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Alsace Flashcards

1
Q

When did Alsace become an AOC?

A

1962 (the last major region to do so)

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2
Q

Into what two départements is Alsace divided?

A

Haut-Rhin in the south and Bas-Rhin in the north

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3
Q

In which of the two départements of Alsace are the most grand crus concentrated?

A

Haut-Rhin - over 2/3 of vineyards are there.

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4
Q

What mountains separate Alsace from the rest of France?

A

The Vosges Mountains (which create the rain shadow)

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5
Q

What is the capital of the Haut-Rhin département?

A

Colmar (the driest city in France)

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6
Q

Describe the soils in Alsace.

A

Incredibly varied.

granite, limestone, schist, clay, gravel, chalk, loess, and the local pink sandstone—grés de Vosges

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7
Q

Describe where on the slopes you will find different soils in Alsace.

A

steeper mountain slopes - schist, granite and volcanic sediment
Lower slopes - limestone base
Plain - alluvial clay and gravel

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8
Q

How much of Alsace AOP is white wine?

A

90%

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9
Q

What grapes can be bottled varietally in Alsace?

A 
The four noble grapes +
Pinot Blanc (Klevner)
Chasselas (Gutedel)
Sylvaner
Pinot Noir
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10
Q

What is another name for Chasselas in Alsace?

A

Gutedel

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11
Q

What is Gutedel in Alsace?

A

Chasselas

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12
Q

What is another name for Pinot Blanc in Alsace?

A

Klevner

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13
Q

What is Klevner in Alsace?

A

Pinot Blanc

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14
Q

If an Alsation wine is labelled varietally, how much of the grape must it contain?

A

100%, except for Pinot Blanc because Auxerrois can be blended in

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15
Q

If a bottle is 100% Auxerrois, can it be labeled as Pinot Blanc

A

Oh hell yes, they are pretty much treated like legal synonyms.

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16
Q

If a bottle of Alsation wine is labeled “Pinot,” what varieties might it contain?

A

Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Auxerrois

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17
Q

What are two former names for Pinot Gris in Alsace?

A

Tokay Pinot Gris and Tokay d’Alsace

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18
Q

Around which commune are plantings of Klevener concentrated?

A

Heiligenstein in the Bas-Rhin

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19
Q

What is Klevener?

A

A pink variant of Traminer. Related to Savagnin.

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20
Q

What 5 communes may bottle Savagnin Rose aka Klevener de Heiligenstein varietally? Under what appellation?

A

Heiligenstein itself, Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, and Obernai under Alsace AOP

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21
Q

Is Heiligenstein in the Bas-Rhin or Haut-Rhin?

A

Bas-Rhin

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22
Q

Does Edelzwicker need a vintage? What are the varietal requirements?

A

No vintage needed.

A free for all - could be just one grape, don’t need to put the varietal or breakdown on the label

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23
Q

What is the requirement for Gentil in Alsace?

A

Must be 50% noble grapes. Any other Alsace AOP grape can make up the rest.

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24
Q

Who is the staunchest advocate for field blends in Alsace?

A

Marcel Deiss

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25
When was Alsace Grand Cru AOP first propsosed?
1975
26
When did the first Alsace Grand Crus AOPs appear?
1983
27
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
28
Does Alsace grand cru have to be single varietal?
Generally yes, besides declared exceptions
29
What are two Grand Crus that allow blends?
Altenberg au Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
30
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)
31
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)
32
What Grand Cru allows Sylvaner?
Zotzenberg
33
What is special about the Grand Cru Zotzenberg?
It allows variettally labeled Sylvaner. | It does not allow varietal Muscat
34
What are the minimum potential alcohol for Alsace Grand Cru?
Riesling/Muscat 11% | Gewurztraminer/Pinot Gris 12.5%
35
What is the smallest Grand Cru in Alsace?
Kanzlerberg at 3.23 ha (Haut-Rhin)
36
What is the largest Grand Cru in Alsace?
Schlossberg at 80.28 ha (Haut-Rhin)
37
How does Trimbach label its Clos St. Hune? (AOP)
Alsace AOP, rather than naming it as coming from the Rosacker Grand Cru
38
From which Grand Cru does Clos St Hune come?
Rosacker
39
What is notable about the way Hugel chooses to labe its Grand Crus?
It doesn't!!
40
Is hand harvesting mandatory in Alsace Grand Cru?
yes
41
Is hand harvesting mandatory in Alsace AOP?
No, except for Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir wines labeled by a lieu-dit, and all Alsace VT and SGN wines
42
In what year were VT and SGN established?
1984, shortly after the first grand crus were established
43
Can SGN and VT wines be a blend?
No, must come from a single noble variety (and pass a tasting panel)
44
Between VT and SGN which one prizes botrytis over varietal character?
SGN is picked in tries and tries to suppress varietal character in favor of botrytis. VT will have botrytized notes, but emphasizes varietal purity.
45
Do SGN and VT wines have to be sweet?
No, but are in practice
46
What is a common method for creating VT wines in Alsace?
Passerillage aka passito
47
Do SGN and VT require hand harvesting?
absolutely
48
What is the minimum must weight for VT for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer?
257 g/l
49
What is the minimum must weight for SGN for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer?
306 g/l
50
What is the minimum must weight for VT for Muscat and Riesling?
235 g/l
51
What is the minimum must weight for SGN for Muscat and Riesling?
276 g/l
52
Where does 306 g/l put the must weight in comparison to the rest of France?
Some of the highest in France
53
What is the only red variety permitted for Alsace AOP?
Pinot Noir
54
What grapes are permitted for Cremant d'Alsace? What is the work horse in practice?
Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, and/or Chardonnay Pinot Blanc
55
What is the only appellation in Alsace to allow Chardonnay?
Cremant d'Alsace
56
What small French wine region is just to the northwest of Alsace?
Lorraine
57
What two AOPs make up the region of Lorraine?
Moselle and Cotes de Toul AOP
58
What styles of wine are made in Cotes de Toul AOP?
White from Auxerrois and Aubin Vin Gris from Max. 85% Gamay, min. 10% Pinot Noir (both must be present) with accessory varieties of max. 15% combined Pinot Meunier, Aubin, and Auxerrois Red from 100% Pinot Noir
59
What styles of wine are made in Moselle AOP?
White: Min. 70% combined Auxerrois (min. 30% unless property is less than 2 hectares), Müller-Thurgau, and Pinot Gris, with authorized varieties of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and max. 10% Gewurztraminer Also, varietal Pinot Gris and Muller-Thurgau Red of 100% Pinot Noir Rose for min 70% Pinot Noir and Gamay
60
Which varietal excels in the Grand Cru of Hengst?
Gewürztraminer
61
Who produces Cuvée Ernst?
Schlumberger
62
Which two vineyards in Alsace permit blending and can still be labeled Grands Crus ?
Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
63
What is the difference between Klevner and Klevener?
Klevner is a synonym for Pinot Blanc. | Klevener (de Heiligenstein) is a less aromatic variant of Gewurtztraminer.
64
What is the northernmost Grand Cru in Alsace?
Steinklotz
65
Who makes Cuvee Sainte Catherine and Cuvee Laurence?
Domaine Weinbach, Catherine is a Riesling and Laurence is Gewurztraminer
66
What GCs does Zind Humbrect produce?
Rangen, Brand, Hengst, and Goldert
67
A bottle varietally labeled as Muscat can be what 3 types of the grape?
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains or Muscat Ottonel
68
What vineyard stretches into the Pfalz? Who owns it?
Kammerberg; Friedrich Becker
69
From which two vineyards and in which Alsatian village is the fruit for Trimbach's Cuvee Frederic Emile sourced? Is this in the Haut Rhin or the Bas Rhin? What is the current vintage available in the US? Who is the US importer of Trimbach?
Geisberg and Osterberg vineyards from Ribeauville (Haut Rhin) - 2007 is current vintage. Esprit du Vin is the importer (a division of Palm Bay)
70
Who is the only US available producer of Sylvaner from Zotzenberg?
Albert Seltz
71
Name two producers of Rose de Heiligenstein.
Domaine Wittman and Domaine Heywang
72
Name three notable producers of Chasselas in Alsace.
Boxler, Keintzler and Schoffit.
73
What is the blend of Zind Humbrect's famous blend from Clos Windsbuhl called "Zind"?
2/3 Chardonnay and 1/3 Auxerrois.
74
Why is Zind-Humbrecht's Zind Vin de France?
Because it has Chardonnay in it
75
Where is the top sub region for growing Pinot Noir in Alsace?
Cotes de Vosges
76
The granite/limestone vineyards of the Brand vineyard in Turckheim is one of the finest in Alsace, who are the top producers from this vineyard?
Boxler, Josmeyer, and Zind Humbrecht.
77
In what year was Tokay no longer allowed in Alsace as a synonym for Pinot Gris?
2007
78
What is the tete de cuvee Pinot Gris bottling from Trimbach?
“Reserve Personelle” from Osterberg (village)
79
What are the tete de cuvee Pinot Gris bottling from Zind-Humbrecht?
“Clos Windsbuhl” from Hunawihr (village), “Clos St. Urbain” from Thann (village) “Clos Jesbal” from Turkheim (village)
80
What are the tete de cuvee Pinot Gris bottlings from Weinbach?
“Cuvee Laurence” form Kientzheim (village) | “Cuvee St.-Catherine” from Kientzheim
81
What is the tete de cuvee Pinot Gris from Hugel?
Hugel & Fils - “Jubilee” Riquewihr
82
What is a notable exception to the general min abv in Alsace Grand Cru?
Altenberg de Bergheim has higher abvs - Riesling - 12 Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer - 14 Field Blend - 14
83
When did Alsace mandate non-SGN and VT wines to be dry in style? What are the max RS?
2008 6 g/l if chaptalized 9 g/l if tartaric acid is less than 6g/l 12 g/l if tartaric acid is greater than 6 g/l
84
What style wine is Hugel's "Hommage a Jean Hugel"?
These are vendage tardive wines that are vinified dry, only made in great years.
85
Who makes "Le Dragon" riesling in Alsace?
Josmeyer
86
Who makes Clos Jebsal is Alsace? What grape is it?
Zind-Humbrecht | Clos Jebsal in Turkheim is almost exclusively Pinot Gris
87
What are the two vineyards that provide fruit for Trimbach's Cuvée Frederic Emile? What is the minimum age of the vines?
Grand Crus Osterberg and Geisberg. The vines are all at least 30 years old.
88
The subzones of Ottrott, Rodern and Saint Hippolyte are synonymous with what grape variety?
Pinot Noir
89
What producer makes wines from Clos Himmelreich?
Lucien Albrecht
90
What producer makes wine from Clos Rebgarten?
Kreydenweiss
91
What producer makes wine from Clos Windsbuhl?
Zind-Humbrecht
92
What producer makes wine from Clos de Capucins?
Weinbach
93
How many AOPs are there in Alsace?
54 | Alsace, Cremant d'Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru plus each of the 51 grand crus got their own AOP in 2011

France (4 decks)

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