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Alsace Flashcards
Mountain Range in Alsace
Vosges
Alsace received AOC status in what year?
1962, last major wine growing region to do so
Two departments of Alsace
Haut-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Capital of Haut-Rhin
Colmar, the driest city in France
Soil of Alsace
Varies greatly village to village
What percentage of AOP wine is white?
90%
Four Noble Grapes of Alsace
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Muscat (either Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains or Muscat Ottonel)
Gewurztraminer
Grapes allowed to be labeled varietally in Alsace AOP
Riesling Pinot Gris Muscat (either Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains or Muscat Ottonel) Gewurztraminer Pinot Blanc (Klevner) Chasselas (Gutedel) Sylvaner Pinot Noir
When labeled “Pinot,” what grapes can be included in the wine in any proportion?
Pinot Noir
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Auxerrois
Two grapes that make up the most AOP Production
Pinot Blanc
Auxerrois
Most planted grape in Alsace
Riesling
Gewurztraminer is a clone of what grape?
Traminer
Traminer variant planted in the Jura and parts of Alsace
Savagnin (Jura), Klevener (Heiligenstein)
5 Communes that may bottle Klevener de Heiligenstein under current Alsace AOP
Heiligenstein Bourgheim Gertwiller Goxwiller Obernai
Edelzwicker
Means “Noble Blend,” but in reality is an inexpensive blend.
Gentil Edelzwicker
Higher designation, must contain at least 50% Noble Grapes
How must Gentil Edelzwicker be vinified
Base wines vinified separately
First Alsatian Grand Cru and year
Schlossberg, 1975
Number of Grand Crus added 1983
24
Number of Grand Crus added 1992
25
51st Grand Cru Kaefferkopf added in what year?
2007
Grape allowed to be labeled varietally in Zotzenberg
Sylvaner
Two Grand Crus allowed to blend
Altenberg de Bergheim
Kaefferkopf
Blend of 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
Blend of Kaefferkopf
60-80% Gewurztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat
Clos st Hune is part of what Grand Cru?
Rosacker
Two designations for late harvest wine
Vendanges Tardives, Selections de Grains Nobles
How are SdGN grapes picked?
In tries
Major difference between VT and SdGN?
VT may have botrytis but emphasizes varietal character, where as SdGN must have botrytis and emphasizes the effect of Botrytis
Can VT and SdGN be a blend?
No, they must be a single noble variety and pass a blind tasting panel.
Do VT and SdGN have to be sweet?
Not by law, VT wines can actually be quite dry
Only red variety permitted in Alsace AOP wines?
Pinot Noir
Only appellation in Alsace to allow Chardonnay
Cremant d’Alsace
Varietals allowed in Cremant d’Alsace
Chardonnay Pinot Noir Riesling Pinot Blanc Auxerrois
How much of Alsace’ output is Cremant?
Nearly 25%
Cotes de Toul AOP
Light red wines are produced from Pinot Noir and white wines contain Auxerrois and Aubin. Rosé wines, made in a pale vin gris style, include a high proportion of Gamay and Pinot Noir.
Moselle AOP
The small Moselle AOP, upgraded from VDQS in 2011, produces red, white, and rosé wines, principally from Auxerrois and Pinot Noir.
Trimbach
Currently, brothers Bernard and Hubert Trimbach run Maison Trimbach; Bernard’s sons Pierre (winemaker) and Jean (sales) mark the twelfth generation to work at the estate. Trimbach is known for its “purist” vision, producing dry wines that are labeled by proprietary names rather than grand cru designation. The classic examples of this are their Clos Sainte Hune and Cuvée Frédéric Emile Rieslings, which pre-date the 1983 AOC Grand Cru designation.
Trimbach Vinification
Grapes are hand harvested as late as possible in order to achieve maximum ripeness, then pressed in a pneumatic press. The juice runs into the cellar by gravity and clarifies naturally prior to fermentation, which takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for two to three weeks. All wines—with the exception of VT and SGN bottlings—are vinified to completely dry with no residual sugar, and malolactic fermentation is avoided. Wines are fined, filtered and bottled early. The wines age in bottle for at least one year and up to five years prior to release, depending on cuvée.
Zind-Humbrecht
The Humbrecht family has been winegrowing in Alsace since 1620, but the present-day winery was formed when Leonard Humbrecht married Genevieve Zind in 1959. During the 1960s and 70s, Leonard expanded their vineyard holdings, including the acquisition of Clos Saint Urbain. Their son Olivier Humbrecht, MW, has managed the domaine since 1989 and helped his family build a new winery and cellar in 1992. The domaine has been organically and biodynamically farmed since 1997, earning organic certification in 1998 and biodynamic certification in 2002. Humbrecht is known as a staunch advocate for biodynamic farming and non-interventionist winemaking practices.
Zind-Humbrecht Vinification
Olivier Humbrecht practices “hands off” winemaking with very slow fermentations (sometimes lasting several months) from indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation is not stopped if it occurs. Wines age at least six months on their lees in old oak barrels. Wines are bottled one to two years after harvest
Domaine Weinbach
The Faller brothers formally established Domaine Weinbach in 1898 after acquiring the property. The brothers left the estate to Théo (son and nephew), who, after passing away in 1979, left the domaine to his widow Colette and daughters Catherine and Laurence. These two have run the domaine ever since. Catherine serves as marketing director and Laurence as winemaker, and the estate’s wines are all produced from their own vineyards, including a selection of special cuvées named after family members. Biodynamic conversion began in 1998 and was completed in all vineyards by 2005.
Domaine Weinbach Vinification
Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed as whole clusters in modern pnuematic presses. The must settles at cellar temperature and is fermented using indigenous yeasts. The wines ferment and age in large foudres for several months, depending on cuvée. Wines are filtered before bottling, beginning in April and finishing in July.
Albert Boxler
In 1946, Albert Boxler was the first to bottle and commercialize his family’s wines under their own label, even though winemaking had taken place at the domaine for generations. Albert passed the estate down to his son, Jean-Marc, who retired in 1996 and passed it down again to his son Jean, the present winemaker. The Boxlers believe in maintaining a distinction between subplots within each Grand Cru holding, and they bottle two to four unique, terroir-specific lots of Riesling from each Grand Cru. Not all Grand Cru bottlings are produced every year. The domaine farms organically but is not certified.
Albert Boxler Vinification
Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed, then cold-settled prior to fermentation with indigenous yeasts. All wines are fermented in foudres except for the Gewurztraminer bottlings and all Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines, which ferment in stainless steel. The wines receive a small addition of sulfur prior to bottling.
Domaine Ostertag
Domaine Ostertag was founded by Adolphe Ostertag in 1966, and in 1980 he handed it down to his son André, who had previously trained in Burgundy. In 1997, André began biodynamic conversion of the vineyards. André is known for the unofficial categories he created for his wines: Vins de Fruit (wines that express fruity typicity), Vins de Pierre (wines that express their specific terroir) and Vins de Temps (wines that are affected by time and weather—e.g. late-harvest and botrytized wines).
Domaine Ostertage Vinification
Grapes are hand-harvested and slowly pressed as whole clusters in a modern pneumatic press for eight to 12 hours. Fermentation begins spontaneously using indigenous yeasts, and the wines age on their lees. Ostertag sources oak exclusively from the local Vosges Mountains for his 228-liter barrels, which are used for aging his Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. The Sylvaner, Muscat, Gewurztraminer and Riesling bottlings see only stainless steel. Wines are bottled with a slight filtration and small addition of sulfur.
Marcel Deiss
The Deiss family comes from a long line of winemakers in Bergheim, dating back to 1744. Domaine Marcel Deiss was established in 1947 after Marcel returned from WWII and, with the help of his son André, developed and grew his land holdings. André’s son Jean-Michel took over in 1973 and today manages the estate with his son Mathieu. The family practices biodynamic farming across their 27 hectares spread over nine communes.
Jean-Michel is a staunch advocate of complantation, or the blending of grapes from one site, as opposed to the more common Alsatian practice of single-variety winemaking and labeling. He also played a large role in the 2005 INAO reform, which dropped the variety designation requirement for Alsace Grand Cru AOP wines (it is now optional) and which modified the Grand Cru Altenberg production laws to allow field blends.
Deiss categorizes his wines using three basic classifications: Vins de Fruit (single variety wines), Vins de Terroir (field blends) and Vins de Temps (late-harvest wines).
Hugel et Fils
The Hugel family has been producing wine in Alsace for over 200 years and is known for its pioneering role in the INAO’s 1984 recognition of Vendange Tardive and Sélection des Grains Nobles wines. Today they produce wine from their own vineyards as well as operate as a négociant business, sourcing grapes under contract with growers. The domaine chooses not to use the grand cru designation because the number of vineyards has been expanded to what they feel include less-favored sites. Instead, they produce wines in three tiers of quality: Varietal wines occupy the base tier, “Tradition” the middle, and “Jubilée” the top-quality tier. Wines of particular excellence appear under the “Hommage à Jean Hugel” banner. Vendange Tardive and Sélection des Grains Nobles cuvées are only produced in great vintages.
Barmes-Buecher
Geneviève and François Barmès created Domaine Barmès-Buecher in 1985, bringing together vineyards that had belonged to their families since the 17th century. Both the Barmès and Buecher estates had previously sold their grapes and wine in bulk to négociants. François was passionate about biodynamic farming and began converting in the early 1990s, and the estate has been certified biodynamic since 1998. The sudden passing of François in 2011 accelerated his children, Sophie and Maxime, into the family business; today Geneviève, Sophie and Maxime manage the domaine.
Domaines Schlumberger
In 1911, Ernest Schlumberger began rebuilding his family’s vineyards—and gradually the whole of Guebwiller, piecing together more than 2,500 parcels that had been abandoned. The domaine grew from 20 hectares to its present 135, making Schlumberger one of the largest vineyard owners in Alsace—not to mention holder of the largest portion of Grand Cru vineyards and one of the largest blocks of contiguous vineyards in France. The wines are made exclusively from grapes grown in these estate vineyards. Today, 6th generation Alain Beydon-Schlumberger and 7th generation Séverine and Thomas Schlumberger manage the domaine together. The domaine releases wines under three categories: “Les Princes Abbés” is their AOC range (named after the local order of monks, who were the first to sell wines from Guebwiller); “Les Grands Crus” (Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer only); and “Les Cuvées de Collection,” which are late-harvest or SGN wines.
Lucien Albrecht
While the domaine was first established by Romanus Albrecht in the town of Thann in 1425, Balthazar Albrecht moved the family in 1698 to its current location in Orschwir. Lucien Albrecht was one of the first advocates for creating the laws for Crémant d’Alsace AOC in the 1970s, and the domaine is appropriately well known for their signature Crémant d’Alsace wines. Current winemaker Jean Albrecht marks the 18th generation of the family to helm the domaine; however, since 2013 the estate has been overseen by cooperative cellar Wolfberfer after the winery filed for bankruptcy. Farming is organic, and intervention in the cellar is kept to a minimum. In addition to their Grand Cru wines, Domaine Lucien Albrecht maintains two distinct labels: “Reserve” wines are from both their own fruit as well as that grown by smaller vignerons in the area; “Special Cuvées” are entirely from estate-grown fruit.
Domaine Josmeyer
The family négociant business dates back to 1854, but Domaine Josmeyer was created in 1963 when Hubert Meyer added Jos (the first three letters of his father’s name, Joseph) to the family name. Jean Meyer, Hubert’s oldest son, took over in 1966, and his daughter Isabelle (marking the 5th generation) is the current winemaker. In 2000, the estate switched to organic and biodynamic viticulture, receiving certification for all vineyards in 2004. The domaine makes wines in four categories: the artist series, vins de terroir, selection prestige and Grand Cru wines. Jean Meyer created the artist series in 1987, working with an Alsatian artist; the label changes every two years and is meant to depict the wine as imagined by the artist.
Albert Mann
Domaine Albert Mann is the collaboration of the Mann and Barthelmé winemaking families. The Manns have been winegrowers in the area since the 17th century, and the Barthelmés since 1654. Today the estate is run by brothers Maurice and Jacky Barthelmé and their wives, Marie-Claire and Marie-Thérèse. The estate has been organically certified since 2000, and they began practicing biodynamic viticulture in 1997, gaining certification in 2010.
Meyer-Fonne
The domaine was founded by Félix Meyer and is currently run by his grandson, François Meyer, along with his son (also named Félix), who joined in 1992. The younger Félix has helped develop export sales and has modernized the winery’s equipment. He is currently working to diversify and extend the domaine’s various vineyard holdings—including grand crus—and has become interested in organic farming, now working without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides.
Kuentz-Bas
Originally founded by the Kuentz family in 1795, the formal establishment of Kuentz-Bas came by way of a marriage between the Kuentz and Bas families in 1895. In 2004, the family sold the property to vigneron Jean-Baptiste Adam, and alongside winemaker Samuel Tottoli (who came on board in 2004), the two lowered vineyard yields and converted viticultural practices to organic and biodynamic approaches. The domaine received organic certification in 2007 and biodynamic certification in 2008.
Wines are categorized into three tiers: Tradition (which focuses on fruit character), Collection (site-focused) and Trois Chateaux (made exclusively from estate-owned organic vineyards).
Dirler-Cade
In 1871, Jean Dirler founded Vins Dirler. Today, the fifth Jean Dirler and his wife, Ludivine Cadé, run the domaine. Jean and Ludivine were married in 1998, and shortly thereafter the Dirler holdings were joined with Ludivine’s family’s vineyards (Domaine Hell-Cadé in nearby Guebwiller). Jean and his father began converting to biodynamic farming in 1999, and all vineyards were certified by 2007.
