Alsace In France Flashcards
What is the climate in Alsace?
Alsace has a cool to moderate continental climate.
What effect do the Vosges Mountains have on Alsace?
ボージュ山脈
Vosges Mountains shelter the vineyards from the prevailing westerly, rain-bearing winds and the lack of clouds results in sunny summers and dry autumns.
Vosges Mountains shelter the vineyards from the prevailing westerly, rain-bearing winds and the lack of clouds results in sunny summers and dry autumns. What effect do these conditions ensure for grapemaking?
These conditions ensure that the grapes can achieve high levels of sugar ripeness, (although in the driest years drought can be an issue.)
Where is the best vineyards are located?
On the steepest slopes with east and south-east aspects.
Which part of the vineyard area has the coolest climate due to the least protection from Vosges
The more northerly part of the vineyard area.
The lesser vineyards lie on the plain between the Vosges foothills and the Rhine. Here the grapes are often used for the production of what?
Cremant d’Alsace, the local AC sparkling wine.
Explain Grape growing practices in Alsace; on the slope.
Vines are trained low to benefit from radiated heat and the rows are oriented to maximise the vine’s exposure to the sun. Harvesting is done by hand.
Explain grape growing practices in Alsace ; on the plain.
The vines are trained high to minimise the risk of the spring frosts.
Why is organic and biodynamic viticulture widely practised in Alsace?
Due to the low disease pressure in the sunny, dry conditions
What are the two principal appellations of Alsace?
- Alsace
* Alsace Grand Cru
This appellation accounts for the vast majority of the region’s production. Most wines are made from a single grape variety and these wines are varietally labelled. If a grape variety features on the label, 100 per cent of the grapes used must be from the named variety.
What is this?
Alsace
There are over 50 vineyards that each have their own ____________appellation. The wines must be produced from a single noble grape variety(Riesling, Muscat, Gewurtztraminer or Pinot Gris); a few exceptions to this rule exist. The label must state the name of vinyard, the vintage and, where appropriate, the grape variety. What is this?
Alsace Grand Cru
What are the two classifications in Alsace?
•Vendanges Tardives(VT)
ヴァルダンジュ•タルディヴ
•Selection de Grans Nobles(SGN)
セレクションドグランノーブル
This means late harvest. These wines can only be made from one of the noble varieties and must have a specific minimum sugar ripeness. In the best wines the grapes will have undergone passerillage, and there may be some influence of noble rot. What is it?
Vendanges Tardives(VT)
ヴァルダンジュ タルディヴ
(ranging from dry to medium sweet)
These wines can only be made from one of the four noble varieties and must have a certain minimum sugar ripeness depending on the grape variety. Minimum sugar ripeness levels are set higher than those for VT, and are usually achieved with noble rot. What is it?
Selection de Grans Nobles(SGN)
セレクションドグランノーブル
(Always sweet)
What are the four noble grape varieties of Alsace?
They are the only grapes that can be used for VT, SGN and grand cru wines.
Riesling
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Gris
Muscat
Many growers face a key logical challenge at the harvest time because they have a number of small plots of vines, planted with different varieties. Because the varieties ripen at different times, the vintage may spread over quite a long period. This normally starts towards the middle of September and how late can grape growing happen?
The beginning of December for VT and SGN wines.
Most of Alsace’s grape varieties are aromatic and therefore winemaking is focused on retaining the aromas and flavours of the grapes. Explain how.
stainless steel vats are commonly used, facilitating the control of temperatures at the time of fermentation. MLF is normally not encouraged for aromatic varieties since this would mask the pure fruit flavours.
What are the key characters of Alsace Riesling?
Body/Alcohol/Acidity/Aroma
(As a point of comparison these wines do not typically show as much floral character as those from Germany.)
The best are medium-to full- bodied, dry with medium alcohol, high acidity and display citrus and stone fruit aroma often with a pronounced stony/ steely character.
( Many wines are now being made with some residual sugar.)
What are the key characters of Gewürztraminers?
Body/Alcohol/ Acidity/Aroma
Gewürztraminers tend to be full-bodied with a rich oily texture, low to medium acidity and high alcohol: wines of 14% abv are not uncommon.
Renowned for its pungent aromatic spicy nose, reminiscent of lychee, roses and sweet baking spices.
What are the key characters of Pinot Gris?
Body/ alcohol / acidity/ aroma
The best Pinot Gris are rich, full-bodied and high in alcohol, but often with more acidity than Gewürztraminer, but are less aromatic. Have a pronounced flavour intensity with fresh and dried fruits and a honeyed character.
What are the key characters of Muscat?
Especially explain Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. It is prone to poor fruit set and rot, so the less aromatic Muscat Ottonel is more widely planted.
ミュスカデブラン•ア•プティ グラン
マスカット オットネル
The best wines are intensely aromatic with flavours of orange blossom, rose and grape. They tend to have a light to medium body and low to medium acidity.
What is the other key grape variety?
It tends to be grown in the more fertile soils of the plain rather than on the better slopes sites. It’s widely used for the production of sparkling wine, but as a still wine, it is generally light, simple and refreshing, and no- aromatic in style.
Pinot Blanc
