Alsace, Jura, Savoie Flashcards
When did Alsace achieve AOC status?
1962
True or False. Was Alsace the last major winemaking region to achieve AOC status?
True
Alsace is divided into two departements. Name them.
Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin
In which departement do the premier wines reside in Alsace?
Haut-Rhin
What are the name of the mountains to the west of Alsace?
Vosges Mountains (Rain Shadow)
What type of climate is Alsace known for?
To be the driest and sunniest, due to rain shadow effect
What is the capital of the Haut - Rhin departement?
Colmar
Best vineyards in Alsace face which way?
South, Southeast, or East
What is the climate in Alsace?
Semi-continental
What are the soil types in Alsace?
Myriad Soil types
- granite
- limestone
- schist
- clay
- gravel
- chalk
- loess
- local pink sandstone called Gres de Vosges
What is the pink sandstone soil called in Alsace?
Gres de Vosges
What are the steeper mountain slopes of Alsace generally composed of?
schist, granite, and volcanic sediment
What percentage of AOP wine is white in Alsace?
90%
What are the four “noble” grapes of Alsace?
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Muscat
- Gewurztraminer
What other grapes are allowed to be planted in the Alsace AOP or Vin d’Alsace AOP?
- Pinot Blanc (Klevner)
- Chasselas (Gutedel)
- Sylvaner
- Pinot Noir
Is the grape stated on the label for wines made in Alsace?
Typically yes.
Alsace AOP wines must contain (blank)% of the printed grape.
100%
What is the most planted grape in Alsace?
Riesling (latest to ripen too)
2008 and forward Alsatian law mandates what?
That standard Riesling wines be dry in style
Which communes can bottle Savagnin Rose or Klevener de Heiligenstein?
- Heiligenstein
- Bourgheim
- Gertwiller
- Goxwiller
- Obernal
What does Edelzwicker mean?
“Noble Mixture”, inexpensive blended wine
What does gentil mean?
is a superior designation for blends that contain a minimum of 50% noble grapes. Base wines must be vinified separately.
Which producer is an advocate for field blends?
Marcel Deiss, he thinks it is the best approach for serious wines
What is the first Alsace Grand Cru and what year?
Schlossberg, 1975
How many Alsatian Grand Crus are there and when was the last one added?
- 51
- 2007
- Kaefferkopf
What is the historical site for Sylvaner?
Zotzenberg
What type of harvesting happens with all Grand Cru sites?
Hand-harvesting
What is the smallest Grand Cru in Alsace?
Kanzlerberg (3 hectares)
Which is the largest Grand Cru in Alsace?
Schlossberg (80 hectares)
What is the minimum percentage of alcohol for Grand Cru vineyards?
Riesling and Muscat 11%
Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer 12.5%
Which vineyard is Clos St Hune in?
Rosacker
What are the two designations for late-harvest wines in Alsace?
- Vendanges Tardives
- Selections de Grains Noble
What do VT and SGN terms imply?
- imply sweetness and may be printed on either Alsace AOP or Alsace Grand Cru AOP labels, provided the wines contain a single, noble variety and a pass a blind tasting panel
Tell me about Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN) (what does it imply, minimum must weights)
- generally picked in multiple passes (tries)
- suppress varietal character in return for complexities of botrytis
- typically dessert like
- 276 grams per liter Riesling and Muscat
- 306 grams per liter Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer (these wines are the highest min must weigths in France.
Tell me about Vendanges Tardives (what does it imply, minimum must weights)
- may show botrytis character but emphasize varietal purity
- wines usually originate from vines in a state of passerillage (air-dried and shriveled)
- may vary in actual sugar, but can be quite dry
- min 244 grams per liter Muscat and Riesling
- min 270 grams per liter Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer
What is the only red variety permitted for Alsace AOP wines?
Pinot Noir
What grapes are permitted in Cremant d’Alsace?
- Pinot Noir (only grape used in sparkling rose)
- Pinot Blanc (the workhorse)
- Chardonnay
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Auxerrois
What is the Jura’s climate?
- Continental
- harsh winters
What are the main red grapes of the Jura?
- Poulsard (Ploussard)
- Trousseau
- Pinot Noir
What are the white grapes of the Jura?
- Chardonnay
- Savagnin (Nature)(Traminer)
- Gewurztraminer (can be a blending partner
Chardonnay/Savagnin must equal at least (blank)% of the blend
80%
Roses from the Jura are usually made in what style?
- Vin gris (draining juice off skins right away for just a pink hue)
Which grape is excluded from Vin de Paille in the Jura?
- Pinot Noir
Which grape is used to make Vin Jaune in the Jura?
- Savagnin
Besides the Cotes de Jura, there three communal appellations. What are there?
- Arbois AOP
- Chateau Chalon AOP
- L’Etoile AOP
What is the leading wine village in the Jura?
- Arbois
What styles of wine does Arbois produce?
- all styles of Jura wine
What kind of wine does the L’Etoile make?
- white wine-only appellation (takes its name from a local fossil that’s shaped like a 5 pointed star)
What style does Chateau de Chalon AOP specialize in?
- vin jaune (yellow wine)
What is a clavelin?
- a bottle used for vin jaune style wine
- 62 centiliter bottle
What are some poor vintages of Vin Jaune?
- 1980
- 1984
What is Vin Jaune?
- produced exclusively from Savagnin grapes
- grown on local limestone and marl
- the wine is deliberately oxidized and aged for decades
- the wine is not topped off and a voile, or veil develops (like flor)
- not fortified
What is Vin de Paille in the Jura?
- also known as straw wine
- ripe but not botrytised grapes are left to dry for a minimum of six weeks after harvest
- typically dried on straw mats but can also be hung to dry
- once raisinated they achieve a must weight of 320 grams per liter
- at least 14% alcohol
What are the aging requirements of Vin de Paille?
- ageed for minimum three years
- 18 months in neutral wood barrels
When was Cremant de Jura AOP established?
1995
Which grapes are allowed in the Cremant de Jura AOP?
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
- Trousseau
- must comprise a minimum 70% of the cuvee
What style is in the Macvin du Jura AOP?
- Vin de liqueur
- aged marc is added to unfermented grape must, resulting in a sweet, unfermented but alocoholic grape juice
- may be red, white, or rose
- aged for 10 months in oak
What is the climate of Savoie?
- continental climate is moderated by Lake Bourget and the larger Lake Geneva (Lac Leman)
What are the white grapes in the Savoie?
- Altesse
- Rousanne (Bergeron)
- Chardonnay
What are the red grapes in the Savoie?
- Gamay
- Mondeuse
- Pinot Noir
The cru Chignin-Bergeron produces?
- 100% Rousanne
In the Savoie, the crus of Marignan, Ripaille, and Crepy mandate a minimum?
- 80% Chasselas
What is a synonym for the Altesse grape?
- Roussette
What style of wines does Seyssel AOP in the Savoie make?
- dry
- off dry
- mousseux wines (sparkling)
Which grapes are produced in Seyssel in the Savoie?
- Altesse (the majority)
- Molette
When was Cremant de Savoie AOP established and what grapes are permitted?
- 2015
- Jacquere
- Altesse
- Chardonnay
When did Bugey upgrade to an AOP?
- May 2009
- sparkling
- pet nat
Name some poor vintages in Alsace
1960 1963 1965 1968 1972 1980
Name an Alsace Village for white wine only?
Cotes de Barr
Bergheim
Klevener de Heiligenstein
Name an Alsace village for red wine only?
Ottrott
Rodern
Saint-Hyppolyte
What is the soil of the Jura?
- Jurassic Limestone
Vin Jaune release date?
7 years
Requirements under voile for Vin Jaune?
60 months (5 years)
What is Ouille?
Non oxidized wine
wines being topped up in the barrel
What grapes can be used for Macvin du Jura?
- Ploussard
- Pinot Noir
- Trousseu
- Savagnin
- Chardonnay
What does Sous voile mean?
- under a viel
- oxidized wine
What is the subzone of Arbois?
Pupillin
What type of Muscat can be grown in Alsace?
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains,
Muscat Ottonel
