Alsace & Moselle Flashcards
T or F? Alsace is France’s smallest wine region
True!
Alsace is separated from Germany by the ____ river
Rhine
Where did the name Alsace come from?
Named after the Ill River that was called Elsass by the Germans
Describe the climate in Alsace
Semi-continental climate, hot summers, cold winters
What is the driest city in France and also the capital of the Haut-Rhin (S) department?
Colmar
What is the capital of Alsace and the Bas-Rhin (N) department?
Strasbourg
In which year did Alsace elevate to have 51 Grand crus?
2011
T or F? 4% of Alsatian wine is released as GC and Alsace produces approximately 18% of France’s still white wines
True!
Which 2 German anbaugabietes border Alsace?
Baden to the East, Pfalz to the North
Vosges mountains range in the Pfalz are rechristened as _____
Haardt Hills/Mountains
The 2 departments in Alsace that houses all vineyards?
North: Bas-Rhin
South: Haut-Rhin
This is the local pink sandstone
Grés de Vosges
Describe the large mosaïque of soils
- steepest slopes: schist, granite, and volcanic
- lower slopes: limestone base
- plains: sit on richer alluvials, clay or gravel
Name 3 climatic influences in Alsace
- Black Forest
- Vosges Mountains
- Rhine River
Name a subzone that makes red wine only (3)
- Ottrott
- Modern
- Saint-Hippolyte
Name the sole subzone that can made red or white wine
Côte de Rouffach (riesling, pinot gris, pinot noir)
Year that Alsace attained AOP status? The last winemaking region in France to do so
1962
Alsace’s 51 crus were elevated in 5 separate times, what years were these?
- 1975: 1st GC Schlossberg
- 1983: additional 23 GCs
- 1984: VT and SGN
- 1992: additional 25 GCs
- 2007: 51st GC Kaefferkopf
Top 3 grapes planted in Alsace?
- Riesling (most planted)
- Auxerrois (largest volume of appellation production)
- Pinot Blanc (Klevner)
In what year did the INAO approve the rule that it is no longer required to have grape on bottle label, and who was mainly responsible for the push?
2005, Marcel Deiss
T or F? Pinot blanc, can be a blend of Pinot blanc, Auxerrois and even Pinot noir!
True!
Synonym for Klevener
- Traminer (another pink variant of this grape)
- some found in the commune of Heiligenstein in the Bas-Rhin (hence, Klevener de Heiligenstein)
- known as Savagnin in the Jura
Name the 5 communes that can bottle Klevener as a single varietal in Alsace AOP
- Heiligenstein
- Bourgheim
- Gertwiller
- Goxwiller
- Obernai
The only grape allowed for Bergheim subzone
Gewurz
Under which 2 AOPs is Chardonnay only allowed?
Crémant d’Alsace and VdT
Synonym for Chasselas in Alsace
Gutedel
T or F? In Alsace, fermentation is stopped by cooling the wine (not by sulphur addition)
True!
Varietal Rosé, Clairet, Schillerwein, “Rouge” under Alsace AOP/Vin d’Alsace must be which grape only _____?
Pinot Noir
T or F? Red wines under Alsace AOP/Vin d’Alsace must be 100% Pinot noir
True!
Requirements for Edelzwicker ‘Noble mixture’
- any varietals from Alsace AOP
- can be a single varietal
- grapes can be vinified together or separately
- does not have to be a blend but most of them are
- does not need to indicate any % or grapes on the label
- does not have to be vintage dated
Requirements for Gentil
- min 50% of the 4 grapes (+ sylvaner, chasselas, pinot blanc)
- must be vintage dated
- separately vinified
- superior designation for blends
T or F? Chaptalization is allowed for Alsace AOP/Vin d’Alsace
True!
T or F? Chaptalization is NOT allowed for VT or SGN
True!
CLOS vineyards NOT located in Grand Cru Vineyards - Clos Jebsal, Clos Windsbuhl, Clos Häuserer (village, winemaker, grape)
- all Zind-Humbrecht
- Clos Jebsal (Turckheim, PG)
- Clos Windsbuhl (Hunawihr, PG/GW/Riesling)
- Clos Häuserer (Wintzenheim, Riesling)
CLOS vineyard NOT located in Grand Cru Vineyard - Clos de la Faille (village, winemaker, grape)
Albert Mann, Wintzenheim, Pinot Noir
CLOS vineyards NOT located in Grand Cru Vineyards -
Clos Himmelreich, Clos des Récollets (village, winemaker, grape)
- both Lucien Albrecht
- Clos Himmelreich (Orschwihr, Riesling)
- Clos des Récollets (Rouffach, Pinot Gris)
CLOS vineyards NOT located in Grand Cru Vineyards -
Clos Rebberg, Clos Rebgarten (village, winemaker, grape)
- both Andlau and Marc Kreydenweiss
- Rebberg, Riesling/PG
- Rebgarten, Muscat
CLOS vineyards NOT located in Grand Cru Vineyards -
Clos des Capucin (village, winemaker, grapes)
- Kayserberg, Weinbach
- Riesling, PG, GW, PN
CLOS vineyards NOT located in Grand Cru Vineyard - Clos Ribeaupierre (formerly Clos du Schlossberg) (village, winemaker, grape)
Ribeauvillé, Jean Sipp, Pinot Gris