Alsace

Question 1

Describe geography and aspect of Alsace

Answer 1

Cut-off from the remainder of France by the Vosges Mtns and the Rhine in Germany, vineyards grow along sheltered slopes with better vineyards having S, SE, E exposure for sunlight

Question 2

Primary Alsace white varietals

Answer 2

Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat

Question 3

Percent of Alsace wine that is white

Answer 3

90% of Alsace AOC

Question 4

What is the effect of the Vosges Mtns

Answer 4

Protect Alsace from Atlantic influence, hold up rainclouds creating high sunshine and low rain, one of the driest areas in France

Question 5

Soil of Alsace

Answer 5

France’s most complex soil, siliceous edge of Vosges, limestone hills, hydrous alluvial plain. Mosaic of granite, limestone, schist, clay, gravel, chalk, loess, and local pink sandstone “gres de Vosges”. Steeper slopes generally granite, shist, and volcanic sediment

Question 6

General characteristics of Alsace white

Answer 6

low filtering/fining, always with mineralogy, frequently oily texture, spiciness in bouquet and flavor

Question 7

Vin d’Alsace AC/ Alsace AC Requirements

Answer 7

One of varietals: Riesling, Gewurz, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Silvaner, Pinot Blanc (Klevner/Clevner), Pinot Noir, Chasselas (Auxerrois can substitute for Pinot Blanc)

Question 8

Edelzwicker label requirements

Answer 8

Usually but not legally required to be a blend of two or more of the Vin d’Alsace varietals, “noble mixture,” usually Pinot Blanc and Chasselas (usually inexpensive blend)

Question 9

Gentil label requirements

Answer 9

Blend of two or more varietals with minimum 50% Riesling, Gewurz, Muscat, or Pinot Gris, higher quality blend than Edelzwicker, vinified separately

Question 10

Alsace Grand Cru AOC Requirements and the two exceptions

Answer 10

Hand harvested, restricted yields, Minimum 11% abv for Riesling, Muscat, 12.5% abv for Pinot Gris and Gewurz, single varietal of 4 noble grapes (exceptions: Zolzenberg can us Sylvaner; Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf can blend

Question 11

What is the only red in Alsace

Answer 11

Pinot Noir

Question 12

Alsace Cremant AC Requirements

Answer 12

Sparkling with secondary fermentation in the bottle, all Alsace varietals permitted except Gewurz or Chasselas. Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Noir rose most common, can add Chardonnay

Question 13

Describe Alsace label requirements

Answer 13

Sold by varietal name, must be 100% (Pinot Blanc can include Auxerrois). Grand Cru appellations required to show their name.

Question 14

Describe Alsace Moelleux label requirements

Answer 14

minimum 12 grams/liter of residual sugar must be labelled, Riesling minimum 9 grams/liter

Question 15

Describe Alsace Riesling

Answer 15

dry, steely, marked minerality, oily texture on palate, fuller than German Rieslings, best grown on granite

Question 16

Describe Alsace Gewurztraminer

Answer 16

low acid, high alcohol, aromatic fruit bowl, flower petals, tropical fruit with spicy characteristics

Question 17

Describe Alsace Pinot Gris

Answer 17

called Tokay d’Alsace before 2006, citrus and spicy bouquet, smooth and dry, can be sharp

Question 18

Describe Muscat d’Alsace

Answer 18

grapey, less spicy, dry with musky flavor; can be Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains, Muscat Rose a Petit Grains, or Muscat Ottonel

Question 19

Describe Alsace Pinot Blanc

Answer 19

aka Clevner/Klevner, well-balanced, dry, often blended with Auxerrois, lighter bodied than most Alsace

Question 20

Describe Alsace Vendage Tardive

Answer 20

German-style late harvested wines made in good years, “Vendage Tardive” added to the label, dry or sweet, high quality, only Gewurz (most common), Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, honey bouquet with high alcohol, can be Alsace AOC or Grand Cru, hand harvested at minimum 235 g/l for Muscat and Riesling, 257 g/l for Gewurz and Pinot Gris

Question 21

Describe Alsace Selection de Grains Nobles

Answer 21

one stage further than German Beerenauslese, contains some noble rot, same 4 varietals as Vendage Tardive, high quality under strict regulations, can be Alsace AOC or Grand Cru, hand harvested at minimum 276 grams/liter for Muscat and Riesling, 306 g/l Gewurz and Pinot Gris

Question 22

Describe two regions of Alsace

Answer 22

Bas Rhin (north) and Haut Rhin (south). Haut Rhin generally grows better grapes, home to two-thirds of Grand Cru sites

Question 23

Describe Classic Alsace Blend

Answer 23

Produced from noble varietals, sourced from the same vineyard and vinified together (not like Edelzwicker); includes Grand Vin de Schonenberg, Clos du Zahnacker, Clos du Schlossberg, and Cotes du Ribeauville

Question 24

Describe Cotes de Toul AOC production/location

Answer 24

light reds from Pinot Noir, whites from Auxerrois and Aubin, roses in the pale vin gris style mostly Gamay and Pinot Noir, directly west of Bas Rhin on Meuse River

Question 25

Describe Moselle VDQS/AOC production/location

Answer 25

Reds, whites, and roses from Alsace grapes plus Gamay and Pinot Meunier, northwest of Bas Rhin on Moselle River

Question 26

What are the yields per hectare for Alsace AOC and Grand Cru

Answer 26

Grand Cru 60 hl/ha, Alsace AOC 100 hl/ha

Question 27

Name Alsace percentage of plantings per varietal

Answer 27

20% Riesling, 20% Gewurz (much lower yields compared to similarly sized areas, mostly Haut-Rhin), 12% Sylvaner (mostly Bas-Rhin), 20% Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois, 12% Pinot Gris, 9% Pinot Noir, remainder Muscat, Chasselas and Chardonnay