Alsace Flashcards
When did Alsace become an AOC?
1962 (the last major region to do so)
Into what two départements is Alsace divided?
Haut-Rhin in the south and Bas-Rhin in the north
In which of the two départements of Alsace are the most grand crus concentrated?
Haut-Rhin - over 2/3 of vineyards are there.
What mountains separate Alsace from the rest of France?
The Vosges Mountains (which create the rain shadow)
What is the capital of the Haut-Rhin département?
Colmar (the driest city in France)
Describe the soils in Alsace.
Incredibly varied.
granite, limestone, schist, clay, gravel, chalk, loess, and the local pink sandstone—grés de Vosges
Describe where on the slopes you will find different soils in Alsace.
steeper mountain slopes - schist, granite and volcanic sediment
Lower slopes - limestone base
Plain - alluvial clay and gravel
How much of Alsace AOP is white wine?
90%
What grapes can be bottled varietally in Alsace?
The four noble grapes + Pinot Blanc (Klevner) Chasselas (Gutedel) Sylvaner Pinot Noir
What is another name for Chasselas in Alsace?
Gutedel
What is Gutedel in Alsace?
Chasselas
What is another name for Pinot Blanc in Alsace?
Klevner
What is Klevner in Alsace?
Pinot Blanc
If an Alsation wine is labelled varietally, how much of the grape must it contain?
100%, except for Pinot Blanc because Auxerrois can be blended in
If a bottle is 100% Auxerrois, can it be labeled as Pinot Blanc
Oh hell yes, they are pretty much treated like legal synonyms.
If a bottle of Alsation wine is labeled “Pinot,” what varieties might it contain?
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Auxerrois
What are two former names for Pinot Gris in Alsace?
Tokay Pinot Gris and Tokay d’Alsace
Around which commune are plantings of Klevener concentrated?
Heiligenstein in the Bas-Rhin
What is Klevener?
A pink variant of Traminer. Related to Savagnin.
What 5 communes may bottle Savagnin Rose aka Klevener de Heiligenstein varietally? Under what appellation?
Heiligenstein itself, Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, and Obernai under Alsace AOP
Is Heiligenstein in the Bas-Rhin or Haut-Rhin?
Bas-Rhin
Does Edelzwicker need a vintage? What are the varietal requirements?
No vintage needed.
A free for all - could be just one grape, don’t need to put the varietal or breakdown on the label
What is the requirement for Gentil in Alsace?
Must be 50% noble grapes. Any other Alsace AOP grape can make up the rest.
Who is the staunchest advocate for field blends in Alsace?
Marcel Deiss
When was Alsace Grand Cru AOP first propsosed?
1975
When did the first Alsace Grand Crus AOPs appear?
1983
How many Grand Crus were designated in Alsace in 1983? How many subsequently?
25 were declared in 1983
25 more were declared in 1985
The 51st, Kaefferkopf, was added in 2006
Does Alsace grand cru have to be single varietal?
Generally yes, besides declared exceptions
What are two Grand Crus that allow blends?
Altenberg au Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
What kind of blends are allowed in Altenberg de Bergheim?
Blends: 50-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot Gris, 10-25% Gewurztraminer, max. 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat à Petits Grains, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc
(everything but Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Riesling must have been planted before 2005)
What kind of blends are allowed for Kaefferkopf Grand Cru?
60-80% Gewurztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat
(muscat can’t be made as a varietal wine here)
What Grand Cru allows Sylvaner?
Zotzenberg
What is special about the Grand Cru Zotzenberg?
It allows variettally labeled Sylvaner.
It does not allow varietal Muscat
What are the minimum potential alcohol for Alsace Grand Cru?
Riesling/Muscat 11%
Gewurztraminer/Pinot Gris 12.5%
What is the smallest Grand Cru in Alsace?
Kanzlerberg at 3.23 ha (Haut-Rhin)
What is the largest Grand Cru in Alsace?
Schlossberg at 80.28 ha (Haut-Rhin)
How does Trimbach label its Clos St. Hune? (AOP)
Alsace AOP, rather than naming it as coming from the Rosacker Grand Cru