Alsace, Savoie, Jura

Question 1

ALSACE HISTORICAL OWNERSHIP

Answer 1

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

Question 2

ALSACE SOIL TYPES

Answer 2

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

Question 3

ALSACE AOC YEARS

Answer 3

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

Question 4

EDELZWICKER VS GENTIL VS FIELD BLENDS

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

ALSACE GRAND CRU OTHER REGS

Answer 5

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

Question 6

ALSACE AOP IMPORTANT CLOS VINEYARDS

Answer 6

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)

Question 7

ALSACE GRAND CRU FACTS

Answer 7

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)

Question 8

ALSACE GRAND CRU CHART (NORTH TO SOUTH)

Answer 8

Question 9

ALSACE SUB ZONES

Answer 9

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

Question 10

ALSACE AOP (aka Vins d’Alsace AOP) WHITE STYLES / ENCEPAGEMENT

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

OTHER ALSACE AOP (aka Vin d’Alsace AOP) WINES STYLES /ENCEPAGMENT

Answer 11

• *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

Question 12

ALSACE AOP MIN POTENTIAL ALCOHOL / MUST WEIGHTS

Answer 12

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)

Question 13

ALSACE AOP Varieties Authorized for Subzones

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Additional Requirements for VT and SGN Wines

Answer 14

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

Question 15

ALSACE GRAND CRU ENCEPAGEMENT

Answer 15

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)

Question 16

ALSACE GRAND CRU AOC ALCOHOL / MUST WEIGHT

Answer 16

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%

Question 17

SGN & VT

Answer 17

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)

Question 18

CREMANT D’ALSACE AOP

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Côtes de Toul AOP (LORRAINE)

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Moselle AOP (LORRAINE)

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Côtes du Jura AOP GRAPES

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

VIN DE PAILLE

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Klevener de Heiligenstein Communes

Answer 23

Heiligenstein

Bourgheim

Gertwiller

Goxwiller

Obernai

from Savagnin Rose (aka Klevener de Heiligenstein), less aromatic than Gewurztraminer, but more acid

Question 24

ARBOIS 12 VILLAGES

Answer 24

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

Question 25

L’ETOILE VILLAGES

Answer 25

L’´ETOILE

PLAINOISEAU

QUINTIGNY

SAINT-DIDIER

Question 26

VIN DE SAVOIE AOP CRUS

(can append name to labels)

Answer 26

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

Question 27

VIN DE SAVOIE STYLES/ENCEPAGEMENT

Answer 27

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.”

Question 28

ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE AOP VILLAGES

Answer 28

Frangy

Marestel

Monterminod

Monthoux

Question 29

ROUSSETTE DE BUGEY AOP VILLAGES

(may append names to label)

Answer 29

MONTAGNIEU

VIRIEU le GRAND

Question 30

BUGEY AOP VILLAGES

(can append name to label)

Answer 30

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