Alsace Flashcards
When did Alsace achieve Aoc status?
1962
• last major French wine region to do so
30 years war, date and significance
1618 - 1648
French cemented ownership of Alsace from Spanish Habsburgs
Economic hardships stunted growth of viticulture
When was Alsace Grand cru AOC first created and when were amendments made
1975, started with schlossburg
1983 - 24 more vineyards added
1992- 25 more vineyards added
2007 - last gc vineyard (Kaefferkopf) added
2011 - format changed from 1 single AOC to 51
When were VT and SGN categories established
1984
When did AOC Riesling become legally mandated to be dry? What are the sugar limits?
2008
6 g/l if chaptalized
9 g/l if total acidity is <6 g/l
12 g/l if total acidity is >6 g/l
When were subzones or “lieux dits” added to Alsace Aoc
What are they
What grapes are authorized for each sub zone
2012
Blienschwiller: Sylvaner
Cotes de Barr: sylvaner
Scherwiller: Riesling
valle noble: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, pg
Val st gregoire: Auxerrois, pg, pb
Wolxheim: Riesling
Coteaux du haut koenigsburg: Riesling, Gewurztraminer
Bergheim: Gewurztraminer
Ottrott: Pinot noir
Rodern: Pinot noir
Saint hyppolite: Pinot noir
Cote de rouffach: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, pg, pn
What amendment, was made to Alsace Aoc in 2020
Eu sweetness levels required to be on label ( sec, Demi sec, moelleux, doux)
Does not apply to VT or SGN
What are the two types of muscat planted in Alsace and new do they differ
• Blanc/Rose a petits grains (more common in other parts of the world)
- Ottonel (cross brown Chasselas & Muscat Ingram, more resistant to cold)
Which two Alsace grand crus can blend and what are the blending requirements
-Kaefferkopf: 60-80% Gewurztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max 30% Pinot Gris, max 10% Muscat
-Altenberg de Bergheim: 50-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot gris, 10-25% Gewurztraminer, max 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot noir and Pinot Blanc
Which Grand crus allow Pinot Noir
Kirchberg de Barr
Hengst
Which Grand cru allows Sylvaner
Zotzenberg
Which Grand crus do not allow varietal muscat
Zotzenberg
Kaefferkopf
Altenberg de Bergheim
Which Alsace AOC grapes are not allowed in Grand Cru wines
Chasselas
Pinot Blanc
Klevener
Minimum potential alcohol for Riesling in Alsace AOC vs Grand Cru
AOC: 10% (10.5% with subzone)
Grand cru: 11%
Minimum potential Alcohol for muscat in Alsace AOC vs grand cru
AOC: 9.5% ( 10.5% with subzone) (also applies to Chasselas and sylvaner)
Grand cru: 11% (also applies to Sylvaner)
Minimum potential Alcohol for pg and gewurz in Alsace AOc vs grand cru
AOC: 11.5% (12% with subzone)
Grand cru: 12.5%
Minimum must weight for Riesling in Alsace AOc vs Grand cru
AOC: 160 g/l (168 with subzone)
Grand cru: 168 g/l (also applies to muscat and Sylvaner )
Minimum must weight for pg and gewurz in Alsace AOC vs grand cru
AOC: 185 g/l (193 with subzone)
Grand cru: 193 g/l
Muscat is not allowed to be bottled varietally in which grand crus?
Zotzenburg
Altenberg de Bergheim
Kaefferkopf
Minimum planting density for Alsace AOP and grand cru
4500 vines per hectare
2 meters or less between rows
Max yield for white grapes in Alsace AOP vs Grand cru
AOP: 80 hl/ha (72 with geographic designation, 68 with lieu-dit)
Grand cru: 50 hl/ha
Max yield for rosé and red in Alsace AOP ( and red in grand cru )
Rose: 75 hl/ha
Red: 60 hl/ha
Grand cru red: 40hl/ha
Altenberg de Bergheim grand cru differences (legally)
Minimum potential alcohol:
- 12 vs 11 for Riesling
- 14 vs 12.5 for pg and gewurz
Minimum must weight:
- 185 vs 168 for Riesling
- 218 vs 193 for pg and gewurz
Chaptalization and irrigation are prohibited
Minimum planting density: 5,500vines per hectare vs 4500
Why does Altenberg de Bergheim have all these differences?
The area regularly gets plentiful ripeness and water supply from a nearby stream
Marcel Deiss. Nuff said.
“Deliberately intense” winemaking is the norm
Minimum potential alcohol for blends in Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
Altenberg de Bergheim: 14%
Kaefferkopf: 12%
Who makes Clos St. urbain
where is it located
What grapes
Zind-humbrecht
Rangen grand cru
Riesling, pg, gewurz
Who makes Clos St. Theobald
Where is it located
What grapes
Schoffit
Rangen grand cru
Riesling, pg, gewurz
What major producer is based in the village of guebwiller
Schlumberger
What major producer is based in the village of orschwihr
Lucien albrecht
Which major producer is based in the village of pfaffenheim
Pierre frick
Which subzones of Alsace AOP specialize in red wine
Rouffach
Ottrott
Rodern
Saint-hyppolite
Which villages in Alsace allow the production of Klevener
-Heiligenstein
- gertwiller
- bourgheim
-goxwiller
- obernai
Kaefferkopf does not allow which grape for VT or SGN production
Pinot Gris
Which village is zind-humbrecht based in
Wintzenheim
Albert Mann is located in which village
Wettolsheim
Which producers in Kaefferkopf are known for blends
Pierre sparr
J.B. Adam
Albert Boxler is located in which village
Niedermoschwihr
Who makes Clos jebsal
Zind-humbrecht
Pinot Gris
Who makes Clos de la Faille
What is the grape
What grand cru is it near
Albert Mann
Pinot Noir
Hengst
What non-noble white grapes grow well in hengst grand cru
Auxerrois
Chasselas
Who makes Clos häuserer
What is the grape
Zind-humbrecht
Riesling
1.2 hectare plot very similar to hengst terroir
What is zind -humbrecht’S famed Pinot Gris vineyard in wintzenheim
Rotenberg
Pierre sparr is located in which village
Sigolsheim
Nearly owns all of mambourg grand cru
Kientzheim is home to which grand crus and which producer
Schlossberg and furstentum
Paul Blanck
Clos des capucins
Who makes it
What is the grape
Where is it located
Weinbach
Pinot Gris
Kientzenheim and kaysersberg
What other weinbach bottlings come from within the Clos des capucins
Cuvée Theo Riesling
Cuvée St. Catherine pinot-gris
Which village is Hugel based in
Which grand crus are in this village
Riquewihr
sporen and schoennenbourg
Clos ste Hune is located in which grand cru
Who makes it
What is the soil type
Rosacker ( village of hunawihr)
Trimbach
Calcareous clay
Why does Clos ste Hune label not mention the grand cru in which it is located
Trimbach does this as a way to honor the specificity of the site over the politics and controversy of the Alsace grand cru AOP
Which producer does not use the Alsace grand cru designation for wines made within their grand cru holdings
Hugel
Who owns Clos windsbuhl
How large is it
Main soil type
What grapes are grown there
Zind-humbrecht
6 hectares
Limestone
Pinot Gris, gewurz, Riesling
Which notable producers are located in ribeauvillé
Kientzler
Trimbach
Jean sipp
Louis sipp
Which two grand crus are the main sources for Trimbach “cuvée Freddy emille”
Osterberg
Geisberg
Which villages were known for making vin de paille from Chasselas in the 19th century
Ribeauvillé
Rodern
Saint hyppolite
Notable producers located in Bergheim
Deiss
Freyburger
Gustave Lorentz
Jean-marie spiel Mann
Impact of the ribeauvillé fault on bergheim’s soil structure
Less granite, more clay and limestone
What percentage of Alsace’s wine production is grand cru
Less than 5%
Gres de Vosges
Pink sandstone which is found in a lot of Alsaces soil
And it’s used to build churches
Muschelkalk
Fossil limestone
Middle Triassic calcareous rock
Common in grand cru vineyards
What is the name of the bottle shape of Alsace
Flute
Flute du Rhin
Edelzwicker vs. Gentil
Edelzwicker:
- legal term
- “noble mixture”
- not required to be vintage dated or cepage labeled
Gentil:
-not legally official
- blend that must contain minimum 50% noble grapes
-base wines need to be vinified separately and they all need to qualify separately as Alsace AOC wines
- final wine must be tasted and approved
