Alsace Flashcards
AOP of Alsace
Alsace/Vin d’Alsace AOP
Crémant d’Alsace AOP
Grand Cru Appellations of Alsace
AOP of Lorraine
Côtes de Toul AOP
Moselle AOP
Noble grapes of Alsace
- Riesling
- Muscat (Muscat blanc à petits grains and Muscat Ottonel)
- Pinot Gris
- Gewürztraminer
Other Varieties of Alsace
- Auxerrois
- Pinot Blanc (Pinot Blanc + Auxerrois)
- Pinot (Klevner): PB+PG+PN+Auxerrois (vinified as a white wine)
- Chasselas (Gutedel)
- Sylvaner
- Pinot Noir
- Traminer (Savagnin du Jura - Localy know as Klevener)
Largest Volume of Appelation production (grapes)
Pinot blanc and Auxerrois
Most planted grape of Alsace
Riesling
Labelling in Alsace AOP
100% of the stated grapes
(Auxerrois can be blended with PB and be labelled PB)
(White wine Labelled «Pinot» can be PN, PB, PG and Auxerrois)
When Tokay Pinot Gris has been discontinued?
1st of April 2007
(Result of an accord btw EU and Hungary in 1993)
Klevener of Heiligenstein (Alsace AOP)
- Bas-Rhin (South-West of Strasbourg)
- Klevener (Savagnin du Jura / Pink Grape)
- 5 communes May bottle under Alsace AOP (Heilingenstein, Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, Obernai)
- Min 11% abv /Min Must Weight 177g/l
Edelzwicker
- White
- One or more grape varieties
- may or may not be vintage-dated
- Vinified together or separately
Gentil
- white blend
- min 50% noble grapes (R/M/PG/G)
- rest of grapes can be Sylvaner, Chasselas and/or PB
- Before blending, grapes should be vinified separately
- vintage must be stated
Alsace Grand Cru Decreed
- 1975: Schlossberg (1st G.C)
- 1983: additional 24 G.C
- 1992: additional 25 G.C
- 2007: Kaefferkopf last addition
TOTAL OF 51 G.C
Which are the G.C allow blending?
- Altenberg de Bergheim (50-70% Riesling, 10-25% PG, 10-25% Gewürztraminer, max 10% comb Chasselas, Muscat, PN and PB)
- Kaefferkopf (60-80% Gewürztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max 30% PG, max 10% Muscat)
Altenberg de Bergheim AOP
- Haut-Rhin (35.06ha)
- Varietal (100%): Riesling or Gewürztraminer or PG
- Blend: 50-70% Riesling, 10-25% PG, 10-25% Gewürztraminer, max 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat, PN and PB (they must be planted before 2005)
Max Yield: blanc 50hl/ha | VT 50hl/ha | SGN 40hl/ha
Soils: Marl/Limestone
Kaefferkopf AOP
- Haut-Rhin (71.65ha)
- Varietal (100%) Riesling or Gewürztraminer or PG (not allowed for VT or SGN)
- Blend 60-80% Gewürztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max 30% PG, max 10% Muscat
Max Yield: blanc 50hl/ha | VT 50hl/ha | SGN 40hl/ha
Soils: Granite and Limestone/Sandstone
Which Grand Cru can produce PN
- Kirchberg de Barr
- Bas-Rhin (40.63ha)
- PN + Noble Grapes
- Max Yield: red 40hl/ha
- Soil: Calcareous Marl - Hengst
- Haut-Rhin (53.02ha)
- PN + Noble Grapes
- Max Yield: red 40hl/ha
- Soil: Marl-Limestone-Sandstone
Maximum Yield Alsace AOP
- Blanc: 80 hl/ha (72 hl/ha with a geographical designation, 68 hl/ha with a lieu-dit)
- Rosé: 75 hl/ha
- Rouge: 60 hl/ha
- VT: 55 hl/ha
- SGN: 40 hl/ha
Maximum Yield Alsace Grand Cru AOP
- Blanc: 50 hl/ha
- Rouge: 40 h/ha
- VT: 50 hl/ha
- SGN: 40 hl/ha
Which Grand Cru can produce Sylvaner?
Zotzenberg
- Bas-Rhin (36.45ha)
- Commune: Mittelbergheim
- Grapes : Gewürzt / Riesling / Muscat / PG / Sylvaner (not allowed VT & SGN)
- Soil: Marl-Limestone
VT & SGN
- Minimum Must Weight
- Minimum Alcohol Potential
- VT
- Riesling / Muscat: 244g/l - 14.5% abv
- PG / Gewürzt : 270g/l - 16% abv - SGN
- Riesling / Muscat: 276g/l - 16.4% abv
- PG / Gewürzt : 306g/l - 18.2% abv
Low change in 2001
What happens in 2011 in Alsace?
Alsace Grand Cru AOP was increased from 1 to 51.
Each vineyard received its own appellation and cahier des charges
Smallest Alsace Grand Cru
Kanzlerberg
- Haut-Rhin (3.23ha)
- Commune: Bergheim
- Grapes: Noble Grapes
- Soil: Marl-Limestone-Gypsum
Largest Alsace Grand Cru
Schlossberg
- Haut-Rhin (80.28ha)
- Commune: Kientzheim
- Grapes: Noble Grapes
- Soil (Principal): Granite
VT vs SGN
- VT
- Usually passerillage (possibility of Botrytis
- Purity of the grape variety
- In some case the wine can be dry - SGN
- Botrytis
- Picked in tries and suppress varietal character in return for the complexities of botrytis
VT and SGN wines are not obligated by statute to be sweet
Crémant d’Alsace AOP
- Haut-Rhin / Bas-Rhin
- Mousseux Blanc: PB / Riesling / PN / PG / Auxerrois and/or Chardonnay
- Mousseux Rosé: 100% PN (Macération ou Saigné)
- Aging: 12 month total aging with 9 months on lees
- Max Yield: 80hl/ha
Crémant d’Alsace Émotion
- Launched in 2012
- Top quality lvl for Alsace Sparkling
- Min 75% PB / PN / Chardonnay together or separately
- Min 24 months on lees
Top Crémant d’Alsace Producer
- Jean Claude Buecher (7ha, more than 10 cuvée of crémant, really long lees ageing up to 102 months)
- Gustave Lorentz
- Charles Frey
Top Producer Alsace (12)
- Trimbach (Haut-Rhin, Ribauvillé)
- Zind-Humbrecht (Haut-Rhin, Truckheim)
- Weinbach (Haut-Rhin, Kientzheim)
- Albert Boxer (Haut-Rhin, Niedermorschwihr)
- Marcel Deiss (Haut-Rhin, Bergheim)
- Ostertag (Bas-Rhin, Epfig)
- Huge & Fils (Haut-Rhin, Riquewihr)
- Albert Mann (Haut-Rhin, Wettolsheim)
- Schlumberger (Haut-Rhin, Guebwiller)
- Josmeyer (Haut-Rhin, Wintzenheim)
- Barmès-Buecher (Haut-Rhin, Wettolsheim)
- Meyer-Fonné (Haut-Rhin, Katzenthal
Trimbach
- 1626 in Ribauvillé (Haut Rhin)
- 27 ha
Top Cuvée
1. Clos Ste Hune
- Grand Cru Rosacker à Hunawihr (1.67ha in the middle of the G.C) (in family since 200y)
- 1st Vintage 1919
- Vinification old foudre or inox, on fine lees
- only two vintages for VT (1983 & 1989)
- Soil: marly-limestone, calci-magnetic, with calcareous and dolomitic pebbles
- 650 cases
2. Cuvée Frédéric Emile
- Blend of Geisberg and Osterberg Grand Crus
- 1st Vintage 1967
Soils: marl-limestone-sandstone and shell limestone composition of the terroir
3. Riesling “Schlossberg” Grand Cru: Inaugural vintage 2014.
4. Riesling “Geisberg” Grand Cru: Inaugural vintage 2009.
5. Riesling “Mandelberg” Grand Cru: Inaugural vintage 2016. (Previously labelled as Cuvée M)
6. Riesling “Brand” Grand Cru: Inaugural vintage 2018.
Zind-Humbrecht
-1959 in Turckheim (Haut-Rhin)
- 40ha (14000 cases)
Top Wines
1. Riesling Grand Cru Rangen Clos Saint Urbain: Inaugural vintage 1978 (as well PG / Gewürztraminer)
2. Riesling Clos Häuserer
3. Riesling Clos Windsbuhl
4. Muscat Grand Cru Goldert
5. Gewurztraminer Herrenweg de Turckheim VT
6. Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Hengst VT
7. Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal VT
Olivier Humbrecht practices “hands off” winemaking with very slow fermentations from indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation is not stopped if it occurs. Wines age at least six months on their lees in old oak barrels. Wines are bottled one to two years after harvest.
Sweetness index next to the alcohol lvl, from 1 to 5 (driest to sweetest)
Weinbach
- 1898 in Kientzheim (Haut-Rhin)
- 28ha (12000 cases)
Top Wines
1. Riesling Vin d’Alsace Cuvée Colette: Sourced from vineyards at the bottom of Schlossberg Grand Cru that are picked later than the other bottlings. AOP label (Some vineyard
2. Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Sainte Catherine: Inaugural vintage 1984.
3.Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Sainte Catherine “L’Inédit!”: Produced from specific plots of botrytized Riesling; picked all at once (without tries). Inaugural vintage 1998.
4. Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Mambourg
5. Pinot Gris Altenbourg
6. Quintessences de Grains Nobles: produced only in outstanding vintages; made from selected botrytized berries; production averages 34 cases/year (375-ml bottles): Inaugural vintage 1983.
Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed as whole clusters in modern pnuematic presses. The must settles at cellar temperature and is fermented using indigenous yeasts. The wines ferment and age in large foudres for several months, depending on cuvée.
Albert Boxer
- 1673 in Niedermoschwihr (Haut-Rhin)
- 13.8ha (5200 cases)
Top Wines
1. Riesling Grand Cru Brand “Kirchberg”
2. Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg “Dudenstein”
3. Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg “Eckberg”
4. Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg VT & SGN
5. Pinot Gris Grand Cru Sommerberg “Wibtal”
6. Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Brand VT
Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed, then cold-settled prior to fermentation with indigenous yeasts. All wines are fermented in foudres except for the Gewurztraminer bottlings and all Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines, which ferment in stainless steel
Marcel Deiss
- 1947 in Bergheim (Haut-Rhin)
- 27ha (10000 cases)
** Top Wines **
1. Grand Cru Mambourg: Inaugural vintage 1998.
2. Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim: Inaugural vintage 1994.
3. Grand Cru Schoenenbourg
Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed as whole clusters in a basket press. The must settles at cellar temperature and is fermented using indigenous yeasts. The wines ferment and age in large foudres for at least one year. Wines are filtered and bottled with minimal sulfur.
Moselle AOP
- Dep : Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle
- Grapes / Blend:
- White blend: Min 50% of Auxerrois, max 10% Gewürztraminer + Müller-Thurgau, PG, PB, Riesling
- Variety Label: PG and Müller-Thurgau
- Rosé : Min 70% PN + Gamay (De-stemming and maceration of red grapes for 24-48 hours is mandatory)
- Rouge: 100% PN - Max Yield:
- Blanc: 68 hl/ha - Rosé: 60 hl/ha
- Rouge: 55 hl/ha
Côtes de Toul AOP
- Dep : Meurthe-et-Moselle
- Grapes / Blend:
- White: Auxerrois & Aubin
- Gris: max 85% Gamay, min. 10% Pinot Noir + max 15% combined Pinot Meunier, Aubin, and Auxerrois
- Red: 100% PN - Max Yield:
- Blanc/Vin Gris: 60 hl/ha
- Rouge: 45 hl/ha
The Vosges Mountains
Alsace is separated from the rest of France by the Vosges Mountains in the west.
The mountains provide:
- rain shadow effect
- one of France’s driest and sunniest climates
Alsace Climate
Semi-Continental
Best Vineyard exposure
- Southern exposure
- Southeastern exposure
- warm eastern exposure
Only allowed Grape in Marc d’Alsace
Gewurztraminer
Cuvée Frederic Émile is blend of which two G.C?
- Geisberg
- Osterberg
What domaine’s top wines are labeled as “Jubilee?”
Hugel
Who produce Clos Häuserer
Zind-Humbrecht
Who produce Clos de la Faille
Albert Mann
Who produce Clos des Capucins
Weinbach
Who produce Clos Rebberg
Marc Kreydenweiss
Which grapes may comprise between 10-25% of blends from the Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru?
Gewurztraminer
What is maximum yield of pressed wine in liters from 150 kg of grapes in Crémant d’Alsace AOP?
100
G.C on Granite soil
- Brand
- Frankstein
- Gloeckelberg
- Kaefferkopft (Granite/Limestone)
- Praelatenerg (Granite/Gneiss)
- Schlossber
- Sommerberg (mica-concentrated Granite)
- Wineck-Schlossberg
- Winzenberg
G.C on Volcanic soil
- Kitterlé (Volcanic/Sandstone)
- Muencherg (Permian Igneous/Volcanic)
- Rangen (Igneous/Volcanic)
G.C on Dolomitic Limestone soil
- Rosacker
G.C on Marl soil
- Altenberg de Bergbieten (Marl/Limestone/Gypsum)
- Altenberg de Bergheim (Jurassic Marl/Limestone)
- Altenberg de Wolxheim (Jurassic Marl/Limestone)
- Bruderthal (Marl/Limestone)
- Engelberg (Marl/Limestone)
- Geisberg (Marl/Limestone/Sandstone)
- Goldert (Marl/Porous Limestone)
- Hatschbourg (Marl/Limestone)
- Hengst (Marl/Limestone/Sandstone)
- Kanzlerberg (Keuper Gypsum Marl / Muschelkalk)
- Kirchberg de Barr (Marl/Limestone)
- Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé (Marl/Limestone/Sandstone)
- Marckrain (Marl/Porous Limestone)
- Moenchberg (Marl/Limestone/Slate Colluviums)
- Ollwiller (Marl/Sandstone)
- Osterberg (Marl/Limestone/Sandstone)
- Saering (Marl/Limestone)
- Schoenenbourg (Keuper Marl)
- Sonnenglanz (Marl/Limestone)
- Sporen (Jurassic Marl)
- Steingrubler (Marl/Limestone/Sandstone)
G.C on Limestone
- Eichberg (Oligoene Limestone)
- Furstentum (Jurassic Limestone)
- Mambourg (Magnesium Rich Limestone/Marl)
- Pfersigberg (Jurassic Limestone)
- Steinklotz
- Vorbourg (Limestone/Sandstone)
- Zinnkoepflé (Limestone/Sandstone)
- Zotzenberg (Jurassic and Oligocene Limestone/Marl)
G.C on Slate
- Kastelberg (100% Riesling - Bas Rhin)
Which G.C are 100% Riesling?
- Geisberg (Ribeauvillé - Haut-Rhin)
- Kastelberg (Andlau - Bas-Rhin)
- Muenchberg (Nothalten - Bas-Rhin)
