot Gris an important topic in Alsace?
Can see a very rapid increase in sugar levels accompanied by a drop in acidity
Climate change and canopy management are enabling earlier picking
What is the only black grape permitted for AOC wines in Alsace
Pinot Noir
What are the training systems required by AOC regulations?
Single or double Guyot
Why are fruit zones and canopies generally trained higher than in other regions?
Fruit - to avoid frost
Canopy - to maximise exposure to the sun. Spacing between vines must also be wider to avoid shading
What is the typical planting density in Alsace?
4400 to 4800 vines per hectare
What are the main pests and diseases in Alsace?
Powdery and downy mildew
Grape vine moth
Esca
What percentage of Alsace vineyards are certified organic?
15%
National average is just under 10%
Why does Alsace have a long harvest period?
Due to the range of styles being made (dry to sweet) and diversity of sites
What adds to the cost of production for vineyards on steep slopes?
Hand picking is necessary
AOC regulations state that all Grand Cru vineyards (on the steepest slopes/terraces) must be picked by hand
What is the main aim of most winemaking in Alsace?
To preserve primary fruit character in single varietal wines
Why do some producers use pre fermentation skin contact or leave pressed grapes longer in the press?
To extract flavour
To enhance texture
Why is Gewürztraminer likely to be fermented at warmer temperatures than Muscat, Riesling and Sylvaner?
Has pronounced aromas and high sugar levels. A warmer ferment does not affect the flavours and is desirable to ensure an effective ferment to high alcohol levels
Why are inert fermentation vessels used?
No additional flavours are desired
Why do smaller high quality producers favour ambient yeasts?
Believe they contribute to terroir expressive wines
Why is malolactic conversion generally avoided for white Alsace varieties?
The aim is to retain primary fruit
What is the maximum permitted yield for Alsace AOC wines?
80 hl/ha
How many grand cru vineyards are there in Alsace?
51
What is the main difference between vendange tardive and selection de grains nobles wines?
There is no requirement to have botrytis affected fruit in vendange tardive or for the wine to be sweet
Selection de grains nobles must be sweet and from botrytised fruit
Why do many growers sell grapes to cooperatives and large wineries?
The average vineyard holding is v small - around 3.5 hectares
What makes wine production in Alsace particularly notable (in terms of style)
Producers will often make many different styles from many different grape varieties across all quality levels
What are the 4 sweetness levels in Alsace?
Dry
Off dry
Vendange tardive
Selections de grains nobles
