Alsace Flashcards
How long is Alsace roughly from north to south?
60 km
Alsace runs through the eastern flank of a chain of mountains, which mountains?
Along side the Vosges mountains.
What kind of “stone” can you find in Alsace?
limestone, granite and volcanic sandstone
Where are most of the grand cru vineyards found? And why?
Most grand cru’s are found in the south part of the region or Haut-Rhin, as the mountains are more pronounced and thus more protective against the climate.
The region Alsace is broken up into two parts, which?
- The Bas-Rhin (to the North, by Strasbourg)
- Haut-Rhin (to the South on the low slopes of the Vosges Mountains)
Alsace is noted for producing two different grape variaties a bit “better” than the rest of the world, which?
the most noted dry rieslings as well as highly aromatic Gewürztraminer wines.
Which are the three different labels used when producing wine in Alsace?
- AOPs: Alsace AOP for white, red and rosé (Alsace AOP+name of the Lieu-dit?
- Alsace Grand Cru AOP: for white wines from certain classified vineyards
- Crémant d’Alsace AOP for sparkling wines.
Which two main factor geographically determines the wine growing in Alsace?
The vosges mountains in the west and the Rhine river in the east
At which altitude are most of the vineyards on?
175-550 m över havet
The vosges mountains give protection from what?
from rain and maritime influence, therefore the region is rather dry and sunny. warm days, cool nights
How do they label an AOP from Alsace?
Alsace AOP + Lieu-dit, a name of a vineyard.
What’s a blend called in a Alsace AOP?
Edelzwicker or Gentil
Which are the 4 Noble grapes used in Alsace?
Rieling, Guwurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat(Muscat Blanc or Ottonel)
Which grape are you allowed to use in a Pinot d’Alsace?
And what’s it’s colour?
A blend of the Pinot varieties; P. Noir, P. Gris, P. Blanc and sometimes Auxerrois.
A succulent, dry, golden-colored white wine
What’s the label for dessert wines in Alsace, AOP?
Vendanges Tardives
S’election de Grains Nobles
Are you allowed to use chaptalization in an Alsace AOP?
yes, but a lot of producers are moving away from this winemaking technique.
What’s the alsatian “Gentil” Blend?
It’s a blend of at least 50% of the “noble” varieties.
Which grape variety are both rosé and red wine within the Alsace AOP made of?
Pinot Noir
Which other grape varieties except for the “noble” varieties, are you allowed to use when producing a Alsace AOP wine?
Sylvaner, Chasselas, Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois
Which grape varietiers are you allowed to use in a Cremant d’Alsace brut?
Riesling, Pinot blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois and Chardonnay
How’s a Cremant d’Alsace Brut produced?
Traditional method.
9 months on the lees, 3 months in the celler before it’s allowed to be sold
What character does an Cremant d’Alsace brut have?
rich, apple and sweet lemon aromas with small spritzy bubbles.
How many vineyard sited are allowed to bottle under Grand Cru in Alsace?
51 different ones
Which grape varieties are they allowed to use to be able to bottle under Grand Cru in Alsace?
the noble varieties, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat
What will a sandstone soil “give” a grape?
lighter-bodied and leaner white wine.
what will a volcanic soil give a grape?
can make a smoky Pinot Gris, aromatic Pinot Noir and Riesling wines
What’s the difference between a Vendange tardive and a Selection de Grains Noble?
The selection de Grains Noble is a dessert wine made from grapes affected by noble rot.
Vendange tardive means late harvest and refers to grapes that have been left on the vine until they start to dehydrate.
