Alsace Flashcards
What are the 3 categories of wine made in Alsace?
Dry wine, Vendange Tardive (VT), Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
What are the 5 leading grapes in Alsace?
Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Muscat
What’s the name for sparkling wine in Alsace?
Crémant d’Alsace
What method is used to make Crémant d’Alsace?
Traditional method (méthode champenoise)
Where’s Alsace located?
Alsace lies about 300 miles (480 kms) due east of Paris. The vineyards run north to south in one long, thin strip over the foothills along the eastern flank of the Vosges Mountains. The region is broken up into two parts:
The Bas-Rhin (to the North, by Strasbourg)
Haut-Rhin (to the South in low slopes of the Vosges Mountains)
Contrary to logic, the Bas-Rhin is actually to the north and the Haut-Rhin is in the south, but the difference is all elevation. The best vineyards have long been associated with the Haut-Rhin. In the Haut-Rhin is where you will find many of the pretigious Alsace Grand Cru vineyards.
What are the 3 major AOCs in Alsace?
Alsace AOC (78%), Crémant d’Alsace AOC (18%), Alsace Grand Cru AOC (4%)
What are the “Noble Grapes of Alsace”?
Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewurztraminer
What’s Pinot d’Alsace?
Pinot d’Alsace is a blend of the Pinot varieties (P. Noir, P. Gris, P. Blanc and sometimes Auxxerois) that is made into a succulent, dry, golden-colored white wine.
What are the the lessor known (but still widely planted) varieties of Alsace?
Sylvaner, Chasselas, Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois
Alsace soils
- Rocky granitic soils: usually ideal for aromatic Riesling wines
- Limestone-rich clay soils (aka marl): better for rich-textured Gewürztraminer or Pinot Noir
- Volcanic soils: which can make smoky Pinot Gris, aromatic Pinot Noir and Riesling wines
- Sandstone soils: Known for producing lighter-bodied and leaner white wines
Alsace terroir
The geography of the wine growing area in Alsace is determined by two main factors, the Vosges mountains in the west and the Rhine river in the east. The vineyards are concentrated in a narrow strip, running in a roughly north–south direction, on the lower eastern slopes of the Vosges, at altitudes of 175–420 m. Those altitudes provide a good balance between temperature, drainage and sun exposure under Alsace’s growing conditions. Because of predominantly westerly winds, the Vosges mountains tend to shelter Alsace from rain and maritime influence, and the region is therefore rather dry and sunny. Rainfall in Colmar is 500 mm, but can vary greatly between sites, and is the driest city in France. While the slope down the Vosges is generally east-facing, many of the best sites are south-west to south-east facing, and benefit from extra sun exposure.
What are the types of Crémant d’Alsace?
Crémant d’Alsace Brut: A blend or single varietal wine using Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, and/or Chardonnay.
Crémant d’Alsace Rosé: It’s required to be 100% Pinot Noir.
Alsace AOC details
The Alsace AOC requires that no less than 100% of the grape variety labeled be used. There are blends allowed in Alsace AOC but they must be labeled ‘Edelzwicker,’ ‘Gentil’ or a named wine. The Alsace AOC includes white, rosé and red wines (rosés and reds are made with Pinot Noir). The AOC is also allowed to label dessert wines as “Vendanges Tardives” and “Sélection de Grains Nobles”.
Crémant d’Alsace AOC details
It is a sparkling wine AOC that produces a shockingly good bubbly using the same methods as in Champagne. Crémant d’Alsace is the only AOC that allows the local Chardonnay grapes, however most of the white brut-style bubbly is made with Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Auxxerois (blended with Pinot Blanc it’s called “Blanc de Blancs”) and Riesling. The rosé wine from this region is a special find because it’s 100% Pinot Noir.
Alsace Grand Cru AOC details
The are 51 Grand Cru plots. They are only allowed to use a single variety or blend just four official grape varieties, the Noble Grapes of Alsace. The appellation of Zotzenberg in the Bas-Rhin is the only one allowed to use Sylvaner in Grand Cru.
