Alsace Flashcards by Isabella Tenorio

When did Alsace achieve Aoc status?

1962
• last major French wine region to do so

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30 years war, date and significance

1618 - 1648
French cemented ownership of Alsace from Spanish Habsburgs
Economic hardships stunted growth of viticulture

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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

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When were VT and SGN categories established

1984

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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Which Grand crus allow Pinot Noir

Kirchberg de Barr
Hengst

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Which Grand cru allows Sylvaner

Zotzenberg

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Which Grand crus do not allow varietal muscat

Zotzenberg
Kaefferkopf
Altenberg de Bergheim

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Which Alsace AOC grapes are not allowed in Grand Cru wines

Chasselas
Pinot Blanc
Klevener

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Minimum potential alcohol for Riesling in Alsace AOC vs Grand Cru

AOC: 10% (10.5% with subzone)
Grand cru: 11%

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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)

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Minimum potential Alcohol for pg and gewurz in Alsace AOc vs grand cru

AOC: 11.5% (12% with subzone)
Grand cru: 12.5%

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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 )

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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

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Muscat is not allowed to be bottled varietally in which grand crus?

Zotzenburg
Altenberg de Bergheim
Kaefferkopf

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Minimum planting density for Alsace AOP and grand cru

4500 vines per hectare
2 meters or less between rows

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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