Alsace

Question 1

When did the Romans take over Alsace?

Answer 1

58BC

Question 2

When did they first plant grapes on the slopes of the Voges Mtns?

Answer 2

2nd Century AD

Question 3

When did Clovis Impose French culture on Alsace?

Answer 3

496AD

Question 4

When were the vines of Alsace entrusted to the Abbeys and Churches of Alsace and by whom?

Answer 4

Charlemagne 8th century

Question 5

When did Charlemagne expand the management of vineyard and to whom?

Answer 5

To Kings and Princes in the 9th Century

Question 6

What other important thing did Charlemagne do?

Answer 6

He allowed the church to make wine beyond just for services.

Question 7

What varietals became prominent during the 15th and 16th century?

Answer 7

Riesling 1477, Muscat 1523, Traminer 1551

Question 8

Where is the Traminer varietal from?

Answer 8

Italian origins

Question 9

What happened between 1618 - 1648?

Answer 9

Religious wars that destroyed most vineyards in France including Alsace whose vineyards almost disappeared because farmers and farms die, not nobles

Question 10

When was Alsace rules by Germany?

Answer 10

1870 - 1918

Question 11

What did the germans do?

Answer 11

Got rid of Noble Grapes and planted more productive grapes and fruits in Alsace. Land attributed to Vineyards decreased a lot.

Question 12

What happened in 1870?

Answer 12

Phylloxera hits and many grapes vines die out due to their inability to successfully graft.

Question 13

What happened in November 1918?

Answer 13

Alsace became French again, vineyards are replanted and the idea of the “AOC” system begins to take root ( pardon the pun) in Alsace.

Question 14

What happens after WW2?

Answer 14

Wine Makers rebuild region again with a mixture of what France and Germany do in wine making.

Question 15

What makes Alsace one of the most complex wine regions of France?

Answer 15

The geological formations of the Rhine Valley

Question 16

What created the formations?

Answer 16

150 million years ago, the sea rolled over it with sandstone, limestone, and marl settling on top , the land rose up, then collapsed in the center creating the Rhine Valley.

Question 17

What land and soil conditions did his create?

Answer 17

Steep slopes with layers of different soil types including sedimentary sea and river deposits and erosion that add to the complexity of the soil.

Question 18

Main soil types

Answer 18

Marly Sandstone - Lively Fruity wines
Granite/Gneiss - Very fresh pure wines
Schist - Pure wine, great aging - best Riesling
Clay Marls - Body, Aromatic Complex

Question 19

If you mix the main soils, what do you get?

Answer 19

13 identified different soil compositions

Question 20

How is Alsace different?

Answer 20

Its the most arid region in France

Question 21

What borders Alsace?

Answer 21

Black Forest on the east, West Voges Myns on the west

Question 22

What is the climate of Alsace?

Answer 22

Warm Continental climate that is the driest in France

Question 23

What is the wine capital of Alsace?

Answer 23

Colmar

Question 24

When was the first AOC created?

Answer 24

1962, AOC Alsace + Name of the grape varietal. This convention is unique in France.

Question 25

How is this unique?

Answer 25

Adding the grape to the label is mandatory and copies the german labeling convention

Question 26

What was created in 1963?

Answer 26

CIVA, the Union of Alsace Winemakers

Question 27

What happened in 1972?

Answer 27

Alsace patented the "Flute" shaped bottle called "Vin du Rhin" and its use is mandatory/

Question 28

What happened in 1975?

Answer 28

AOC Alsace Grand Cru is created

Question 29

What grapes can only be used in a Grand Cru?

Answer 29

Riesling, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris

Question 30

What was the first "Grand Cru"?

Answer 30

Schlossberg which is a vineyard area Plot

Question 31

For Grand Cru, what must the label say?

Answer 31

AOC Alsace + Grape Varietal + Vineyard Plot

Question 32

What happened in 1976?

Answer 32

AOC Cremant d'Alsace created. Sparkling wine in the Traditional Method.

Question 33

How does AOC Cremant d'Alsace differ from AOC Alsace?

Answer 33

Its can be blended and irt is not mandatory to put the varietals used on the label

Question 34

What happened to Grand Cru's in 1983?

Answer 34

An extended list of Vineyards is added

Question 35

What happened in 1984?

Answer 35

Vendange Tardives (late harvest) and Grains Noble (noble rot) are added to the labels as special mention wines

Question 36

What happened in 2011?

Answer 36

A mid level between AOC Alsace and Grand Cru was added

Question 37

What is the convention for mid level

Answer 37

AOC Alsace + name of area or village ie: AOC Alsace Bolinberg. It can be a village or an area or both together

Question 38

What happened in 2015?

Answer 38

Layer between AOC Alsace + Village and AOC Alsace Grand Cru created "Premier Cru"

Question 39

How many AOC's are in Alsace?

Answer 39

53 AOC's

Question 40

What is the make up?

Answer 40

1 - AOC Alsace - Regional (+ Grape, + Village or locality, + optional special mention), 1 - AOC Crémant d/Alsace, 51 AOC Alsace Grand Cru of noble grapes + optional special mention

Question 41

What happened in the summer of 2022

Answer 41

Two "Grand Cru" vineyards were approved for Pinot Noir

Question 42

How many grapes are grown in Alsace

Answer 42

12, 4 noble

Question 43

What grapes must be used for AOP Alsace?

Answer 43

The 4 Noble grapes plus 6 other for a total of 10. All wines must be 100% from one grape and can be still, white, rose or red

Question 44

What grape can't be used at AOP Alsace?

Answer 44

Chardonnay

Question 45

What is Chardonnay used in?

Answer 45

AOP CRemant d'Alsace Sparkling wine

Question 46

What are the two Blended wines of AOP Alsace?

Answer 46

AOP Alsace Edelzwicker and AOP Alsace Gentil

Question 47

What are these Blended wines

Answer 47

White Only

Question 48

What are the most planted grapes

Answer 48

Riesling, Pinot Blanc (most), Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer

Question 49

What grape are they beginning to plant in Alsace

Answer 49

Syrah or Syraz for some of you! As a Vin de France

Question 50

What wine types do AOP Cremant d'Alsace

Answer 50

Rose and white from Hand Harvesting and Traditional Method ONLY

Question 51

How long bottle aging on Leis?

Answer 51

9 months, single grape or blended

Question 52

When is the release date assuming September harvest?

Answer 52

July of the following year giving you 5 months to market before the festive season

Question 53

How long does Loire and Champagne require on Leis?

Answer 53

12 and 15 months respectively

Question 54

How to serve AOP Cremant d"alsace?

Answer 54

6-8 C, by the glass or bottle, low level sparkling wine compared to Champagne. Pair with scallops, creamy flowered crust cheese or white meat - chicken supreme

Question 55

Define Grand Cru?

Answer 55

Delimited Perimeter, Specific Geological and Climatic Characteristics, Specific Varietals only 4 Noble Riesling, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris ( Pinot Noir 2022)

Question 56

What is the only exception to the Grand Cru Grape types?

Answer 56

Grand Cru Zotzenberg Sylvaner grape

Question 57

What are the strict conditions of Grand Cru?

Answer 57

4 noble grapes, on the 51 recognized vineyards, grape vintage and name of vineyard on label, hand harvest, prior to approval, INAO controlled tasting done.

Question 58

What are the strict conditions of Special Mention wines?

Answer 58

Only 4 noble grapes, hand picked, grape varietal on label, no additional sugar may be added, tasted and analytical evaluation 18 months after harvest

Question 59

Residual sugar Late Harvest

Answer 59

257g/L Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris, 235 g/L Riesling or Muscat

Question 60

Residual Sugar Grains Nobles

Answer 60

306 g/L Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris, 276 g/L Riesling or Muscat

Question 61

What is Mandatory on the Labels of special Mention wines

Answer 61

Either the Special Mention Name (Vendanges Tardives or Grains Nobles) or the scale (Sec (dry) to Doux (sweet) to as set by regulators

Question 62

What is Marc of Gewurztraminer?

Answer 62

The french equivalent of Italian Grappa distillation of the skin after fermentation

Question 63

Notable Alsatian Cheese

Answer 63

Munster