Alsace Flashcards
What does it mean to pick grapes in tries
selective picking of grapes
What is the most planted grape in Alsace
Riesling, but collectively Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois are largest by volume of wine.
What 5 communes may bottle Klevener as the variety on the label
Heiligenstein itself, Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, and Obernai
What is Klevener
pink berried clone of Traminer
Alsace/Vin d’Alsace AOP REGULATIONS
Which sub zones are for white only?
Which sub zones are for red only?
Which sub zones are for white and red?
Département: Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin
Subzones (Geographic Designations):
Blanc Wines only: Blienschwiller, Côtes de Barr, Klevener de Heiligenstein, Scherwiller, Vallée Noble, Val Saint Grégoire, Wolxheim, Coteaux du Haut Koenigsbourg, Bergheim
Rouge Wines only: Ottrott, Rodern, Saint-Hippolyte
Blanc and Rouge Wines: Côte de Rouffach
Communes of Production:
Haut Rhin: Ammerschwihr, Beblenheim, Bennwihr, Bergheim, Bergholtz, Bergholtz-Zell, Berrwiller, Buhl, Cernay, Colmar, Eguisheim, Gueberschwihr, Guebwiller, Hartmanswiller, Hattstatt, Herrlisheim, Houssen, Hunawihr, Husseren-les-Châteaux, Ingersheim, Jungholtz, Katzenthal, Kaysersberg, Kientzheim, Leimbach, Mittelwihr, Niedermorschwihr, Obermorschwihr, Orschwihr, Osenbach, Pfaffenheim, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Rorschwihr, Rodern, Rouffach, Saint-Hippolyte, Sigolsheim, Soultz, Soultzmatt, Steinbach, Thann, Turckheim, Uffholtz, Vieux-Thann, Voegtlinshoffen, Walbach, Wattwiller, Westhalten, Wettolsheim, Wihr-au-Val, Wintzenheim, Wuenheim, Zellenberg, Zimmerbach
Bas Rhin: Albé, Andlau, Avolsheim, Balbronn, Barr, Bergbieten, Bernardswiller, Bernardvillé, Bischoffsheim, Blienschwiller, Boersch, Bourgheim, Châtenois, Cleebourg, Dahlenheim, Dambach-la-Ville, Dangolsheim, Dieffenthal, Dorlisheim, Eichhoffen, Epfig, Ergersheim, Flexbourg, Furdenheim, Gertwiller, Gimbrett-Berstett, Goxwiller, Heiligenstein, Itterswiller, Kienheim, Kintzheim, Kirchheim, Kuttolsheim, Marlenheim, Mittelbergheim, Molsheim, Mutzig, Nothalten, Nordheim, Oberhoffen les Wissembourg, Obernai, Odratzheim, Orschwiller, Osthoffen, Ottrott, Reichsfeld, Riedseltz, Rosenwiller, Rosheim, Rott, Saint-Nabor, Saint-Pierre, Scharrachbergheim-Irmstett, Scherwiller, Soultz-les-Bains, Steinseltz, Stotzheim, Traenheim, Villé, Wangen, Westhoffen, Wissembourg, Wolxheim, Zellwiller
Styles and Encépagement:
Blanc (without indication of variety): Includes one or more of the grapes allowed for varietal wines.
"Edelzwicker": one or more grape varieties (may or may not be vintage-dated)
Varietal Blanc Wines: 100% of the stated variety except when stated otherwise
Auxerrois
Riesling
Pinot Gris (formerly Tokay Pinot Gris)
Gewurztraminer
Muscat: Muscat Blanc / Rosé à Petit Grains and / or Muscat Ottonel
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot Blanc: Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois
Pinot (Klevner): Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, and / or Pinot Noir (vinified as a white wine)
Chasselas (Gutedel)
Sylvaner
Varietal Rosé / Clairet / Schillerwein: Pinot Noir
Varietal Rouge Wines: Pinot Noir
Vendanges Tardives (VT): Single variety wines produced from (and labeled as) Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel or Pinot Gris
Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN): Single variety wines produced from (and labeled as) Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Muscat Blanc / Rosé à Petits Grains, Muscat Ottonel or Pinot Gris
Varieties Authorized for Subzones: except for Klevener de Heiligenstein, the subzone designations of Alsace AOC are from the 2012 vintage forward
Klevener de Heiligenstein: Savagnin Rose
Blienschwiller and Côtes de Barr: Sylvaner
Côte de Rouffach: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir
Ottrott, Rodern, Saint Hippolyte: Pinot Noir
Vallée Noble: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris
Val Saint Grégoire: Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris
Scherwiller, Wolxheim: Riesling
Minimum Potential Alcohol:
Blanc: 9.5%
Varietal Wines:
Pinot Blanc, Pinot, Riesling, Auxerrois: 10% (10.5% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Chasselas, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat, Sylvaner: 9.5% (10.5% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris: 11.5% (12% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Klevener de Heiligenstein: 11%
Pinot Noir (Rosé): 10%
Pinot Noir (Rouge): 11% (11.5% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Minimum Must Weights:
Blanc: 144 g/l
Varietal Wines:
Chasselas, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat, Sylvaner: 151 g/l (Sylvaner is 168 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Pinot Blanc, Pinot, Riesling, Auxerrois: 160 g/l (168 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris: 185 g/l (193 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Pinot Noir (Rosé): 160 g/l
Pinot Noir (Rouge): 177 g/l (185 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Klevener de Heiligenstein: 177 g/l
Varietal Wines Labeled by Lieu-dit:
Chasselas, Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot, Sylvaner, Riesling, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat: 168 g/l
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris: 193 g/l
Pinot Noir: 185 g/l
VT:
Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 235 g/l (formerly 220 g/l)
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 257 g/l (formerly 243 g/l)
SGN:
Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 276 g/l (formerly 256 g/l)
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 306 g/l (formerly 279 g/l)
Maximum Residual Sugar (2008 harvest forward):
Riesling: 6 g/l (if the wines have been chaptalized), 9 g/l (if tartaric acid is less than 6 g/l), 12 g/l (if tartaric acid is greater than 6 g/l) --this does not apply to SGN or VT Riesling, or Riesling labeled with a lieu-dit
Rosé: 4 g/l
Rouge: 2 g/l
Harvesting Method: Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir wines labeled by a lieu-dit, and all Alsace VT and SGN wines, must be hand-harvested
Additional Requirements for VT and SGN Wines:
Chaptalization is not allowed
Must be vintage-dated
VT wines are late-harvested, and may be affected by botrytis
SGN wines are affected by botrytis, and are harvested in tries
VT and SGN wines may not be released until June 1 of the second year following the harvest
Bottle Shape: Alsace AOP wines must be bottled in the traditional "Vin du Rhin" / "Flûte d'Alsace" bottle
Minimum Planting Density:
Alsace AOC: 4,000 vines per hectare
Alsace AOC (with subzone designation or lieu-dit): 4,500 vines per hectare
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base): see 2011 AOC document link for full max. yield breakdown
Blanc: 80 hl/ha
Rosé: 75 hl/ha
Rouge: 60 hl/ha
Principal Soils: Alsace has a great diversity of soils, including marl, limestone, gneiss, schist, sandstone, granite, clay, and volcanic soils.
AOC Established: 1945, officially designated AOC in 1962
AOC Grand Cru Established: 1975, officially designated AOC in 1983
AOC VT and SGN Established: 1984
What is the 51st Grand Cru of Alsace
Kaefferkopf, added in 2006
What are the minimum alcohol requirements for Alsace Grand Cru
11% for Riesling and Muscat and 12.5% for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, although certain vineyards mandate higher amounts.
Which department in Alsace do most of the premier wines come from
Haut-Rhin
Which Alsace Grand Cru allows Sylvaner into the blend
Zotzenberg
What is Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles
These two terms imply sweetness and may be printed on either Alsace AOP or Alsace Grand Cru AOP labels, provided the wines contain a single, noble variety and pass a blind tasting panel. 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 emphasizes varietal purity. 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. Grapes for both wines must be hand-harvested at specific, unenriched minimum sugar levels: Vendanges Tardives requires a minimum of 235 grams per liter for Muscat and Riesling, and 257 grams per liter for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. Sélection de Grains Nobles requires 276 grams per liter for Muscat and Riesling and 306 grams per liter for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. At 306 grams per liter, these wines are amongst the highest minimum must weights in France.
What do they call the local pink sandstone in Alsace
grés de Vosges
When did Alsace become an AOC
1962
What department is South of Alsace
Jura
What are the four noble grapes of Alsace
Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat (either Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains or Muscat Ottonel), and Gewurztraminer
What percentage of Alsace AOP wine must be the variety stated on the bottle
With the exception of Pinot Blanc, which is often blended with the similar but not synonymous Auxerrois, all varietally labeled Alsace AOP wines must contain 100% of the printed grape. Even if bottled as a single variety, Auxerrois may be accorded the title of “Pinot Blanc” on the label. White wines simply labeled “Pinot,” on the other hand, may contain any proportion of related varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois.
