alsace Flashcards
What are the seven focus grapes of Alsace?
Riesling
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Gewurztraminer
Muscat
Sylvaner
Pinot Noir
In Alsace, which four grapes are considered “noble”?
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Gewurztraminer
Muscat
Riesling is indigenous
to France.
True or False?
FALSE.
Riesling is indigenous
to Germany’s
Rhine Valley.
Sylvaner, although grown in Alsace, is believed to be native to which country?
Austria
There are 13 soil
types in Alsace.
True or False?
TRUE.
The soils in Alsace are complex.
How has climate change impacted the historically dry wine style of Alsace?
Sugar levels are rising and more off-dry wines are being produced.
Front of card
What is the traditional synonym for Pinot Blanc in Alsace?
Klevner
Which Alsace AOC produces sparkling wine?
Crémant d’Alsace AOC
What is the climate of Alsace?
Continental
What is an “Edelzwicker”?
A white Alsace wine made from a blend of any of the approved white grapes of Alsace. Vintage dating is optional.
What type of bottle is commonly used for the wines of Alsace?
The “flute d’Alsace” – a tall, tapered bottle.
What are the two categories of dessert wines produced in Alsace?
Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles
What is a “Gentil”
A blended white wine containing at least 50% of the four noble grapes of Alsace.
In Alsace, each Grand Cru is a separate AOC. True or False?
TRUE.
This has been the case since 2011
“Sélection de Grains Nobles” wines must be made from grapes affected by botrytis.
True or False?
TRUE
What is a “lieu-dit”?
A parcel of land within a single commune that is a legally registered cadastral unit.
Which topographical feature contributes to the dry, sunny climate of Alsace?
The Vosges Mountains
Machine harvesting is common in Alsace.
True or false?
FALSE.
Most vineyards are hand harvested.
What is a “Graben”
Geologically-speaking, a graben is a trench that has sunk between two parallel fault lines.
What is a “Foudre”
A traditional, large, oak cask.
How much of Alsace’s total production consists of blended wines?
20%
How many Grands Crus are there in Alsace?
51
How many AOCs are there in Alsace?
53
Generally, in Alsace, if a grape variety is shown on the label, it must comprise what % of that wine?
100% –
Pinot Blanc is the exception to this rule.
How many Grands Crus allow blends?
2 –
Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
How many Grand Cru AOCs allow the use of Sylvaner?
1 –
Zotzenberg
What is the principal vine training method in Alsace?
Guyot
Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines have their own separate AOCs.
True or False?
FALSE.
These are wine styles within the Alsace AOC
and the Alsace Grand Cru AOCs.
How many Grands Crus permit the production of red wines made from
Pinot Noir?
2 –
Hengst and Kirchberg de Barr
What is the name of the wine region on the western side of the Vosges Mountains?
Lorraine
