Alsace Flashcards
Departments of Alsace
- Bas Rhin - Strasbourg is the capital
- Haut Rhin- Colmar is the capital and driest city in France. 2/3rd of all GC vineyards located in HR.
3 AOP’s of Alsace
- Alsace/Vin d’Alsace AOP
- Crémant d’Alsace AOP
- Grand Cru Appellations of Alsace
AOP’s of Lorraine
- Côtes de Toul AOP
- Moselle AOP
4 Noble grapes of Alsace
- Gewurtztraminer
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Muscat - (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains, or Muscat Ottonel)
Permitted single varietal bottlings.
All varietally labeled Alsace AOP wines must contain 100% of the printed grape.
Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat,
Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Blanc (Klevner), Chasselas (Gutedel), Sylvaner, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir can all be bottled varietally
Alsace AOP exceptions:
- PInot Blanc, often blended with Auxerrois may be labeled as Pinot Blanc
- Wines labeled Pinot may contain any proportion of Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois and must be vinified without the skins
Edelzwicker
(Noble mixture)
- Edelzwicker is commonly used to designate any blending of white AOC Alsace grape varieties, without any indication of percentage.
- The varieties can be vinified together or separately.
- Vintage on label not required
Gentil
Must contain minimum 50% of any noble grape, plus any other Alsace AOP grape may compose the remainder. Base wines must be vinified separately.
First Alsace Grand Cru vineyard
GC Schlossberg AOP
Est. 1975
Soil: Granite
Commune: Kientzheim
Largest Alsace GC vineyards
GC Schlossberg AOP
80.28 Ha
Commune-Kientzheim
Smallest Alsace GC vineyard
Grand Cru Kanzlerberg AOP
3.23ha
Commune- Bergheim
How many GC in Alsace?
51
2 GC vyds where blending is permitted
-
Altenberg de Bergheim
50-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot Gris, 10-25% Gewurz, max. 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat -
Kaefferkopf
60-80% Gewurz, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat
GC that allows Sylvaner
Zotzenberg est. 2011
Commune- Mittelbergheim
(not allowed for VT and SGN)
Alsace Grand Cru AOP regulations
- Varietal Wines: 100% of the stated variety is required for the assemblage.
-
Minimum alcohol-
11% for Riesling/Muscat and 12.5% for Pinot Gris/Gewurztraminer (Certain vineyards mandate higher amounts) - Élevage: Wines may not be released until June 1 of the year following the harvest. VT and SGN wines require an additional year prior to release.
- Vine training- Single or Double Guyot
- All Grand Cru wine must be vintage-dated.
- Intent to produce GC wine must be declared before March 1 of the harvest year.
- Hand harvesting mandatory
- Alsace Grand Cru wines must be bottled in the traditional “Vin du Rhin” “Flûte d’Alsace” bottle.
- Minimum sugar levels at harvest are higher than Alsace AOP, and yields are more restricted.
Great Alsace vintages
2017-2020
2015
2010
2007
2005
2000
Avoid 2006