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WSET 4 > Alsace > Flashcards

Alsace Flashcards

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1
Q

Alsace

A

Alsace

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2
Q

Alsace climate

A

Warm, sunny, unusually dry continental climate due to protection of Vosges mountains

Westerly winds carry clouds but most of rain falls on western side of Vosges

  • Eastern side (Alsace) has only 600mm (half of west)
  • drought can be issue
  • irrigation is not permitted for AOC
  • dry harvest period, wet August
  • high sunshine hours

Föhn wind

  • drying influence
  • raises temperature
  • marked diurnal difference
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3
Q

Alsace topography

A

Best vineyards 200-250m (up to 450m)

  • south, south-west exposure for max sunlight
  • free draining, low fertility soils

Lower quality vineyards on floor by Rhine river

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4
Q

Wind warming up Alsace

A

Föhn

  • drying influence
  • raises temperature
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5
Q

Grape varieties in Alsace

A 
Riesling
Pinot Blanc
Gequrztraminer
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Sylvaner
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6
Q

Riesling

A

cold-hardy, buds late
Needs long season and good site to fully ripen
- good quality on relatively high yields (70 hl/ha)

Good resistance to disease (downy, powdery, botrytis)

Medium to pronounced in aroma, unoaked and high in acidity

Alsace style is typically dry, medium to full body, medium alcohol, medium to high acidity, citrus (lemon, grapefruit) and stone fruit.
Pronounced stony/steely character

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7
Q

Gewurztraminer

A

Early budding, early ripening

Rapidly accumulates sugar
- in Alsace picked late to achieve fully ripe skins to maximise aroma and avoid bitterness.

Vigorous (needs careful pruning and canopy management)

Moderately productive due to coulure.
Can suffer from chlorosis and disiccation of the stems
Vulnerable to powdery mildew, grape vine moths, grey rot.
- Virus-free stock was produced by research stations in Alsace

Medium lemon colour, pronounced aroma of lychee, peach and apricot, rose and spice
Medium to high alcohol, medium to full body, low acidity

Dry to sweet in Alsace

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8
Q

Pinot Blanc

flavour profile

A

Light intensity of apple and peach, medium acidity and alcohol

Used for Cremant d’Alsace

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9
Q

Auxerrois

A

sometimes labelled Pinot Blanc

Early ripening, low aromatic with low acidity

Used for Cremant d’Alsace

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10
Q

Pinot Gris

A

early budding, early ripening

Moderate yields

Susceptible to botrytis and downy mildew

Accumulates high sugar levels leading to medium to high alcohol (and drop of acidity)

Medium intensity peach, apple, full body, med acidity
Best examples have rich oily texture and capacity to age and develop honeyed and smoky notes.

Full range of styles (dry to sweet)

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11
Q

Aromas Pinot Gris develops with age

A

Honey and smoke

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12
Q

Pinot Noir Alsace

+ producers

A

the only black grape allowed in AOC wines

Raising quality with both unoaked and oaked wines.

Domaine Mure and Domaine Albert Mann

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13
Q

Sylvaner

A

in decline.

Stock of old vines

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14
Q

2 types of Muscats in Alsace

A

Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains and Muscat Ottonel

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15
Q

Vineyard management

A

Single or double Guyot required by AOC

  • typically traing high to reduce risk of frost and humidity and to maximase sunlight for grapes
  • wide rows to avoid shading (4000 vines per ha)
  • terracing on slopes if necessary

Reduced risk of fungal diseases due to wind.

15% of organic vineyards

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16
Q

Harvest

A

Long harvest period

AOC requires Grand Cru to be picked by hand

17
Q

Winemaking

A

most wine from single varieties

Aim to preserve primary aroma

  • pre-fermentation skin contact (or keeping grapes longer in press)
  • extracting flavour and texture
  • Cool ferment for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner
  • Mid range for Gewurztraminer (higher sugar, higher alcohol and avoiding banana aroma)
  • inert vessels (old large oak or steel)
  • Preference of ambient yeast
  • malo usually avoided
  • very little new oak
  • no lees stiring usually

Cellars are naturally cool enough
- temp control still used

18
Q

Fermentation temperatures for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner and Gewurztraminer

A

Cool ferment for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner

Mid range for Gewurztraminer

  • making sure yeast reliably ferment plentiful sugar in the grapes
  • avoiding banana flavours
19
Q

Sweetness levels of dry wines

A

Little consistency of RS

Number of proucers indicate sweetness on back label

20
Q

Chaptalization

A

Allowed within EU rules

21
Q

Max yield for white wine in Alsace AOC

A

80 hl/ha

22
Q

Number of communes Alsace

A

13 communes whose names can appear on the label

23
Q

What labelling terms can appear on label?

A

Commune name (13 communes)
Lieu-dit names
Grand cru
Vendage Tardive

24
Q

Yield for wines labelled with commune name or lieu-dit

A

72 hl/ha commune

68 hl/ha lieu-dit

25
Q

Max yield for Alsace Pinot Noir AOC

A

60 hl/ha

26
Q

Grand cru wines max yield

A

55 hl/ha (in some cases 50 hl/ha)

27
Q

Grand cru regulations

A

55 hl/ha (in some cases 50 hl/ha)

Single varietal wines from noble varieties

  • Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer
  • 3 vineyards are allowed to produce blends or Sylvaner

51 Grand Cru vineyards which can set their own rules
- few applied for authorization of Pinot Noir

Discussion of introducing a Premier Cru classification

28
Q

Noble varieties

A

Riesling
Muscat
Pinot Gris
Gewurztraminer

allowed in Grand Cru wines

29
Q

Which appellations can produce Vendage Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles

A

Both Alsace AOC and Grand crus

30
Q

Vendage Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles regulations

A 
only from noble varieties 
High minimum sugar levels at harvest required
 - Muscat or Riesling 
    - VT - 235 g/l, SGN - 276 g/l
 - Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer
    - VT - 257 g/l, SGN - 306 g/l

Vendage Tardive

  • does not have to be botrytised
  • does not have to be sweet

Sélection de Grains Nobles

  • must be from botrytis affected grapes
  • must be sweet
31
Q

Minimum sugar levels at harvest for Sélection de Grains Nobles

A

Muscat or Riesling
- 276 g/l

Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer
- 306 g/l

32
Q

Minimum sugar levels at harvest for Vendage Tardive

A

Muscat or Riesling
- 235 g/l

Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer
- 257 g/l

33
Q

Alsace wine business

A

average vineyard holding 3.5 ha

Many growers sell to cooperatives or larger producers

  • 40% cooperatives (quality wine reputation)
  • Cave de Turckheim

Strong reputation for gastronomical wines

  • 75% sold in France
  • export - Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, North America

All AOC wine has to be sold in typical tall thin flute bottle
No bag in the box allowed

Notable for producers covering most styles
- 20-35 bottlings are normal

Hugel, Trimbach, Zind-Humbrecht

34
Q

Alsace producers and cooperatives

A

Hugel, Trimbach, Zind-Humbrecht

Cooperative: Cave de Turckheim

35
Q

Bottling requirements

A

All AOC wine has to be sold in typical tall thin flute bottle

No bag in the box allowed

WSET 4 (32 decks)

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