Alsace, Savoie, Jura Flashcards
ALSACE HISTORICAL OWNERSHIP
THROUGHOUT MIDDLE AGES, IT WAS PART OF GERMANIC HOLY EMPIRE
FRANCE TOOK IN 1639 TO PREVENT FROM FALLING INTO HANDS OF SPANISH HAPSBURGS
CEMENTED FRENCH OWNERSHIP (ALONG W/ LORRAINE) BY TREATY OF WESTPHALIA (AT CONCLUSION OF 30 YEAR WAR) IN 1648
GERMANS TOOK BOTH ALSACE AND LORRAINE AT CONCLUSION OF FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1871
INDEPENDENT FOR ONE MONTH AFTER WW1, BUT FRANCE RECLAIMED IT WITHIN A MONTH
SHORT OCCUPATION BY NAZIS IN 1941, BUT FRENCH EVER SINCE
ALSACE SOIL TYPES
geologic mosaic; granite, limestone, schist, clay, gravel, chalk, loess, and the local pink sandstone—grés de Vosges—can be found throughout the region
steeper mountain slopes are generally composed of schist, granite and volcanic sediment
lower slopes sit on a limestone base
plain at the base of the mountains consists of richer alluvial clay and gravel soils
ALSACE AOC YEARS
AOC Established: 1945, officially designated AOC in 1962
***many of the region’s current vineyards date to 1945 and after. 1945 also marks the beginning of a divergence in French and German winemaking styles
AOC Grand Cru Established: proposed 1975, first officially designated AOC in 1983 (first 25 GCs), 25 more in 1985, the 51st (Kaefferkopf) added in 2006
AOC VT and SGN Established: 1984
EDELZWICKER VS GENTIL VS FIELD BLENDS
Edelzwicker (“noble mixture”): usually an inexpensive blended wine. Do not need to be vintage-dated, nor are they even legally obligated to contain more than one grape. In practice they are blends, however, and do not need to indicate any percentages or grapes on the label
Gentil: superior designation for blends, requiring a minimum of 50% noble grapes. Any other Alsace AOP grape may compose the remainder, and the base wines must be vinified separately.
Also, some producers advocate field blends as the best approach for serious wines. In this case, the grapes are typically vinified together and produced under a vineyard name. Marcel Deiss is one of the staunchest advocates of using this approach as a means of emphasizing Alsatian terroir.
ALSACE GRAND CRU OTHER REGS
Manual harvesting is mandatory.
Intent to produce Grand Cru wine must be declared before March 1 of the harvest year.
All Grand Cru wine must be vintage-dated.
Alsace Grand Cru wines must be bottled in the traditional “Vin du Rhin” / “Flûte d’Alsace” bottle.
Élevage: Wines may not be released until June 1 of the year following the harvest. VT and SGN wines require an additional year prior to release.
Permitted Training System: Single or Double Guyot
Minimum Planting Density: 4,500 vines per hectare (2 meters or less between rows) (5500 for Altenberg de Bergheim)
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base): 55 hl/ha
ALSACE AOP IMPORTANT CLOS VINEYARDS
The following clos sites are not located within Grand Cru vineyards. For Clos sites within Grand Crus, see the Alsace Grand Cru Vineyards page.
Clos des Capucins (Domaine Weinbach)
Clos de la Faille (Albert Mann)
Clos Häuserer (Zind-Humbrecht)
Clos Windsbuhl (Zind-Humbrecht)
Clos Jebsal (Zind-Humbrecht)
Clos Himmelreich (Lucien Albrecht)
Clos Rebberg (Marc Kreydenweiss) Rebgarten (Marc Kreydenweiss)
Clos des Récollets (Lucien Albrecht)
Clos Ribeaupierre (Jean Sipp - formerly known as the Clos du Schlossberg)
ALSACE GRAND CRU FACTS
14 IN BAS RHIN / 37 HAUT RHIN
BAS: Altenberg de Bergbieten, Altenberg de Wolxheim, Bruderthal, Engelberg, Frankstein, Kastelberg, Kirchberg de Barr, Moenchberg, Muenchberg, Praelatenberg, Steinklotz, Wiebelsberg, Winzenberg, Zotzenberg
LARGEST: Schlossberg: 80.28 (HAUT)
SMALLEST: Kanzlerberg 3.23 (HAUT)
NEWEST: Kaefferkopf (HAUT- added in 2006)
ALSACE GRAND CRU CHART (NORTH TO SOUTH)
ALSACE SUB ZONES
Blanc only: Blienschwiller, Côtes de Barr, Klevener de Heiligenstein, Scherwiller, Vallée Noble, Val Saint Grégoire, Wolxheim, Coteaux du Haut Koenigsbourg, Bergheim
Rouge only: Ottrott, Rodern, Saint-Hippolyte
Blanc and Rouge Wines: Côte de Rouffach
ALSACE AOP (aka Vins d’Alsace AOP) WHITE STYLES / ENCEPAGEMENT
Blanc (without INDICATION of variety): Includes one or more of the grapes allowed for varietal wines
- “Edelzwicker”: one or more grape varieties (may or may not be vintage-dated)
Varietal Blanc Wines: 100% of the stated variety except when stated otherwise
Auxerrois
Riesling
Pinot Gris (formerly Tokay Pinot Gris Tokay d’Alsace)
Gewurztraminer
Muscat = Muscat Blanc / Rosé à Petit Grains and / or Muscat Ottonel
Muscat Ottonel
Pinot Blanc: Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois
Pinot (Klevner = Pinot Blanc, different than Klevener which is Savagnin): Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, and / or Pinot Noir (vinified as a white wine)
Chasselas (Gutedel)
Sylvaner
Klevener de Heiligenstein (Savagnin Rose) : only Heiligenstein itself, Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, and Obernai
Even if bottled as a single variety, Auxerrois may be accorded the title of “Pinot Blanc” on the label. White wines simply labeled “Pinot,” on the other hand, may contain any proportion of related varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois.
OTHER ALSACE AOP (aka Vin d’Alsace AOP) WINES STYLES /ENCEPAGMENT
- *Varietal Rosé / Clairet / Schillerwein**: Pinot Noir
- *Varietal Rouge Wines**: Pinot Noir
- *Vendanges Tardives (VT)**: Single variety wines produced from (and labeled as) Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel or Pinot Gris
- *Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN)**: Single variety wines produced from (and labeled as) Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Muscat Blanc / Rosé à Petits Grains, Muscat Ottonel or Pinot Gris
ALSACE AOP MIN POTENTIAL ALCOHOL / MUST WEIGHTS
Non-Varietal Designated Blanc: 9.5%
Pinot Blanc, Pinot, Riesling, Auxerrois: 10% (10.5% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Chasselas, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat, Sylvaner: 9.5% (10.5% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris: 11.5% (12% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Klevener de Heiligenstein: 11%
Pinot Noir (Rosé): 10% Pinot Noir (Rouge): 11% (11.5% if labeled with subzone designation or lieu-dit)
Non-varietal designated Blanc: 144 g/l
Chasselas, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat, Sylvaner: 151 g/l (Sylvaner is 168 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Pinot Blanc, Pinot, Riesling, Auxerrois: 160 g/l (168 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris: 185 g/l (193 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Pinot Noir (Rosé): 160 g/l
Pinot Noir (Rouge): 177 g/l (185 g/l if labeled with subzone designation)
Klevener de Heiligenstein: 177 g/l
Varietal Wines Labeled by Lieu-dit:
Chasselas, Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot, Sylvaner, Riesling, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat: 168 g/l
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris: 193 g/l
Pinot Noir: 185 g/l
VT:
Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 235 g/l (formerly 220 g/l)
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 257 g/l (formerly 243 g/l)
SGN:
Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 276 g/l (formerly 256 g/l)
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 306 g/l (formerly 279 g/l)
ALSACE AOP Varieties Authorized for Subzones
except for Klevener de Heiligenstein, the subzone designations of Alsace AOC are from the 2012 vintage forward
Klevener de Heiligenstein: Savagnin Rose
Blienschwiller and Côtes de Barr: Sylvaner
Côte de Rouffach: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir
Ottrott, Rodern, Saint Hippolyte: Pinot Noir
Vallée Noble: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris
Val Saint Grégoire: Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris
Scherwiller, Wolxheim: Riesling
Additional Requirements for VT and SGN Wines
Chaptalization is not allowed
Must be vintage-dated
Must be hand-harvested
VT wines are late-harvested, and may be affected by botrytis
SGN wines are affected by botrytis, and are harvested in tries
VT and SGN wines may not be released until June 1 of the second year following the harvest
ALSACE GRAND CRU ENCEPAGEMENT
ALL EXCEPT ALTENBERG DE BERGHEIM, ZOTZENBERG AND KAEFFERKOPF:
Single Varietals of: Gewurztraminer, muscat à petits grains, muscat à petits grains blanc/rosé , muscat ottonel, pinot gris, riesling
Blends of: muscat à petits grains blanc/rosé , muscat ottonel
ALTENBERG DE BERGHEIM:
Single Varietal: Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling
Blend: 50-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot Gris, 10-25% Gewurztraminer, max. 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat à Petits Grains, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc
Chasselas, Muscat à Petits Grains, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc must have been planted prior to 2005
ZOTZENBERG:
SINGLE VARIETAL: GEWURZTRAMINER, PINOT GRIS, RIESLING, SYLVANER
KAEFFERKOPF:
SINGLE VARIETAL: GEWURZTRAMINER, PINOT GRIS, RIESLING
BLEND: 60-80% Gewurztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat (ROSE, BLANC OR OTTONEL)
ALSACE GRAND CRU AOC ALCOHOL / MUST WEIGHT
All except Altenberg de Bergheim AND Kaefferkopf:
PG/GW: 193 / 12.5%
RIES/MUSC/SYLV: 168 / 11%
Altenberg de Bergheim:
PG/GW: 218 / 14%
Riesling: 185 / 12%
Other: 185 / none specified
Blends: none specified / 14%
Kaefferkopf:
PG/GW: 193 / 12.5%
Other: 168 / 11%
Blend: none specified / 12%
SGN & VT
EST. 1984
May be printed on either Alsace AOP or Alsace Grand Cru AOP labels, provided the wines contain a single, noble variety and pass a blind tasting panel
Chaptalization is not allowed
Must be vintage-dated
Must be hand-harvested
VT wines are late-harvested, and may be affected by botrytis
SGN wines are affected by botrytis, and are harvested in tries
VT and SGN wines may not be released until June 1 of the second year following the harvest
not obligated by statute to be sweet; in practice SGN wines are always dessert-like but VT wines may vary in actual sugar, and can be quite dry.
VT:
Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 235 g/l (formerly 220 g/l)
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 257 g/l (formerly 243 g/l)
SGN:
Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 276 g/l (formerly 256 g/l)
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 306 g/l (formerly 279 g/l)
CREMANT D’ALSACE AOP
A quarter of the region’s output!
Blanc: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, and/or Chardonnay
Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir
Minimum Potential Alcohol: 9%
Minimum Must Weight: 144 g/l
Traditional Method Secondary Fermentation
The wines must spend a min. 9 months on the lees prior to dégorgement (12 months total aging, with at least 9 months on the lees, is required from the 2012 vintage forward.)
Min. 4 atmospheres of pressure
Harvest Method: Manual harvesting is mandatory.
Minimum Planting Density: 4,000 vines per hectare
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base): 80 hl/ha
Maximum Press Yield: 100 liters/150 kg
Cuvée: first 50 liters (used for prestige wines)
Taille: following 47 liters
The final 3 liters of the press yield must be used for distillation.
AOC Established: 1976
Côtes de Toul AOP (LORRAINE)
Communes of Production: Lucey, Bruley, Pagney-derrière-Barine, Domgermain, Charmes-la-Côte, Mont-le-Vignoble, Blénod-lès-Toul, Bulligny
Blanc: Auxerrois and Aubin
Vin Gris: Principal Varieties: Max. 85% Gamay, min. 10% Pinot Noir (both must be present)
Accessory Varieties: Max. 15% combined Pinot Meunier, Aubin, and Auxerrois
Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir
Assemblage: For Vin Gris wines, the principal varieties must be in the majority, and both must be present in the blend.
Minimum Alcohol:
Blanc: 10%
Rouge: 10.5%
Vin Gris: 9.5%
Minimum Must Weights:
Blanc: 161 g/l
Rouge: 171 g/l
Vin Gris: 153 g/l
Maximum Residual Sugar:
Blanc/Vin Gris: 8 g/l (residual sugar may not exceed g/l of tartaric acid +2)
Rouge: 3 g/l
Training System: Cordon de Royat or Simple Guyot Minimum Planting Density: 4,500 vines per hectare Maximum Yields (Rendement de base):
Blanc/Vin Gris: 60 hl/ha
Rouge: 45 hl/ha
Moselle AOP (LORRAINE)
As the Moselle River flows north from France, it forms the border between Luxemburg and Germany. As its waters pass Trier, the river carves through the sheer slopes of one of Germany’s greatest regions for the Riesling grape: the Mosel Valley.
Styles and Encépagement:
Blanc: Principal Varieties: Min. 70% combined Auxerrois (min. 30% unless property is less than 2 hectares), Müller-Thurgau, and Pinot Gris (both for varietal wines)
Authorized Varieties: Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and max. 10% Gewurztraminer
Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir
Rosé: Pinot Noir (min. 70%) and Gamay
Varietal-Labeled Pinot Gris
Varietal-Labeled Müller-Thurgau
Varietal-Labeled wines must contain 100% of the stated variety
Assemblage:
Blanc: 50-100% Auxerrois, max. 10% Gewurztraminer
Rosé: per encépagement
Minimum Potential Alcohol:
Blanc/Rosé: 10%
Rouge: 10.5%
Varietal-Labeled Pinot Gris: 10%
Varietal-Labeled Müller-Thurgau: 9%
Minimum Must Weight:
Blanc/Rosé: 170 g/l
Rouge: 180 g/l
Varietal-Labeled Pinot Gris: 170 g/l
Varietal-Labeled Müller-Thurgau: 153 g/l
Maximum Residual Sugar:
Blanc/Rosé: 4 g/l
Rouge: 3 g/l
Rosé Production: De-stemming and maceration of red grapes for 24-48 hours is mandatory
Minimum Planting Density: 5,000 vines per hectare
Maximum Yields (Rendement de base):
Blanc: 68 hl/ha
Rosé: 60 hl/ha
Rouge: 55 hl/ha
upgraded from VDQS in 2011
Côtes du Jura AOP GRAPES
EST. 1937
Blanc: Principal Varieties: Chardonnay and Savagnin
Accessory Varieties: Pinot Noir, Poulsard (Ploussard), and Trousseau
Rosé: Principal Varieties: Pinot Noir, Trousseau, and Poulsard
Accessory Varieties: Chardonnay and Savagnin
Rouge: As for Rosé
Vin de Paille: Chardonnay, Poulsard, Savagnin, and Trousseau (NO PINOT NOIR)
Vin Jaune: 100% Savagnin
Assemblage: Blanc, Rouge, Rosé, and Vin de Paille wines may be single varietal wines or blends. Principal varieties must account for a majority of any blend.
VIN DE PAILLE
Chardonnay, Poulsard, Savagnin, and Trousseau
MIN. POTENTIAL ALC.: Vin de Paille: 19% (14% acquired)
Grapes for Vin de Paille must be harvested manually in successive tries.
Must be aged until November 15 of the third year following the harvest, including at least 18 months in oak, may be released on December 1 of the third year following the harvest
Minimum Must Weight:
Red Grapes (including grapes destined for Vin de Paille): 153 g/l White Grapes (including grapes destined for Vin Jaune or Vin de Paille): 161 g/l
Grapes destined for Vin de Paille must be dried for a min. 6 weeks, achieving a must weight of 320-420 g/l
MAX YIELD: 20HL/HA
Klevener de Heiligenstein Communes
Heiligenstein
Bourgheim
Gertwiller
Goxwiller
Obernai
from Savagnin Rose (aka Klevener de Heiligenstein), less aromatic than Gewurztraminer, but more acid
ARBOIS 12 VILLAGES
PUPILLIN (can append name to label)
Abergement-le-Grand
Arbois
Les Arsures
Mathenay
Mesnay
Molamboz
Montigny-lès-Arsures
Les Planches-près-Arbois
Saint-Cyr-Montmalin
Vadans
Villette-lès-Arbois
L’ETOILE VILLAGES
L’´ETOILE
PLAINOISEAU
QUINTIGNY
SAINT-DIDIER
VIN DE SAVOIE AOP CRUS
(can append name to labels)
Abymes/Les Abymes
Apremont
Arbin
Ayze
Chautagne
Chignin
Chignin-Bergeron (100% Roussanne)
Crépy (min 80% Chasselas)
Cruet
Jongieux
Marignan (min 80% Chasselas)
Marin
Montmélian
Ripaille (min 80% Chasselas)
Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte
Saint-Jeoire-Prieuré
VIN DE SAVOIE STYLES/ENCEPAGEMENT
Blanc: Aligoté, Altesse, Chardonnay, Jacquère, Mondeuse Blanc, and Velteliner Rouge; plus Chasselas, Gringet, and Roussette d’Ayze (Haute-Savoie département); OR a max. 10% combined Marsanne and Verdesse (Isère département)
Rosé: Min. 90% combined Pinot Noir, Mondeuse, and Gamay; plus Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Persan (Savoie département); OR Persan, Servanin, Joubertin, and Étraire de la Dui (Isère département)
Rouge: As for Rosé
Vin Mousseux*/Pétillant Blanc: Aligoté, Altesse, Chardonnay, Gamay, Jacquère, Mondeuse Blanc, Mondeuse, Pinot Noir and Velteliner Rouge; plus Chasselas, Gringet, Molette and Roussette d’Ayze (Haute-Savoie département); OR a max. 10% combined Marsanne and Verdesse (Isère département)
Vin Mousseux*/Pétillant Rosé: As for Vin Mousseux Blanc
*As of the 2014 harvest Vin Mousseux may be labeled as “crémant.”
ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE AOP VILLAGES
Frangy
Marestel
Monterminod
Monthoux
ROUSSETTE DE BUGEY AOP VILLAGES
(may append names to label)
MONTAGNIEU
VIRIEU le GRAND
BUGEY AOP VILLAGES
(can append name to label)
CERDON
(method ancestrale) gamay and poulsard, two months on lees, 3 atm pressure min., may not be solely poulsard
- *MANICLE**
rouge: 100% pinot noir
blanc: 100% chardonnay
MONTAGNIEU
rouge: 100% mondeuse
mousseux/petillant blanc: 70% mondeuse, chardonnay, altesse
accesory: gamay, molette, jacquère, pinot noir
