Alsace Grand Crus Flashcards
Are the grand crus of Alsace under one AOP or are they each their own AOP?
Prior to 2011, the single Alsace Grand Cru AOP was an umbrella designation for all of the following vineyards. In 2011, each of the following vineyards received its own AOP.
How many Grand Cru of Alsace are there?
What is the history of the grand cru vineyards of Alsace? What was the first and what was the most recent?
- -51 Grand Cru
- -1975 Alsace Grand Cru was first decreed with Schlossberg
- -1983 24 grand crus were added
- -1992 additional 25 were added
- -Kaefferkoph was added in 2007.
What is the only grand cru allowed for Sylvaner?
Zotzenberg
What grand crus may not produce varietal based Muscat?
Zotzenberg, Altenberg de Bergheim, or Kaefferkopf.
What is the smallest grand cru of Alsace?
Size?
Kanzlerberg (3 hectares)
What is the largest grand cru in Alsace?
Size?
Schlossberg (80 hectares)
What Grand Cru is Trimbach’s Clos-Ste-Hune?
Rosacker Grand Cru.
–Trimbach has traditionally released their Riesling Clos-Ste-Hune as Alsace AOP without any mention of the large Rosacker Grand Cru on the label, as they believe that the rest of the mainly limestone vineyard does not match Clos Ste-Hune in quality. (However, they did release its first vintage of Geisberg Grand Cru with the 2009.)
What is the northern most Grand Cru (and most northern commune) in Alsace?
What grapes is the GC known for?
Steinklotz in Marlenheim
–known for Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.
What is the southern most Grand Cru (and southern most commune) in Alsace?
What grapes is the GC known for?
Rangen “RON-gen” hard g in Thann
–Schoffit and Zind-Humbrecht make superbly expressive wines, especially Riesling and Pinot Gris, from these warm volcanic soils.
Alsace Grand Cru Memorization/Mnemonics
- -HR: Kitty’s gold Glock brand rose seering summer spores ranging first floors marking owl fingers. Oster’s stein art from Mark can hang Hatch’s stein grubble. Caffeine ma’am, showing sunny glances. Spiegel’s mandible wine schloss versus Zin Cup’s schloss! Big Kirsch’s robes kiss each first cig- guess Alton Brown’s big hem.
- -Haut-Rhin: Kitterle, Goldert, Gloeckelberg, Brand, Rosacker, Saering, Summerberg, Sporen, Rangen, Furstentum, Florimont, Ollwiller, Pfingstberg, Osterberg, Steinert, Froehn, Marckrain, Kanzlerberg, Hengst, Hatschbourg, Steingrubler, Kaefferkopf, Mambourg, Schoenenberg, Sonnenglanz, Spiegel, Mandelberg, Wineck-Schlossburg, Vorbourg, Zinnkoepfle, Schlossburg, Kirchberg de Ribeauville, Kessler, Eichberg, Pfersigberg, Geisberg, Altenberg de Bergheim
- -BR: Frankenstein’s Castle brewed tall stein klutzes while winning Alton Brown’s big biting wolf helm. Engel’s kirsch bars prowl munching zotz.
- -Bas-Rhin: Frankstein, Kastelberg, Bruderthal, Steinklotz, Weibelsberg, Winzenberg, Altenberg de Bergbeiten, Altenberg de Wolxheim, Engelberg, Kirchberg de Barr, Praelatenberg, Moenchberg, Muenchberg, Zotzenberg
Kitterlé Grand Cru commune? soil type? styles/grape variety/varieties associated? best producer(s?)
- -Guebwiller (southern end of Haut-Rhin)
- -Sandstone/Volcanic soil
- -luscious wines made from a range of grape varieties
- -best wines are from Schlumberger.
Zinnkoepflé “ZIN-cup-FLAY” Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producer?
- -Westhalten
- -limestone slope faces due south
- -concentrates Gewurz and Riesling to new heights.
- -Paul Kubler
Vorbourg Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producer/monopole site?
- -Rouffach
- -marl-limestone and sandstone
- -Gewurz, Riesling, Pinot Gris (Jancis says Muscat)
- -Domaine Muré’s Clos St-Landelin is located within cru
Hatschbourg Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
- -Voegtlinshoffen
- -Gewurz, Pinot Gris, Muscat
- -marl-limestone, and loess
Goldert Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producer/monopole site?
- -Gueberschwihr
- -marl-limestone
- -Gewurztraminer
- -Domaine Ernest Burn’s Clos Saint-Imer (a walled section named after the patron saint of Gueberschwihr) lies; there is a small chapel owned by the Burn family at the top of the clos—wines from this site carry the “La Chapelle” designation.
- Zind Humbrecht also makes wine here. Both producers make great Muscats.
Eichberg Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
–Eguisheim
–marl and sandstone
Gewurz, Riesling, and Pinot Gris
Hengst Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
–Wintzenheim
–marl-limestone-sandstone
Gewurz and Pinot Gris
Brand Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producers/monopole site?
—Turckheim
—granite
—Riesling and Gewurz
—Francois Baur’s Clos de la Treille “TRAY-ya”
—One of the more renowned of all the grand crus. Top wines, particularly Gewurztraminer, from Zind Humbrecht, JosMeyer and CV Turckheim.
Schlossberg Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producer/monopole site?
—Kientzheim
—granite
—Domaine Weinbach owns some vines here, as do Paul Blanck and Albert Mann.
Name two Grand Crus of Alsace known for granite soils.
Brand and Schlossberg (Boxler produces from both)
others GCs with granite soils: Frankstein, Kaefferkopf, Praelatenberg, Sommerberg, Winzenberg
Sporen Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producers?
- Riquewihr “RICK-veer” or “VICK-veer”
- stony clay-marl
- Gewurztraminer
- Top producer is probably Hugel, who like some other producers does not use GC designations on labels.
Schoenenbourg Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producers?
- Riquewihr “RICK-veer” or “VICK-veer”
- stony, marl-limestone-sandstone
- Riesling
- Marcel Deiss is top producer from this historical vineyard, producing a fine Riesling. Hugel own a small plot; “Jubilée” does not use grand cru on label.
How much of Alsace is planted to Grand Cru?
Grand Cru wines in Alsace represent only 4% of the total production
Rangen “Wrong-in” Grand Cru commune?
soil type?
grape variety/varieties?
producers?
—Thann and Vieux-Thann (southern most GC and commune in Alsace)
—Volcanic Soils (only place with majority volcanic soils in Alsace, very steep)
—Schoffit and Zind-Humbrecht make superbly expressive wines, especially Riesling and Pinot Gris, from these warm volcanic soils.
—One of the more famous grand cru sites, this is a terraced vineyard above the River Thur. Replanted in the 1970s
Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru commune? soil type? grape variety/varieties? producers? blending requirements
—Bergheim
—Marl/Limestone
—Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Blends
—Blending: 50-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot Gris, 10-25% Gewurztraminer, max. 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc
Kaefferkopf Grand Cru commune? soil type? grape variety/varieties? producers? blending requirements
Kaefferkopf: 60-80% Gewurztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat
