Alsace 4 Flashcards
what is the most common and best soil type in Alsace
Marly limey
where is marly limestone soils most commonly found
the golden triangle - Division 3
What soils are Grand Cru sites Muenchberg - Nothalen (D2) and Kitterle - Guebwiller (D5) situated
Volcanic plus other soils - sandstone
what grape does best on Granite soil
Riesling - floral and late ripening
what are the 4 Grand Cru site on Limestone
Steinklotz
Furstentum
Steinert
Rosacker
what is the name of the only Grand Cru site on Sandstone
Wiebelberg - Andlau, Division 2
in contrast next to it is Kastelberg - Andlau, Divison 2 - SCHIST
what is the name of the Grand Cru site on Marl
Osterberg
MARL-Easter
what is meant by topographical division
the mountains (vosges peaks), foothills (sub-Vosges hill) and plains
what is meant by geological divisions
the fault lines
Saverne
Ribeauville
Rouffach/Guebwiller
which fault bundle has uniformity of soil
Saverne - limestone/calareous/clays
how many physiographic division in Alsace
5 Divisions
- Wissenboug to Molshiem
- Roshiem to Scherwiller
- Chatnois to Colmar
- Wettolsheim to Orchwiller
- Guebwiller to Thann
what grape takes a longer ripening time
Riesling… and Sylvanner (most often blended to make edelzwicker)
what is the least planted grape
0.3% Klevener - non aromatic savagnin rose
what are some qualities of Riesling
thick skin last to ripen - last to harvest can be made in all styles, dry, still, sparkling, sweet, VT aromas of citrus, petrol, peach, late bud berry - small light green, dotted NEEDS cool autumn nigh to fully mature
what are some qualities of Gewvrztraminer
the aromatic version of Savagnin Rose traminer = means spice thick skin early ripening low acid small red/pink berry marly limestone soils hi sugar ginger (cool) or tropical fruit versions (hot)
what are some qualities of Pinot Gris
least aromatic of Alsace grapes thin skin - good for Botryis cineria early bud - early ripen low acid - like limestone soils used to be called Tokay d'Alsace (2007) small pink berry
what are some qualities of Muscat
2 kinds - both thick skinned, limestone soils, early ripening, both sensitive to spring weather
- Ottenel - med A - aromatic, youngest 19thC
- Petite Grain (blanc and rouge)- muscat rose - Hi A - oldest 16th C
what are some qualities of Pinot Blanc
late ripening aka known as Klevner Auxerrois can be labelled Pinot Blanc thin skinned neutral grape, Med A most Pinot have thin skins
what are some qualities of Pinot Noir
early ripen, first to harvest, thin skinned
only red grape in Alsace AOC
med A, limestone soils
6 villages (Ottrott, St. Leonard, Boersch, St. Hipp, Rodern, Marlenheim)
what are some characteristics of Sylvanner
thick skinned, with Riesling, they are the last to harvest, hi acid, hi yields, neutral nose, native to Austria,
what are the secondary grapes of Alsace
Chardonnay - 1980 only cremate
Auxerrois - hi sugar, low A
Chasselas - swiss
Kelevener de Heiligenstein - no aromatic of savagnin rose, pink skin,
why were grape varieties regulated in Alsace over time
to improve quality of wine, removed inferior vines/hybrids
why are R and G used so often, planted in greater numbers
because Alsace with sunny warm and long Autumn support ripening and capable of longer ripening and resist botrytis
what is the production volume for AOC Alsace
80 hl/ha
what is the production volume for Grand Cru Alsace
55 hl/ha
what is the production volume for Cremant d’Alsace
80 hl/ha
