Alsace Study Guide

Question 1

What is the only grape permitted for Marc d’Alsace AOP?

Answer 1

Gewurztraminer

Question 2

Which treaty ended the 30 years war in 1648 cementing Alsace’s French ownership?

Answer 2

Treaty of Westphalia

Question 3

What year marks a divergence in French and German winemaking styles? Describe them

Answer 3

1945

German wines remained classically sweet, whereas Alsace producers fermented to dryness for a more powerful and food-friendly wine.

Question 4

When did Alsace finally achieve AOC status becoming the last major French winemaking region to do so?

Answer 4

1962

Question 5

What are the two departments of Alsace from north to south?

Answer 5

Bas-Rhin (north)

Haut-Rhin (south)

Question 6

Which mountain separates Alsace from the rest of France and provides the region with one of France’s driest and sunniest climates due to the rain shadow effect it provides?

Answer 6

Vosges Mountains

Question 7

What is the capital of the Haut-Rhin department?

Answer 7

Colmar

Question 8

What is the climate classified as in Alsace?

Answer 8

Semi-continental

Question 9

The best vineyards in Alsace have one of what 3 exposures?

Answer 9

Full south
southeastern
warm eastern

Question 10

What are 8 soil types found in Alsace?

Answer 10

granite
limestone
schist
clay
gravel
chalk
loess
grés de Vosges (pink sandstone)

Question 11

What soil type dominates the steeper and higher altitude vineyards in Alsace? Lower slopes? Plain at the base of the slopes?

Answer 11

Volcanic sediment, granite, and schist on the steeper mountain slopes

limestone base on the lower slopes

richer alluvial clay and gravel on the plains

Question 12

What % of AOP wine in Alsace is white?

Answer 12

90%

Question 13

What % of France’s still white AOP wine is made in Alsace?

Answer 13

18% as of 2008

Question 14

What are the 4 noble grapes of Alsace?

Answer 14

Riesling
Muscat
Pinot Gris
Gewurztraminer

Question 15

What are the 3 varieties of Muscat grown in Alsace?

Answer 15

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains
Muscat Ottonel

Question 16

What are the synonyms for Pinot Blanc and Chasselas in Alsace respectively?

Answer 16

Klevner (Pinot Blanc)

Gutedel (Chasselas)

Question 17

Along with the 4 noble varieties, what other 4 varieties may be bottled varietally for Alsace AOP?

Answer 17

Chasselas (Gutedel)
Pinot Blanc (Klevner)
Sylvaner
Pinot Noir

Auxerrois can be bottled varietally if labeled Pinot Blanc

Question 18

What is the min % of grape stated that must be used for varietal bottles of Alsace AOP wine?

Answer 18

min 100%

except for Pinot Blanc which is often blended with the similar but not synonymous Auxerrois

Question 19

What grapes may be used in a bottle of Alsace wine simply labeled “Pinot”?

Answer 19

Any proportion of related varieties Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois?

Question 20

What is the most planted grape in Alsace and the region’s last of the noble grapes to ripen?

Answer 20

Riesling

Question 21

From what year forward does Alsace AOP require standard Riesling bottlings to be dry in style?

Answer 21

2008

Question 22

What were two former synonyms for Pinot Gris in Alsace?

Answer 22

Tokay d’Alsace

Tokay Pinot Gris

Question 23

How do Muscat and Gewürztraminer differ in regards to expression?

Answer 23

Muscat is floral with grapes notes whereas Gewürztraminer is more perfumed, sweet spiced and tropical

Gewurztraminer is also higher in alcohol and more likely to be off-dry

Question 24

What is Klevener synonymous with? What grape is it not, but is related to?

Answer 24

Savagnin Rose

Related to Gewürztraminer as it is a variant of Traminer, but it is not Gewurztraminer

Question 25

What are the 5 communes for production of Klevener de Heiligenstein?

Answer 25

``` Heiligenstein Bourgheim Gertwiller Goxwiller Obernai ```

Question 26

What are the 2 blending designations for Alsace AOP? Which is considered superior? What is a third type but not listed on labels?

Answer 26

Edelzwicker and Gentil are the designations Gentil is considered the superior designation Field blends are a third type

Question 27

What's the difference between Gentil and Edelzwicker?

Answer 27

Gentil requires a min 50% of noble grapes with any other Alsace AOP grape comprising the rest. Base wines are vilified separately. Edelzwicker do not need to be vintage-dated or indicate grape percentages and don't necessarily have to be made from more than one grape by law.

Question 28

Who is the top producer of Alsace field blends?

Answer 28

Marcel Deiss

Question 29

What was the first Alsace Grand Cru designated? When? When were the remaining 50 designated?

Answer 29

Schlossberg in 1975 24 designated in 1983 25 more in 1992 1 (Kaefferkopf) was designated in 2007

Question 30

Must Alsace Grand Cru AOP wines be single varietal? Produced from any grape?

Answer 30

Can be blends but must be produced from noble varietals. Except for Zotzenberg which bottles Sylvaner varietally

Question 31

What two Grand Crus permit blending?

Answer 31

Altenberg de Bergheim- Riesling dominated | Kaefferkopf- Gewustraminer dominated blend with PG

Question 32

Is hand harvesting mandatory for Alsace Grand Cru?

Answer 32

yes

Question 33

What are two producers of Zotzenberg Grand Cru?

Answer 33

Albert Setz | Domaine Boeckel

Question 34

What are the min alcohol % for the four noble grapes for Alsace AOP? Alsace Grand Cru AOP?

Answer 34

Riesling: 10%/11% Muscat: 9.5%/11% Gewurztraminer: 11.5%/12.5% Pinot Gris:11.5%/12.5%

Question 35

In what year was the number of Grand Cru appellations increased from 1 to 51? Why was this done?

Answer 35

2011 to ease further restrictions or expansions of the grape varieties, yields, and techniques allowed for each grand cru

Question 36

What is the smallest Alsace Grand Cru? Largest? Sizes?

Answer 36

Kanzlerberg (3ha) | Schlossberg (80ha)

Question 37

What Grand Cru vineyard contains Trimbach's Clos-Ste-Hune?

Answer 37

Rosacker

Question 38

When was Trimbach's first vintage of Geisberg Grand Cru?

Answer 38

2009

Question 39

When were the late harvest designations of VT and SGN created? What do they stand for? For what AOPs may these be used?

Answer 39

1984 Vendanges Tardives Sélections de Grains Nobles Alsace/Vin d'Alsace AOP Alsace Grand Cru AOP

Question 40

May VT and SGN wines be a blend?

Answer 40

No, must be single varietal

Question 41

What is passerilage?

Answer 41

French term for leaving grapes on the vine past normal harvest dates to dry and concentrate them

Question 42

What is the min must weights for VT and SGN for the 4 noble grapes?

Answer 42

Riesling and Muscat 244g/L for VT 276g/L for SGN Gewürztrainer and Pinot Gris 270g/L for VT 306g/L for SGN

Question 43

What is the only red grape permitted in Alsace AOP wines? What styles is it produced in?

Answer 43

Pinot Noir light red and rosé

Question 44

What is the workhorse grape in Crémant d'Alsace AOP? What other grapes may be blended in?

Answer 44

Pinot Blanc (Klevner) Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, and/or Riesling

Question 45

What is the only appellation that permits Chardonnay in Alsace? What is the only nobel grape that can be used in the production of these wines?

Answer 45

Crémant d'Alsace AOP Riesling + PG are the only noble grape allowed.

Question 46

What is the min % of Pinot Noir required for Crémant d'Alsace AOP rosé? How is this rosé produced?

Answer 46

min 100% either through saignée method or short maceration

Question 47

What are the grape requirements for rouge produced in Côtes de Toul AOP and Moselle AOP? What are the grape requirements for blanc Côtes de Toul AOP and Moselle AOP? Rosé?

Answer 47

Both are 100% Pinot Noir for red. Côtes de Toul Blanc: Auxerrois and Aubin Moselle Blanc: Min 70% Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, and Muller-Thurgau with Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and max 10% Gewürztraminer Côtes de Toul Rosé (aka Vin Gris): both Pinot Noir (min 10%) and Gamay must be present in combined min 85% with Pinot Meunier, Auxerrois and Aubin Moselle AOP rosé Min 70% Pinot Noir with Gamay

Question 48

What two white grapes may be bottled varietally in Moselle AOP?

Answer 48

Pinot Gris | Muller-Thurgau

Question 49

What are the two famous Clos of Rangen? Who owns them? What town is this near?

Answer 49

Clos St. Urbain (Zind-Humbrecht) Clos St. Théobald (Domaine Schoffit) Near Thann

Question 50

What is the famous Clos of Vorbourg? Who owns it? What is the most famous grape produced here? What town is it near?

Answer 50

Clos St. Landelin René Muré Pinot Noir is the most famous (though the other 4 are grown here too) Rouffach

Question 51

What is the name of Domaine Willm's famous Clos? In what Grand Cru is it within? What is the star grape? Village?

Answer 51

Clos Gaensbroennel Kirchberg de Barr Gewurztraminer Barr

Question 52

What are the two famous Clos sites located in the Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru? Who owns them? What grape are they famous for?

Answer 52

Clos Gaensbroennel (Domaine Willm) known for Gewurztraminer Clos Zisser (Domaine Klipfel) known for Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris

Question 53

What is the name of Ernest Burn's famous Clos? What Grand Cru is it located in? What village is it located in? What grapes is it produced as?

Answer 53

Clos Saint Imer Goldert Grand Cru Gueberschwihr The Noble 4 plus Pinot Noir

Question 54

What is Gres des Vosges

Answer 54

Pink Sandstone

Question 55

What are the 3 allowed clones of Muscat?

Answer 55

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains Muscat Ottonel

Question 56

Which Grand Crus are not authorized for varietal Muscat?

Answer 56

Altenberg de Bergheim
 Kaefferkopf

Question 57

What is the northernmost Grand Cru in Alsace?

Answer 57

Steinklotz

Question 58

What is the southernmost Grand Cru in Alsace?

Answer 58

Rangen

Question 59

Post 2008, what is the max residual sugar for Riesling?

Answer 59

9g/L (if TA is 6)
 6g/L (if chaptalization is used)

Question 60

What varieties are authorized for Ottrott, Rodern, and Saint Hippolyte?

Answer 60

Only Pinot Noir

Question 61

What varieties are authorized for Côte de Rouffach?

Answer 61

Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir | unique with White and Red!

Question 62

What Alsace subzones are authorized for Muscat?

Answer 62

none

Question 63

Who produces Cuvée Frédéric Emile, from which Grand Crus?

Answer 63

Trimbach, from Osterberg and Geisberg (single plot that overlaps the border between the two)

Question 64

Who produces Clos St-Urbain, from which Grand Cru?

Answer 64

Zind-Humbrecht, from Rangen

Question 65

Who produces Clos Hauserer, from which Grand Cru?

Answer 65

Zind-Humbrecht, from Hengst

Question 66

Who produces Clos de Capuchins, from which Grand Cru?

Answer 66

Weinbach, from Schlossberg