Alsace, Jura, Savoie Flashcards
Year Alsace achieved AOC status?
1962 making it the last major French region to do so. It’s also the smallest.
What are the departments of Alsace? Which is more associated with quality?
Haut Rhin and Bas Rhin; Haut Rhin is more associated with quality being that 2/3 of the Grand Crus are located here.
Which mountain range separates Alsace from the rest of France and what role does it play in the region’s climate?
The Vosges Mountains, it creates a rain shadow effect making Alsace one of France’s sunniest and driest areas.
Capitol of Alsace and driest city in France?
Colmar
What is the climate of Alsace?
Semi-continental
What are the general soil types of Alsace?
Granite, Schist, Loess, Limestone, Gravel, Chalk, Clay, and “gres de Vogues” a local pink sandstone
What are the soil types on the steeper mountain slopes of Alsace?
Schist, granite, volcanic sediment
What is the main soil type of the lower slopes of Alsace?
Limestone base
What are the soil types of the mountain base in Alsace?
alluvial clay and gravel soils
What are the four noble grapes of Alsace?
Muscat, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris
Do many Alsace wines age well?
Yes! Due to their pronounced agreeability and acidity Alsace wines can age fairly.
What are the grapes allowed in Alsace AOP?
Riesling, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Pinto Gris, Pinot Blanc (Klevner), Chasselas (Gutedel), Sylvaner, and Pinot Noir.
Wines must contain 100% of the stated grape with the exception of Auxerrois
Nuances of Auxerrois?
Similar, but not synonymous with Pinot Blanc.
May be labeled “Pinot Blanc”
White wines labeled Pinot may contain?
Any proportion of Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinto Gris, or Auxerrois
What is Alsace’s most planted grape?
Riesling
What are the stipulations for Edelzwicker?
- translates to “noble mixture” though it typically refers to an inexpensive blended wine
- does not have to be vintage-dated, nor does it legally have to include more than one grape
- no indication of blended grapes or percentages is legally required
What are the stipulations for Gentil?
- superior designation for blends
- requires minimum of 50% noble grapes
- base wines must be vilified separately
What is the total number of Grand Cru vineyards in Alsace? The latest to be added?
51; Kaefferkopf in 2006
What is the smallest Grand Cru in France?
Kanzlerberg (3 ha)
What is the largest Grand Cru in Alsace?
Schlossberg (80ha)
What are the requirements for Grand Cru Alsace wines?
- 100% single varietal (with 3 exceptions)
- generally minimum sugar levels are higher and yields are more restricted
- though some vineyards mandate higher minimums, the minimum ABV for Riesling and Muscat is 11% and 12.5% for Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer.
Who are a couple of notable producers to omit Grand Cru designations from their labels?
- Trimbach (Clos Ste. Hune is not labeled as Rosacker)
- Hugel
What are the three exceptions to the noble grape mandate in Alsace Grand Cru?
Altenberg de Bergheim (can contain Pinot Gris)
Kaefferkopf (can be made from Pinot Gris)
Zotzenberg (can be made from Sylvaner)
None of these vineyards can bottle single-varietal Muscat
What are the requirements for Vendange Tardive?
- Must contain a single noble varietal and pass a blind-tasting panel.
- May show botrytis but emphasizes varietal characteristic
- Quality VT wines originate in vines in a state of Passilerage
- must be hand-harvested
- min. unenriched sugar levels at harvest: 235g/L for Riesling and Muscat; 257g/L for Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris
What are the requirements for Sélection de Grains Nobles?
- must contain a single noble varietal and pass a bling tasting panel
- suppresses varietal character in favor of botrytis
- always “dessert-like” sweet
- generally picked in tries
- must be hand-harvested
- min. unenriched sugar levels at harvest: 276g/L for Muscat and Riesling; 306g/L for Gewürztraminer and Pinot Pris (some of the highest must weights in France)
What is the only red grape allowed in Alsace AOP wines?
Pinot Noir
What is the only Alsatian AOP to allow Chardonnay?
Crémant d’Alsace
What are the grapes allowed in Crémant d’Alsace?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc (workhorse), Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois, (rosés can only be made with Pinot Noir)
Where is Cotes de Toul and what kind of wines are made there?
- In Lorraine
- Whites made from Auxerrois and Aubin
- Light Reds made form Pinot Noir
- Rosés made in Vin Gris style from Pinot Noir and Gamay