Alsace

Question 0

German influence on Alsatian wines and region

Answer 0

Architecture
Language
Cuisine
Grape varieties on labels

Question 1

Alsace geography, topography

Answer 1

Vosges Mountains-rain shadow
Rhine river
Thermal layer
Warm climate in northern latitudes
Great geological complexity
On west side of rift system that links med with North Sea

Question 2

When was Alsace in France

Answer 2

1648- thirty years war
1918 ww1 ended
1945 end ww2

Question 3

When was Alsace in Germany

Answer 3

1871 - Franco Prussian war

1949 ww2 start of war

Question 4

Alsace regional aoc’s

Answer 4

Alsace 1962 - many grape allowed, some blends

Cremant d’Alsace 1976 - method traditionelle, Pinot blanc dominated

Question 5

Alsace vineyard classification aoc

Answer 5

Alsace grand cru 1983
Only noble grapes allowed
Blends also allowed
Must come from one of 51 vineyards
Label will have name of vineyard on it
Each gc has own committee with power to change rules

Question 6

What classification not found in Alsace

Answer 6

No vin de pays/IGP

Question 7

Alsace - what percentage of grapes in varietally labeled wines

Answer 7

100%

Question 8

Noble varieties of Alsace

Answer 8

Riesling
Gewurtztraminer 
Muscat
Pinot Gris (tokay d'Alsace)
*sylvaner only planted in zotzenberg vineyard

Question 9

Alsace other varieties

Answer 9

Pinot blanc
Auxerrois
Sylvaner
Chasselas
Chard
Pinot noir

Question 10

Typical style of Alsace wines

Answer 10

Mostly white 
Dry/sweet
Little to no oak
Med high acidity
Med high alcohol
More full and dry than German counterparts

Question 11

Vendage tardive VT

Answer 11

Alsace
Late harvest wines
Rich full bodied in style
Not necessarily sweet
Only noble grapes
Pg/Gewurtztraminer 14.4% min ripeness must be higher than Riesling and Muscat 13.1%
Chaptilisation forbidden
Almost all have residual sugar
May show bot characters but emphasize varietal purity 
Can be quite dry
Must pass a blind tasting
Must be hand harvested

Question 12

Edelzwicker

Answer 12

Alsace
Often a blended carafe wine
Often proprietary name on label instead of edelzwicker
Occasionally a noble blend
Do not need to be vintage dated

Question 13

Selection de grains noble SGN

Answer 13

Alsace
Dessert wines from botrytis fruit
Small amounts and only in exceptional years
Eu repeatedly asks france to add moelleux to SGN labels
Only noble grapes permitted, pg and Gewurtztraminer must have higher min ripeness than Riesling and Muscat
Picked in tries
Suppress varietal characters in exchange for for complexities of botrytis
Must be hand harvested
Must pass blind tasting

Question 14

What varieties must have higher sugar and alcohol for VT and SGN wines in Alsace

Answer 14

Pg and Gewurtztraminer must be higher than Muscat and Riesling

Question 15

Top Alsatian producers

Answer 15

Maison trimbach
Hugel et fils
Zind-Humbrecht
Domaine ostertag
Weinbach
Marcel deiss

Question 16

How many grand cry vineyards in Alsace and examples

Answer 16

51
Brand
Eichberg
Geisberg
Osterberg
Rangan
Rosacker
Saering
Schoenenberg

Question 17

What grand cru is clos ste. Hune within

Answer 17

Rosacker

Question 18

What vy is cuvée Frederic Emile from

Answer 18

Grand cru vy of geisberg and osterberg, Alsace

Question 19

Alsace 51st vineyard

Answer 19

Keafferkopf of ammerscwihr grand cru
100 % of Gewurtztraminer pg and Riesling or blend of others
In blends each variety must be vinified separately

Question 20

2 vintages of Alsace to drink now…..why

Answer 20

2009 - 90 points - warm days, cool nights good acid levels in grapes, no rot, pn and pg and ries good, Gewurtztraminer spicy

2005 - 91 points - fruity and full bodied warm summer

Question 21

Grapes used in cremant d’Alsace

Answer 21

P blanc
Auxerrois
Chase las
Chardonnay

Question 22

Varieties used in carafe wine in Alsace

Answer 22

P blanc

Auxerrois

Question 23

When was ac introduced in Alsace

Answer 23

1962

Question 24

Where must bottling be done in Alsace

Answer 24

In region of production

Question 25

What bottles are used for Alsatian wines

Answer 25

Alsace flute bottles, except for Pinot noir and sparkling

Question 26

Alsatian soils

Answer 26

Very mixed Limestone, sandstone, clay, Loam, alluvial, granite, schist, gravel, loess Local pink sandstone - grey de Vosges

Question 27

Alsace climate

Answer 27

``` Continental 500mm rainfall 1800 hours of sunshine Hot summers Long dry autumns ```

Question 28

Where are vineyards located in Alsace

Answer 28

Narrow band 140km long at the foot of the voges Better vineyards on lower slopes facing east - morning sun Lesser vineyards on plain

Question 29

Two areas of Alsace

Answer 29

Haut-rhin south Bas-rhin north Best vineyards in haut rhin around town of colmar, Vosges at their highest, have most influence on climate Most grand cru sites in haut rhin

Question 30

Alsace Riesling

Answer 30

Steel clarity of color Good combination of fruit and high acidity Last of all varieties to ripen Ideal for late harvest due to its hardiness Pronounced acidity and minerality Standard must be dry in style

Question 31

Alsace Gewurtztraminer

Answer 31

``` Gewurz is German word for spice Pungent and aromatic spicy nose Sweet spice Tropical fruit Lychee Rose Cashews Skin of grape had light pink tinge, can give some color to wine High alcohol Compliments smoked fish, strong cheese Best grown on deep marl soil Lower in acidity Most likely off dry ```

Question 32

Alsace Pinot Gris

Answer 32

``` Aka tokay d'Alsace or tokay Pinot Gris Rich wine high in alcohol Similar to Gewurtztraminer but less aromatic Spicy smokey Good acidity Luscious and full of flavor Grows best in deep clay soils ```

Question 33

Alsace Muscat

Answer 33

``` Prone to rot Ripens early Sandy soils Lowish yields Classic grapey Muscat flavor Fragrant floral Dry wine Lower acidity Can be Muscat blanc a petits grains, Muscat rose a petits grains or Muscat ottonel ```

Question 34

Alsace Pinot blanc

Answer 34

``` Auxerrois, klezner Early ripening Grows on light fertile soils Used in sparklings Still wine light and refreshing ```

Question 35

Alsace Sylvaner

Answer 35

Grows in Bas rhin Large yields Undistinguished wine Deep, sandy or chalky soils

Question 36

Alsace Pinot noir

Answer 36

Rose and reds Reds aged in small barrels, more color and body Burgundy bottles Can be used in cremant d'Alsace

Question 37

Alsace viticulture

Answer 37

Vines trained high in rows that follow contours of hillside slopes Maximize exposure to sun Minimize damage by frosts Steeper slopes - vineyards terraced Many growers grow many varieties Pruning double guyot common Vintage starts beg to mid October to end of nov/dec

Question 38

Alsace viticulture

Answer 38

Chapitalization common Ferments in large oak casks thick tartrate deposits on inside, no oak influence Use pneumatic press Modern cellars use ss- temp control Ferm sometimes stopped before completion - rs Only Pinot blanc allowed malo - in other varieties it would mask flavors

Question 39

Capital of haut rhin in Alsace

Answer 39

Colmar

Question 40

Soils of steeper mountain slopes Alsace

Answer 40

Schist, granite, volcanic sediment

Question 41

Soils of lower slopes Alsace

Answer 41

Limestone base

Question 42

Soils of the plain and base of the mountains Alsace

Answer 42

Richer alluvial clay and gravel soils

Question 43

White wine labelled Pinot can contain what varieties in Alsace

Answer 43

Pinot noir Pinot blanc Pinot Gris Auxerrois

Question 44

Gentil

Answer 44

A superior designation for blends | 50% of noble grapes

Question 45

Klevener

Answer 45

Aka savagnin Few planting around the commune of heiligenstein in the Bas rhin Less aromatic than Gewurtztraminer Higher in acidity 5 communes may bottle is wine under Alsace aop heiligenstein, bougheim, gertwiller, goxwiller, obernai

Question 46

Passerillage

Answer 46

Grapes in VT wines originate from this state | Leaving grapes on the vine past normal harvest so they dry up and concentrate their flavors

Question 47

What aoc in Alsace can use Chardonnay

Answer 47

Cremant d'Alsace