Alsace Flashcards
what is the capital of the grand est?
starsbourg
located in the bas-rhin
what were the major wars that alsace was a part of?
- thirty years war (1618-1638)
- franco-prussian war (july 1870-january 1871)
- WWI (briefly independent after kaiser wilhelm was abducted)
what impact did the thirty years war have on alsace?
is demolished vines
after which war did the french take control of alsace?
WWI
1919 treaty of Versailles
what are 2 important details for alsace winemaking in 1945?
- many vineyards were planted in 1945 after wine growing renaissance
- that was the year that germany and france started making different styles of wine
when did alsace get aoc status?
1962
- it was the last major region to do so
what are the 2 department of alsace?
bas-rhin
haut-rhin
mountain range near alsace?
vosges mountains to the west of the region
- creating a rain shadow effect; resulting in a dry and sunny climate
what is the capital of the haut-rhin?
colmar
- it is the sunniest and driest region in france
where are the vineyards located in alsace?
in a thin strand along the lower slopes and foothills of the vosges mountains
what is the climate of alsace?
semi-continental
- long hard winters and warm summers
what exposure is best for vineyards in alsace?
south eastern
eastern
southern
what is unique about alsace for being located in the northern location
unlike burgundy and loire the vines ripen better due to sheer number of sunlight hours in the summer
gres de vosges
pink sandstone
what soil is found in the steep slopes of alsace
schist, granite, volcanic sediment
what soil is found in the lower slopes of alsace
limestone
what soil is found on the plain/footshills of alsace
alluvial clay, gravel
what is critital factor when it comes to what varietal will be planted in a vineyard in alsace
the reflection from the soil
what style of wine makes up most of production in alsace?
white wine 90%
what style of wine makes up 20% of total white wine production for france?
alsacian white wine
what muscat clones are available for noble status in alsace?
muscat blanc a petit grains
muscat rose a petit grains
muscat ottonel
klevner
pinot blanc
what grapes are the ‘workhorse’ grapes for alsace?
pinot blanc/auxerrois
what is the most planted grape?
riesling
- also the last grape to ripen in the region
tokay d’alsace
pinot gris
tokay pinot gris
traminer
savignin
klevener in heiligenstein
five villages in heiligenstein
bourheim gertwiller goxwiller heiligenstein obernai
edelzwicker
noble mixture
cheap and doesn’t need a vintage
legally doesn’t even need to contain more than one grape
gentil
(unofficial term)
min 50% noble grapes
base wine vinified separately
name a producer that is an advocate for blending in alsace
marcel deiss
alsace grand cru history
1st grand cru - schlossberg 1975
1983 + 24
1992 + 25
2007 +1 koefferkompf
what two grand cru in alsace may blend
altenberg de bergheim
kaefferkompf
what is the cahier des charges
The aoc system obliges winemakers to adhere to a rigorous set of clearly defined standards that are laid out in what is known as the cahier des charges, a document that specifies all the rules recognised by the decree.
smallest and largest grand cru in alsace
schlossberg 80ha
kanzlerberg 3.23ha
what is unique about trimbach
for his cru wines they chose not to add them to the label
what two grand cru does trimbach label?
gaisberg
schlossberg
what are the 2 designations for late harvest wines in alsace?
1984
- vendage tardive
- selecions de grains nobles
must be single noble grapes that pass a blind tasting
passerillage
Late harvest
vendage tardive may be ___
dry as well as sweet
selecions de grain nobles grapes are ___
affected by botrytis
vt must weight levels
muscat/rielsing 244g/l
pinot gris/gewurz 270 g/l
sgn must weight levels
muscat/riesling 276g/l
pinot gris/gewurz 306g/l
rose cremant d’alsace cepage
pinot noir
what grape is only allowed for cremant d’alsace aop
chardonnay
what are the most northern grand cru in alsace
steinklotz
altenberg de bergheim
engelberg
what are the most souther grand cru in alsace
ollwiller
rangen
- south means higher elevation
alsace white only subzones and their grapes
- bleinschwiller
- cotes de barr (sylvaner)
- scherwiller
- wolxheim (riesling)
- klevener de heiligenstein (savignin rose)
- bergheim (gewurz)
- val st gegoire (auxerrois/pb, pg)
- vallee noble (riesling, pb, pg)
- coteaux du haut koenigsbourg (riesling, gewurz)
alsace red only subzones
- ottrott
- rodern
- st hippolyte (pinot noir)
alsace white and red subzones
- cote de rouffach (riesling, pn, gewurz, pg
schillerwein in alsace
rose
pinot noir
min potential abv for alsace
white 9.5% varietal/lieu dits 10% rose 10% red 10.5% vt 14.5%, 16% sgn 16.4% 18.2% cremant 9%
alsace cremant rules
9%
9m on lees 12m total
4 atmospheres of pressure
alsace training method
single or double guyot
alsace bottle shape
vin du rhin
flute d’alsace
important clos sites single owners
clos des capucins kayserberg - weinbach
clos de la faille wintzenheim - albert mann
ribeaupierre ribeuville - jean sipp
important clos sites lucien albrect
himmelreich orschwihr
recollets rouffach
important clos sites marc kreydenweiss
rebberg andlau
rebgarten andlau
important clos sites zind-humbrecht
hauserer wintzenheim
jebsal turkheim
windsbuhl hunawihr
altenberg de bergheim info
blending
50-70% riesling
10-25% pinot gris + gewurz
10% other
12% riesling/muscat
14% pg/gewurz
14% blended
kaefferkomph info
60-80% gewurz
10-40% riesling
max 30% pg
max 10% muscat
pg not allowed for vt or sgn
12% abv for blend
zoztenberg info
no muscat
sylvaner 11% abv
sylvaner cannot be used for vt or sgn
clos ste hune
riesling
rosaker
trimbach
frederic emile
riesling
gaisberg + osterberg
hugel
keuper soil
marl + limestone common to alsace
cuvee des seigneurs de ribeaupierre
gewurz
hugel
grossi laue
alsacian dialect for top vineyards
equivilent to grosse gewachs
cuvee theo
gewurz
lieu dit of altenbourg just below cru of furstentum
weinbach
cuvee laurence
pinot gris
gewurz
liet dit of altenbourg just belowof furstentum
weinbach
cuvee catherine
pinot gris
3 different terroirs
weinbach
clos ste urbain
riesling, pg, gewurz
rangen zind-humbrecht
What is the only geographic area within alsace?
klevener de heiligenstein
You can’t plant savignin vert anywhere else in Alsace since it’s not needed for any other wine.
