Alsace Flashcards
Throughout the Middle Ages what was Alsace a province of?
The Holy Roman Empire.
In what year did Alsace achieve AOC status?
1962
What are the two départments of Alsace?
Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin
In which départment are 2/3s of the Grand Crus of Alsace located?
Haut-Rhin
What mountain range separates Alsace from the rest of France?
The Vosges Mountains
What is the capital of the Haut-Rhin départment?
Colmar
What is the name of the local pink sandstone in Alsace?
Grés de Vosges
What percentage of Alsace wine production is white?
90%
What are the four noble grapes of Alsace?
Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, and Gewurztraminer.
What varietals does Alsace AOP allow?
Auxerrois
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Gewürztraminer
Muscat: Muscat Blanc/Rose a Petit Grains and Muscat Ottonel
Pinot Blanc: Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois
Pinot (klevner): Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir
Chasselas
Sylvaner
What wines can be blended in the Alsace AOP Pinot?
Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois.
What grape is Gewurztraminer is a pink-berried clone of?
Traminer
What other pink variant of Traminer, other than Gewurtztraminer, is allowed in some villages of Alsace?
Savagnin Rose
What does the term Edelzwicker mean?
“Noble mixture”, which usually indicates the opposite, inexpensive blended wine.
What unusual laws are there regarding Edelzwicker?
They do not need a vintage nor to be a blend.
What does the unofficial term “gentil” mean?
That the Edelzwicker contains at least 50% noble grapes.
In what year was the Alsace Grand Cru AOP was first decreed?
The Alsace Grand Cru AOP was first decreed in 1975.
What is the first and last Grand Cru of Alsace?
Schlossberg is the first in 1975 and Kaefferkopf is the last added in 2007.
What two Grand Crus of Alsace are allowed to blend according to certain prescribed proportions?
Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf.
What is the name of the grand cru of Alsace that is permitted to bottle Sylvaner as Grand Cru?
Zotzenberg
What three vineyards may bottle grand cru Pinot Noir in Alsace?
Hengst, Kirchberg de Barr, and Vorbourg.
What is the difference between Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles?
Grapes destined for Sélection de Grains Nobles are generally picked in tries and suppress varietal character in return for the complexities of botrytis. Vendanges Tardives, on the other hand, may show botrytis character but emphasize varietal purity.
What does Passerillage mean?
A process in which grapes are air-dried and shriveled after harvest to increase their sugar concentration. This takes place in a dry, well-ventilated area in order to avoid spoilage.
What are the major differences in sweetness between VT and SGN wines?
Quality VT wines usually originate from vines in a state of passerillage. VT and SGN wines are not obligated by statute to be sweet; in practice, SGN wines are always dessert-like, but VT wines may vary in actual sugar and can be quite dry.
What are the allowable grapes for Cremant d’Alsace blanc and rose?
Mousseux Blanc: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, and/or Chardonnay
Mousseux Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir
What is the predominant varietal of Cremant d’Alsace?
Riesling, very closely followed by Pinot Blanc
What grapes are allowed for Rouge and Rosé in Alsace?
Pinot Noir
What varieties are allowed for Vendanges Tardives?
Gewurztraminer
Pinot Gris
Muscat
Muscat ottonel
Riesling
No blends allowed!
What are the minimum Must weights for Vendanges Tardives?
Muscats and Rieslings 235 g/l
Pinot Gris and Gewurz 257 g/l
What varietals are allowed for Sélection de Grain Noble?
Gewurztraminer
Pinot Gris
Muscat
Muscat ottonel
Riesling
No blends allowed!
What are the minimum allowable must weights for Sélection de Grains Noble?
Muscat and Riesling 276 g/l
Pinot Gris and Gewurz 306 g/l
What are the Additonal Requirements for VT & SGN?
NO chaptalization
Must be vintage dated
VT wines are late harvested – may or may not have botrytis
SGN are affected by botrytis and are harvested in tries
Both wines may not be released until June 1 of the 2nd year following harvest
What subregions have authorized varieties?
These apply from the 2012 vintage forward
Klevener de Heiligenstein: Savignin Rose
Blienschwiller & Côtes de Barr: Sylvaner
Côte de Rouffach: Gewurz, Pinot Gris, Riesling & Pinot Noir
Ottrot, Rodern & Saint Hippolyte: Pinot Noir
Vallée Noble: Gewurz, Pinot Gris & Riesling
Val Saint Grégoire: Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc & Pinot Gris
Scherwiller & Wolxheim: Riesling
Bergheim: Gewurz
Coteaux de Haut Koenigsbourg: Riesling & Gewurztraminer
Is chapitalization allowed in Alsace?
Yes!
When was Pinot Blanc differentiated from Chardonnay? By whom?
Victor Puillat in 1868
