Alsace Flashcards
1
Q
Vosges Mountain effect
A
creating rain shadow, making Alsace the driest region in France
2
Q
Climate?
A
Cool continental
3
Q
Alsace is subdivided into two regions:
A
- Bas-Rhin (North)
- Haut-Rhin (South)
majority of quality wines produced in Haut-Rhin
4
Q
What is Colmar?
A
Business centre
5
Q
How long is Alsace?
A
120km stretches from Strasbourg in the north to Mulhouse in the south
6
Q
Where are the best known vineyards?
A
Riquewihr & Ribeauvillé
7
Q
Most northern city?
A
Strasbourg
8
Q
Most southern city?
A
Mulhouse
9
Q
In what year Alsace planted back the noble varieties?
A
1945
after the Second World War, France acquired Alsace back from Germany, lesser varieties were permitted in the past
10
Q
Noble grape varieties?
A
•Gewürztraminer
•Riesling
•Pinot Gris
•Muscat
11
Q
What are the soils in Alsace?
A
•Granite
•Schist
•Volcanic
•Limestone & Marl-Limestone
•Clay & Marl
•Sandstone
•Loess
•Alluvial soils
12
Q
When was Alsace AOC introduced?
A
1962
13
Q
what wines can Alsace produce?
A
90% of them are still white wines, Vin Rouge, Vine Rosé, Vin Gris are permitted as well (made from Pinot Noir)
14
Q
What is Vin Gris?
A
delicate pale version of rosé in French
15
Q
What is Vin Rosé?
A
Rosé wine in French
16
Q
Can Alsace wine chaptalized?
A
Yes
but not for VT & SGN
17
Q
What type of bottles they use in Alsace?
A
slender flutes in green
since 1972
18
Q
What are the difference between AOC Vin d’Alsace and AOC Alsace?
A
they are the same
19
Q
What is the minimum alcohol for AOC Alsace?
A
Min 8.5% abv
Must be from one of the permitted varieties or blend of two or more
20
Q
How many grand crus?
A
51
As of 2007, accounts close to 5% of Alsace wines
21
Q
Is grand cru labelled on the bottle?
A
Yes
with the grand cru vineyard name
however lieu-dits must labelled on grand cru bottles
22
Q
which grand cru the only grand cru can grow Sylvaner?
A
Zotzenberg
23
Q
Oldest known grape in Alsace?
A
Muscat
has been known since Roman times
24
Q
Wine sold as Pinot Blanc may be a blend of?
A
Pinot Blanc with Auxerrois / Pinot Gris / Pinot Noir
25
100% Pinot Blanc can be labelled as?
**Clevner** or **Klevner**
26
What is **AOC Edelzwicker**?
a blend of two or more grape varieties
(vintage not compulsory dated)
27
What is AOC Vin d’Alsace Communale (villages)?
more stringent than regional appellation
##footnote
focus more on grape varieties, vine density, pruning, trellising, grape maturity and yields
28
What is **Lieu-dits**?
an individual vineyard, have their specific terroir identity, more stringent than *Communale*
##footnote
can be include in *AOC Alsace* and compulsory in *grand crus*
29
How many *Communale (village)* are there?
**13**
*Blanc*
•Blienschwiller
•Côtes de Barr
•Klevener de Heiligenstein
•Scherwiller
•Vallée Noble
•Val Saint-Grégoire
•Wolxheim
•Coteaux du Haut-Koenigsbourg
•Bergheim
*Rouge*
•Ottrott
•Rodern
•Saint-Hippolyte
*Blanc & Rouge*
•Côte de Rouffach
30
Wine that is a blend of two or more also including **50%** of noble varieties?
(remainder can be *Pinot Blanc*, *Sylvaner*, *Chasselas*)
**Gentil d’Alsace**
##footnote
vintage must be dated, need go through tasting test, grapes must be vinified separately before blending
31
When is *Grand Cru* first introduced?
introduced in **1975**
began in **1983**
expanded again in **1992**
32
Grapes min 11% abv in *Grand Cru*?
**Riesling** & **Muscat**
33
Min abv for **Gewürztraminer** & **Pinot Gris** in *Grand Cru*?
**12.5% abv**
34
Is Chaptalization allowed in *Grand Cru*?
Yes
##footnote
only up to **1.5% abv**, not for **VT** & **SGN**
35
What grapes can grow in *Grand Cru*?
•Riesling
•Muscat
•Gewürztraminer
•Pinot Gris
•Pinot Noir
•Sylvaner
##footnote
In 2005, *Sylvaner* replace *Muscat* in **Zotzenberg**
36
Which *grand cru* allowed to blend **Gewürztraminer**, **Pinot Gris**, **Riesling**, **Sylvaner**?
**Zotzenberg**
37
What are allowed to blend in **Altenberg de Bergheim GC**?
•Gewürztraminer (10-25%)
•Riesling (50-70%)
•Pinot Blanc
•Pinot Noir
•Pinot Gris (10-25%)
•Muscat (up to 10%)
•Chardonnay
38
What are the *grand crus* allowed for blending?
•**Kaefferkopf**
•**Altenberg de Bergheim** (extra Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay)
•**Zotzenberg**
##footnote
started in **2001**
39
Why is *Grand Cru*?
-lower yields
-more stringent tasting test
-grapes must be hand-harvested
40
What is the method in **AC Cremant d’Alsace**?
**Methode Traditionnelle**
##footnote
secondary fermentation in bottle, same dosage levels as Champagne
41
What bottles they used in Cremant d’Alsace?
Champagne style bottles
42
What are the grapes in *Cremant d’Alsace*?
-Pinot Blanc (common base)
-Pinot Noir
-Chardonnay
-Riesling
-Pinot Gris
-Auxerrois
43
What grapes are not permitted in *Cremant d’Alsace*?
-Gewurztraminer
-Chasselas
-Muscat
44
Which grape gives the strongest flavour in *Cremant d’Alsace*?
Riesling
45
Rose style *Cremant d’Alsace* must be made from?
100% Pinot Noir
46
What is the difference between **Klevener** & **Klevner**?
*Klevener*- **Savagnin Rose** (only permitted in commune of *Heiligenstein* & other 4)
*Klevner* - synonym of *Pinot Blanc*
47
What are the varieties allow to blend in **GC Kaefferkopf**?
-Gewurztraminer (60-80%)
-Riesling (10-40%)
-Pinot Gris (0-30%)
Up to 10% for varieties following:
-Pinot Blanc
-Pinot Noir
-Muscat
-Chasselas
48
What grape is not permitted in **GC Zotzenberg**?
Muscat
49
When was *AOC Cremant d’Alsace* introduced?
24 August 1976
50
What has to be labelled in *grand cru* bottles?
Name of the vineyard & Vintage
51
What is the only grape variety that can be blended while the name is labelled on the bottle?
Pinot Blanc
##footnote
name of grape on the label must be 100% varietal however not in this case, bottle labelled *Pinot Blanc* is allowed to blended partly with *Auxerrois*
52
When is the best time to drink Alsace wines?
1-4 years
53
What is the best time to consume *VT* and *SGN*?
They can matured up to *15 years*
54
What is **Moellux**?
A term to justify wine has min **12g/L** residual sugars
##footnote
Riesling min sugar is *9g/L*, however if the acid content is more than *6g/L*, the min residual sugars must be *18g/L*
55
The most widely planted variety in Alsace?
**Riesling**
##footnote
best grown on *Granite* soils
56
What is the difference between German and Alsace *Riesling*?
Alsace Riesling:
-dryer
-fuller in body
-fruitier nose
-more mineral and oily texture
57
Key characteristics of *Gewurztraminer*?
-usually dry to medium
-low acidity
-high alcohol
-full body and highly aromatic
-ripe tropical fruit, grapefruit
-spices
-most distinctive bouquet and lychee flavours and aromas
58
Key characteristics of *Pinot Gris*?
-dry or off-dry
-medium to full body
-has a citrus, spicy bouquet flavours
-has potential to age
59
What are the types of *muscat* in Alsace?
-Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains (more aromatic but fragile)
-Muscat Rose a Petit Grains
-Muscat Ottonel (more reliable but less aromatic)
60
Is *Muscat* produced every year?
**NO**
##footnote
Although they are the oldest grape but very rely on good vintages, not widely planted
61
Key characteristics of *Muscat*?
-dry
-low acidity
-with grape aromas and less spicy than other noble varieties
-musky flavour
62
Synonym of *Pinot Blanc*?
**Clevner** or **Klevner**
##footnote
nearly as widely planted as *Riesling*
63
Key characteristics of *Pinot Blanc*?
-dry, well balanced wine
-lighter bodied
-often blended with *Auxerrois*
-base wine of *Cremant d’Alsace*
64
Key characteristics of *Sylvaner*?
-dry, light body, fruity
-best to consume young
-goes well with fish, shellfish, charcuterie
-more likely to be a local wine
65
How many *grand cru* permitted for *Pinot Noir* and what are them?
3 *grand crus*:
-Kirchberg de Barr (2022)
-Hengst (2022)
-Vorbourg
66
What bottles they used for *Pinot Noir* wines in Alsace?
The *Burgundian-style* bottles
##footnote
others can only use slender flute except *Cremant*
67
Difference between *Alsace* and *Burgundy* *Pinot Noir*?
-high in fruit
-low tannin
-lighter in body
-less complex
68
How is *Pinot Noir* made in Alsace?
Made by leaving to maceration of the must with skins for 3-4 days, usually stalk are left to add more tannins
69
How is *Chasselas* in Alsace?
Normally for house wines or sell locally
(rarely sold as international variety cause not as high quality)
70
What is **Klevener** in Alsace?
**Savagnin Rose**
##footnote
Only planted in *Heiligenstein*, therefore is called *Klevener de Heiligenstein Klevener*, no more replanting after 2021
71
Key characteristics of *Klevener*?
-less pungent
-less spicy than *Gewurztraminer*
72
Are **Vendange Tardive** & **Selection de Grains Nobles** labelled on bottle?
**YES**
##footnote
can also be label on *Alsace AOC* or *Alsace Grand Cru*
73
What is *Vendange Tardive (VT)*?
-VT means late harvest grapes
-may be dry, off-dry, or medium sweet (in *2021* producer must indicate sweetness level on back label)
-must be hand-harvested
-made only from the four noble varieties
-grapes for the best wines will have undergone **passerillage**
-may or may not show *Botrytis*
-must pass blind tasting assessment
-VT may be labelled on either *Alsace AOP* or *Alsace Grand Cru*
74
What is **Selection de Grains Nobles**?
-it means *Selection of Noble Rotten Grapes*
-made only from the one of the four noble varieties
-always sweet
-must meet min sugar ripeness level depending on grape variety
-must show *Botrytis*, levels vary from producer to producer
-must be hand-harvested
-only made in exceptional years
-*SGN* may labelled on *Alsace AOC* or *Alsace Grand Cru*
75
What varieties allowed for *VT* and *SGN*?
All four noble varieties:
-Gewurztraminer (most common)
-Pinot Gris
-Riesling
-Muscat
76
When is *VT* and *SGN* first introduced?
**1984**
##footnote
shortly after 25 grand crus were elevated
77
What is the min sugar ripeness level at harvest for **Vendange Tardive**?
*Riesling* & *Muscat* = **244g/L**
*Gewurztraminer* & *Pinot Gris* = **270g/L**
78
What is the min sugar ripeness level at harvest for **Selection de Grains Nobles**?
*Riesling* & *Muscat* = **276g/L**
*Gewurztraminer* & *Pinot Gris* = **306g/L**
79
Which is the latest *grand cru* in Alsace?
**Kaefferkopf**
##footnote
in *2007*
80
Where is **Clos St Hune**?
Located in **Rosacker GC**
##footnote
owned by *Domaine Trimbach*
81
What clos did **Domaine Zind-Humbrecht** owned?
-Clos Hauserer
-Clos Jebsal
-Clos Windsbuhl
82
Most southern *grand cru*?
**Rangen** / **Rangen de Thann**
83
Largest *grand cru* in Alsace?
**Schlossberg** (80 hectares)
##footnote
it is also the oldest *grand cru*
84
Smallest *grand cru* in Alsace?
**Kanzlerberg** (3 hectares)
85
Most northern *grand cru*?
**Steinklotz**
86
Why is so special about Alsace wine in bottling regarding to *French Wine Law*?
It is the only AOC in France allowed to bottled wine by **varietal**
87
**TRUE** or **FALSE**
Alsace is the only legal region to grow *Riesling* in France
**TRUE**
88
What is *Noble Rot* in French?
**Pourriture Rot**
89
What is the aging requirements for *Crémant d’Alsace*?
min aged 12 months (9 months on lees)
