Alsace Flashcards
Describe the Alsace climate and what geographical feature helps this region?
Cool to moderate Continental In the shadow from the Vosges Mtns from westerly rain bearing winds Giving: Clearer skies in summer and dry autumns =ripe grapes 😊
Late Harvest in Alsace is called what?
Vendage Tardive
Vend(ing)age Tard(y)ive
Grapes from the lesser vineyards in Alsace between the Vosge foothills and the Rhine are used mostly for what?
Crémant d’Alsace
Foothill and plains vineyards in Alsace have vines trained to avoid what and how are they trained?
Frost is the biggie
Vines are trained high to avoid frost
Premium vineyards in Alsace on the E and SE slopes are trained how. Why?
- They are trained low to benefit from radiated ground heat and exposure to sunlight.
- The rows of vines are orientated to maximise exposure to the sun.
- Harvesting is done by hand
Describe the Alsace appelations (2)
Not classifications
Two appelations
- Alsace - Stated variatel must be 100% that stated, unless its a blend in which case no varietals are listed.
- Alsace Grand Cru - Generally speaking… must be a noble grape and the label must specify the vineyard, vintage and where appropriate the varietal.
Two
Describe the two Alsace classifications (2)
not appelations
- Vendages Tardive (VT)
Late Harvest of noble varietal grapes of minimum ripeness.
The better wines will have passilerage and/or some noble rot - Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN)of noble varietal grapes with a minimum sugar ripeness higher than VT. Usually achieved through noble rot.
Not produced every year.
Name the four noble white grape varietals Alsace
Mr. GP
Mr. GP
Muscat, Reisling
Gerwurztraminer, Pinot Gris
mostly
Alsace’s wooden version of stainless steel tanks?
Very old, like 100 years old, oak barrels with a thick layer of tartrate which seals the wood.
How is the sweetness of Alsace wines indicated?
Unless its SGN… it’s not.
VT can be dry to medium sweet.
There is nothing official.
Alsace Reisling.
Describe sweetness, body, acidity, fruit
Dry - stony steely character
Medium to full bodied, High acidity
Citrus, stone fruit
Usually MLF free - it’s aromatic. Not as floral as Germans
Vendage Tardive (VT) wines are (1) dry (2) medium sweet (3) both
- Both.
Problem is that there is no means of officially indicating the sweetness.
Alsace Grand Cru’s are traditionally (1) Dry or (2) a range of sweetness
- Dry.
Though latterly sweetness has crept in
Alsace Gerwurztraminer body, acidity, ABV
Full bodied
Rich oily texture
Low-medium acidity
High ABV, greater than 14% is not uncommon
Typical Alsace Pinot Gris
Body, sweetness, colour, ABV, acidity, fruit
Full bodied, oily Dry to off dry Often golden colour High ABV Medium acidity Pronounced intensity on palate: honey, fresh and dried fruit. Less aromatic than Gewurz
