Alsace Flashcards
Important Clos Vineyards
(not located within Grand Cru Vineyards)
Clos des Capucins (Kaysersberg, Domaine Weinbach)
Clos de la Faille (Wintzenheim, Albert Mann)
Clos Häuserer (Wintzenheim, Zind-Humbrecht)
Clos Himmelreich (Orschwihr, Lucien Albrecht)
Clos Jebsal (Turckheim, Zind-Humbrecht)
Clos Rebberg (Andlau, Marc Kreydenweiss)
Clos Rebgarten (Andlau, Marc Kreydenweiss)
Clos des Récollets (Rouffach, Lucien Albrecht)
Clos Ribeaupierre (Ribeauvillé, Jean Sipp - formerly known as the Clos du Schlossberg)
Clos Windsbuhl (Hunawihr, Zind-Humbrecht)
Year Alsace achievee AOC status
1963
Moselle AOP
Styles
Major Grapes
- Red, White, Rosé
- Auxerrois
- Pinot Noir
Year Moselle was upgraded from VDQS to AOP
2011
Côtes de Toul AOP
2 grapes for white wines
- Auxerrois
- Aubin
Côtes de Toul AOP
Grape
Pinot Noir
Sparkling Wine
% of Alsace Production
25%
Only AOP in Alsace to allow Chardonnay
Crémant d’Alsace AOP
Workhorse variety for Cremant d’Alsace
Pinot Blanc
Cremant d’Alsace
Styles
Grapes
- Blanc: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, Chardonnay
- Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir
Only red variety permitted for Alsace AOP wines
Pinot Noir
SGN Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer
Min. Must Weight
306 g/l
SGN Riesling, Muscat and Muscat Ottonel
Min. Must Weight
276 g/l
VT Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer
Min. Must Weight
270 g/l
VT Riesling, Muscat and Muscat Ottonel
Min. Must Weight
244 g/l
T/F: Vendanges Tardives must be sweet.
False
- VT wines may vary in actual sugar, and can be quite dry
Late-harvest designation that can show botrytis, but emphasizes varietal purity
Vendanges Tardives
Late-harvest designation generally picked in tries, suppresses varietal characteristic for botrytis
Sélections de Grains Nobles
T/F: Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles are terms that may only be printed on the labels of Alsace Grand Cru AOP.
False
- The terms may be printed on Alsace AOP and Alsace Grand Cru AOP
Year AOP designations for late-harvest wines Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles were created
1984
2 Producers who choose not to promote wines as Grand Cru
- Trimbach - Clos-Ste-Hune, Rosacker GC
- Hugel
Largest grand cru of Alsace
- Schlossberg
- 80 ha
Smallest grand cru of Alsace
- Kanzlerberg
- 3 ha
Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer
Grand Cru AOP
Min. Alcohol
12.5%
- although certain vineyards mandate higher amounts
Riesling and Muscat
Grand Cru AOP
Min. Alcohol
11%
- although certain vineyards mandate higher amounts
Is mechanical harvesting permitted for grand cru wines?
No. Hand-harvesting is mandatory.
Sylvaner is permitted as a varietal wine in what Grand Cru AOP?
Zotzenberg
2 grand crus of Alsace that may blend to certain prescribed proportions
- Altenberg de Bergheim
- Kaefferkopf
51st grand cru added in 2006
Kaefferkopf
Year Alsace Grand Cru AOP first proposed
1975
Number of vineyards designated as grand crus in 1983
25
Staunchest advocates of using field blends as a means of emphasizing Alsatian terroir
Marcel Deiss
Gentil
Requirements
- a blend
- min 50% noble grapes
- any other Alsace AOP grape may compose the remainder
- base wine must be vinified separately
Gentil
Superior designation for blends from Alsace
Does a wine labeled Edelzwicker need to contain more than one grape?
No
- In practice Edelzwicker are blends, however they do not need to indicate any percentages or grapes on the label
Does a wine labeled Edelzwicker need to be vintage dated?
No
Edelzwicker
“noble mixture”
- Usually indicates its own inverse, an inexpensive blend
Difference between Klevner and Klevener
- Klevner = Pinot Blanc
- Klevener = pink variant of Traminer - known as Savagnin in the Jura
5 communes that may bottle Klevener de Heiligenstein vareitally as Alsace AOP
- Heiligenstein
- Bourgheim
- Gertwiller
- Goxwiller
- Obernai
Where will you find a few plantings of Klevener in Alsace?
Around the commune of Heiligenstein in the Bas-Rhin
Savagnin
Synonym
Klevener
- Known as Savagnin in Jura
Is new oak usually a factor in the vinification of noble varieties of Alsace?
No, although many producers use large neutral casks for fermentation and aging.
T/F: Muscat is more likely than Gewurztraminer to be off-dry.
False
T/F: Muscat is higher in alcohol than Gewurztraminer.
False
- Muscat: min 11% alcohol
- Gewurztraminer: min 12.5% alcohol
How do the aromas of Muscat differ from Gewurztraminer?
- Muscat - fragrant floral grape-y notes
- Gewurztraminer - sweet spices and tropical fruit
What two noble grapes of Alsace are highly aromatic?
- Muscat
- Gewurztraminer
What are the characteristics of Pinot Gris from Alsace?
full, rich expression, with spicy-smoky qualities and a frame of good acidity
What was Pinot Gris formerly called?
Tokay d’Alsace or Tokay Pinot Gris
Alsatian Rieslings characteristics vs Germany
Dry, more powerful, and higher in alcohol
Last noble grape to ripen
Riesling
Most planted grape in Alsace
Riesling
White wines labeled simply as “Pinot”
Permitted Varieties
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Gris
- Auxerrois
T/F: Sylvaner can be labeled by variety for Alsace AOP.
True
Chasselas
Synonym in Alsace
Gutedel
Pinot Blanc
Synonym in Alsace
Klevner
4 “noble” grapes of Alsace
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
-
Muscat
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
- Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains
- Muscat Ottonel
- Gewurztraminer
White Wine
% of Alsace AOP
90%
Soils
Plain at the base of the mountain
- Alluvial clay
- Gravel
Soils
Lower mountain slopes
Limestone
Soils
Steeper mountain slopes
- Schist
- Granite
- Volcanic sediment
Driest city in France
Colmar
Mountain range to the west of Alsace
Vosges Mountains
Portion of Alsace Grand Cru vineyards located in Haut-Rhin (south)
2/3
Altenberg de Bergheim
Encepagement
- 50-70% Riesling
- 10-25 Pinot Gris
-
10-25% Gewurztraminer
- plus
- Also, varietally labeled 100% Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris
Capital of the Haut-Rhin
Colmar
Single most important aspect of Alsace’s climate with regards to viticulture
Sunshine hours
- The Vosges create a rain shadow effect, making Alsace incredibly sunny and dry
grés de Vosges
Pink Sandstone
Kaefferkopf
Encepagement
- 60-80% Gewurztraminer
- 10-40% Riesling
Grand Cru is authorized for Sylvaner
Zotzenberg
Grand Crus not authorized for varietal Muscat
- Altenberg de Bergheim
- Kaefferkopf
Basic min. alcohol for Riesling and Muscat
11%
Basic min. alcohol for Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris
12.5%
Northernmost Grand Cru in Alsace
Steinklotz
Southernmost Grand Cru in Alsace
Rangen
Post 2008, max rs for Alsatian Riesling
-
9g/L
- if TA is 6
-
6g/L
- if chaptalization is used
Exceptions to the Dry Riesling rule
- If labeled by a lieu-dit
- Also VT and SGN
Permitted grape of Marc d’Alsace
Gewürztraminer
Select the most highly regarded vintage in Alsace.
A. 2003
B. 2004
C. 2006
D. 2007
2007
When did Alsace gain AOC status?
1962
Between the Haut-Rhin and the Bas-Rhin, which subregion contains the most premier quality vineyards?
The Haut-Rhin
What is the capital of the Haut-Rhin?
Colmar
What is the single most important aspect of Alsace’s climate with regards to viticulture?
Sunshine hours. The Vosges create a rain shadow effect, making Alsace incredibly sunny and dry.
What is grés de Vosges?
Pink sandstone
What soils are generally found on the higher mountain slopes?
schist, granite, volcanic sediment
What soils are generally found on the lower mountain slopes?
Limestone
What soils are generally found on the plain?
alluvial clay and gravel
What % of Alsace’s production is white?
90%
What are the four noble grapes of Alsace?
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Muscat
- Gewurztraminer
What are the three allowed clones of Muscat?
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
- Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains
- Muscat Ottonel
What is Klevner?
Pinot Blanc
What is Gutedel?
Chasselas
What is KlevEner
Savagnin
What other variety may be blended into varietal bottlings of Pinot Blanc?
Auxerrois
If the wine is labeled simply “Pinot,” what varieties are permitted?
Noir, Blanc, Gris, Auxerrois