Alsace/Jurie/Savoie Flashcards
What are the noble grape varieties of Alsace?
- Muscat
- Pinot Gris
- Gewurztraminer
- Riesling
What are the only varieties allowed in Alsace Grand Cru wines?
The noble varieties.
(besides one exception)
What are the non-noble varieties allowed in Alsace?
- Pinot Blanc
- Auxerrois
- Chasselas
- Sylvaner
- Pinot Noir
- Savagnin Rose
Which non-noble grape variety is allowed in a grand cru wine?
Sylvaner
The Zotzenberg vineyard allows this grape
Which Alsatian grape is similar to Pinot Blanc and usually blended together with it?
Auxerrois
What are the local names for the following grapes?
- Chasselas
- Pinot Blanc
- Savagnin Rose
- Guteadel
- Klevner
- Klevener de Heiligenstein
What other 5 communes can Savagnin Rose be found?
- Heiligenstein
- Bourgheim
- Gertwiller
- Goxwiller
- Obernai
This grape is a rare varietal, a sibling of Gewürztraminer
What percentage of the Alsace AOP wine is white?
90%
White grapes are paramount in this region
What percentage of France’s white wines comes from Alsace?
20%
What 2 departments is Alsace split into?
- Haut-Rhin
- Bas-Rhin
The Bas-Rhin is lower lying than the Haut but situated in the North
Which major wine producing country does Alsace share a border with?
Germany
Alsace is approx 305 miles east of Paris
What are some major climatic influencers in Alsace?
- The Vosges mountains to the west of the region, running N to S
- The Rhein River to the east of the region
What do the Vosges mountains do for Alsace?
They create a rain shadow effect, making alsace one of the sunniest and driest regions in France
What is the climate like in Alsace?
- semi-continental
- Plenty of sunshine but the region still has a fairly cold annual temperature
What are weather threats that alsace faces?
- early or late frosts
- deep freezes
What direction do the best vineyards in Alsace face?
South or Southeast
This orientation helps to maximize the number of sunlight hours the vineyards will receive and to mitigate the cold
How does the grape ripening in Alsace compare to that of the Loire and Burgundy?
Even though Alsace has a more northerly location, the ripening is more consistent due to the number of sunlight hours Alsace receives.
What is the soil like in Alsace?
Mosaiced soil structure
- Granite
- Limestone
- Schist
- Clay
- Gravel
- Chalk
- Loess
- Local pink sandstone “gres de vosges”
What empire was Alsace part of during the Middle Ages?
Germanic Holy Roman Empire
Which rivalry catapulted the thirty-years-war in Alsace?
The French vs Habsburg rivalry
After going back and forth between the Germans and French, when was Alsace French territory finally?
in the 1940s
What year is Alsace gain AOC status?
1962
When was the Grand Cru AOC for alsace established and what was the first vineyard?
1975
The first vineyard was Schlossberg
In what year did Grand Cru vineyards go from being designations to having their own AOC in Alsace?
2011
What is sparkling wine made using the traditional method called in Alsace?
Cremant d’Alsace
(can be white or rose)
How do Alsatian rieslings compare to German rieslings?
Alsatian rieslings are usually
- higher in alcohol
- characteristically more dry
- more powerful
List some winemaker preferences in Alsace
- usually dry
- not aged in new oak, usually neutral oak
- varietal purity is the standard
- some winemakers believe in field blends to showcase terroir
Varietally labeled wines in Alsace must contain what percentage of the stated variety?
100%
Alsatian wines will be vinified as what unless otherwise stated?
dry
Gewürztraminer will usually have some RS but still labeled as dry
Define Edelzwicker
“noble mixture”
this is an inexpensive alsatian blended wine that does not need to carry a vintage
Define Gentil
Unofficial term
this refers to an alsatian wine with a minimum of 50% of noble grapes in the blend
T/F
Alsatian Grand cru wines are usually single varietal wines?
True BUT it is no longer law
Which alsatian grand cru vineyard is the only one that allows a grape outside of the noble varieties to be used?
Zotzenberg
allows Sylvaner
Which grand crus in Alsace are allowed to make blends?
- Altenberg de Bergheim
- Kaefferkopf
These vineyards may blend up to certain proportions
What kind of harvesting is mandatory for all grand crus in alsace?
hand harvesting
Other restrictions include:
- higher minimum abv
- higher restrictions
- higher minimum must weights
- lower yields
What are some premier crus in Alsace?
Trick Question…
There are no premier crus in Alsace
What are two designations for late harvest wines?
- Vendanges Tardives
- Selection de Grains Nobles
These terms imply sweetness levels and may be printed on an Alsace AOP or Alsace Grand Cru AOP wine
What does Vendanges Tardives mean?
Translates to “Late Harvest”
- Single varietal wines left to hang on the vine
- The grapes will raisinate and show more intesity
- usually no signs of botrytis
- can be fermented dry or left sweet
What is Selection de Grains Nobles wine?
- this wine is picked in tries
- have been affected by botrytis
- can be semi-dry or sweet
- dessert like on all levels
What is the capital of the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace?
Colmar
This is the driest city in France
What is significant about Strasbourg in Alsace?
This is the center of wine trade in this region
What are the most notable grand cru vineyards in Alsace?
- Schlossberg
- Schoelhammer
- Rangen de Thann
- Geisberg
- Pfingstberg
- Schoenenberg
- Engelberg
- Kirchberg
- Saering
Which alsatian producer focuses on blends rather than single varietal wines?
Marcel Deiss
What is the most aromatic grape variety in alsace?
Gewurztraminer
Where is Jura located in relation to Alsace?
just south of alsace, Jura shares a small part of its eastern border with switzerland
What is the climate in Jura like?
continental, turning harshly cold in the winter
What are the red grapes allowed in Jura?
- Poulsard (ploussard)
- Trousseau
- Pinot Noir
What are the white grapes allowed in Jura?
- Chardonnay (gamay blanc)
- Savagnin (Nature)
What grapes are allowed to be used in Rose wines of Jura?
all 5 grapes
- Pinot Noir
- Poulsard
- Trousseau
- Chardonnay
- Savagnin
Jura rose is usually made in the vin gris style
What grape is excluded from vin de paille production in Jura?
Pinot Noir
What grapes are used to make vin jaune in Jura?
Savagnin
What are the two local specialty wines made in Jura?
- vin jaune
- vin de paille
What are the characteristics of vin jaune?
- dry
- oxidized
- unfortified
- aged a minimum of 6 years before bottling
The wine is going to be high in alcohol, sweet, and aged a minimum of three years before release
What are the important AOPs to know in Jura?
- Arbois AOP
- L’Etoile AOP
- Chateau Chalon AOP
Where is Savoie located?
In the Alps on the swiss border on Lake Geneva
Which river influences Savoie and is where most of its vineyards are planted along?
Rhone River
What are the major varieties in Savoie?
White
- Jacquère
- Altesse
- Roussanne
- Chasselas
- Chardonnay
Red
- Gamay
- Mondeuse
- Pinot Noir
What types of wine in Savoie are made under the Seyssel AOP and Cremant de Savoie AOP?
dry mousseux wines using Atlesse
What kind of wines are made under the Bugey-Cerdon AOP?
Method ancestral roses using gamay and Poulsard
What is the most planted grape in Alsace?
Pinot Blanc
Who produces “Clos Ste-Hune” Riesling in Alsace?
Trimbach
What is the most planted grape in Jura?
chardonnay
