Alsace Flashcards
What climate is Alsace?
Alsace has a cool to moderate continental climate.
Which mountain range protects Alsace from westerly rain bearing winds?
The Vosges Mountains.
The lack of clouds in Alsace lead to sunny summers and dry autumns, what do these conditions mean for sugar ripeness in grapes?
The conditions ensure that grapes can achieve high levels of sugar ripeness. (In dry years drought can be an issue).
Where will you find the best vineyard sites?
On steep slopes facing East and South East.
Where will you find lesser vineyard sites?
In the plains from the foothills of the Vosges Mountain range and the Rhine. Here grapes are often grown for Cremant.
What type of viticulture is widely practiced in Alsace?
Organic and Biodynamic practices. This is possible due to the dry sunny conditions, reducing disease pressure.
What months does harvest happen in Alsace?
Between Middle of September to the beginning on December. This is because varieities are growing and ripening at different times, prolonging the harvets period.
The Alsace appellation system for still wines is very simple, what are the 2 principal appellations?
Alsace and Alsace Grand Cru.
There are 2 classifications in Alsace that depend on sugar must levels, what are they?
Vendanges Tardives and Selection de Grains Nobles.
How many Grand Cru vineyards exist in Alsace? Name the 4 single noble grape varieties they must use.
Over 50 Grand Cru sites, they must use Riesling, Muscat, Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Gris. Single varietal wines produced only.
Vendanges Tardives translates to what in English?
Late Harvest.
Selection de Grains Nobles has higher or lower minimum sugar ripeness levels compared to Vendanges Tardives?
Higher. Not produced every year and only ever in small quantities, commonly achieved using noble rot.
If you saw Edelzwicker or Gentil on the label of an Alsace wine, what would this indicate?
That the wine may be blended, and poorer quality than single varietal wines. There are some high quality blends, but these are rare.
Traditional wine makers in Alsace might use what type of oak?
Large barrels that are often over 100 years old. This is because of the tartrate deposit stops the influence of oak aromas.
Modern wine makers in Alsace are likely to use stainless steel vats in their wine making, what are they trying to achieve?
To retain as much aromatic quality and freshness as possible from the noble varieties.
