Ch. 5 – Alsace

Question 1

Alsace

Answer 1

Alsace

Question 2

Alsace climate

Answer 2

Warm, sunny, unusually dry continental climate due to protection of Vosges mountains

Westerly winds carry clouds but most of rain falls on western side of Vosges

• Eastern side (Alsace) has only 600mm (half of west)
• drought can be issue
• irrigation is not permitted for AOC
• dry harvest period, wet August
• high sunshine hours

Föhn wind

• drying influence
• raises temperature
• marked diurnal difference

Question 3

Alsace topography

Answer 3

Best vineyards 200-250m (up to 450m)

• south, south-west exposure for max sunlight
• free draining, low fertility soils

Lower quality vineyards on floor by Rhine river

Question 4

Wind warming up Alsace

Answer 4

Föhn

• drying influence
• raises temperature

Question 5

Grape varieties in Alsace

Answer 5

Riesling
Pinot Blanc
Gequrztraminer
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Sylvaner

Question 6

Riesling

Answer 6

cold-hardy, buds late
Needs long season and good site to fully ripen
- good quality on relatively high yields (70 hl/ha)

Good resistance to disease (downy, powdery, botrytis)

Medium to pronounced in aroma, unoaked and high in acidity

Alsace style is typically dry, medium to full body, medium alcohol, medium to high acidity, citrus (lemon, grapefruit) and stone fruit.
Pronounced stony/steely character

Question 7

Gewurztraminer

Answer 7

Early budding, early ripening

Rapidly accumulates sugar
- in Alsace picked late to achieve fully ripe skins to maximise aroma and avoid bitterness.

Vigorous (needs careful pruning and canopy management)

Moderately productive due to coulure.
Can suffer from chlorosis and disiccation of the stems
Vulnerable to powdery mildew, grape vine moths, grey rot.
- Virus-free stock was produced by research stations in Alsace

Medium lemon colour, pronounced aroma of lychee, peach and apricot, rose and spice
Medium to high alcohol, medium to full body, low acidity

Dry to sweet in Alsace

Question 8

Pinot Blanc

flavour profile

Answer 8

Light intensity of apple and peach, medium acidity and alcohol

Used for Cremant d’Alsace

Question 9

Auxerrois

Answer 9

sometimes labelled Pinot Blanc

Early ripening, low aromatic with low acidity

Used for Cremant d’Alsace

Question 10

Pinot Gris

Answer 10

early budding, early ripening

Moderate yields

Susceptible to botrytis and downy mildew

Accumulates high sugar levels leading to medium to high alcohol (and drop of acidity)

Medium intensity peach, apple, full body, med acidity
Best examples have rich oily texture and capacity to age and develop honeyed and smoky notes.

Full range of styles (dry to sweet)

Question 11

Aromas Pinot Gris develops with age

Answer 11

Honey and smoke

Question 12

Pinot Noir Alsace

+ producers

Answer 12

the only black grape allowed in AOC wines

Raising quality with both unoaked and oaked wines.

Domaine Mure and Domaine Albert Mann

Question 13

Sylvaner

Answer 13

in decline.

Stock of old vines

Question 14

2 types of Muscats in Alsace

Answer 14

Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains and Muscat Ottonel

Question 15

Vineyard management

Answer 15

Single or double Guyot required by AOC

• typically traing high to reduce risk of frost and humidity and to maximase sunlight for grapes
• wide rows to avoid shading (4000 vines per ha)
• terracing on slopes if necessary

Reduced risk of fungal diseases due to wind.

15% of organic vineyards

Question 16

Harvest

Answer 16

Long harvest period

AOC requires Grand Cru to be picked by hand

Question 17

Winemaking

Answer 17

most wine from single varieties

Aim to preserve primary aroma

• pre-fermentation skin contact (or keeping grapes longer in press)
• extracting flavour and texture
• Cool ferment for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner
• Mid range for Gewurztraminer (higher sugar, higher alcohol and avoiding banana aroma)
• inert vessels (old large oak or steel)
• Preference of ambient yeast
• malo usually avoided
• very little new oak
• no lees stiring usually

Cellars are naturally cool enough
- temp control still used

Question 18

Fermentation temperatures for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner and Gewurztraminer

Answer 18

Cool ferment for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner

Mid range for Gewurztraminer

• making sure yeast reliably ferment plentiful sugar in the grapes
• avoiding banana flavours

Question 19

Sweetness levels of dry wines

Answer 19

Little consistency of RS

Number of proucers indicate sweetness on back label

Question 20

Chaptalization

Answer 20

Allowed within EU rules

Question 21

Max yield for white wine in Alsace AOC

Answer 21

80 hl/ha

Question 22

Number of communes Alsace

Answer 22

13 communes whose names can appear on the label

Question 23

What labelling terms can appear on label?

Answer 23

Commune name (13 communes)
Lieu-dit names
Grand cru
Vendage Tardive

Question 24

Yield for wines labelled with commune name or lieu-dit

Answer 24

72 hl/ha commune

68 hl/ha lieu-dit

Question 25

Max yield for Alsace Pinot Noir AOC

Answer 25

60 hl/ha

Question 26

Grand cru wines max yield

Answer 26

55 hl/ha (in some cases 50 hl/ha)

Question 27

Grand cru regulations

Answer 27

55 hl/ha (in some cases 50 hl/ha) Single varietal wines from noble varieties - Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer - 3 vineyards are allowed to produce blends or Sylvaner 51 Grand Cru vineyards which can set their own rules - few applied for authorization of Pinot Noir Discussion of introducing a Premier Cru classification

Question 28

Noble varieties

Answer 28

Riesling Muscat Pinot Gris Gewurztraminer allowed in Grand Cru wines

Question 29

Which appellations can produce Vendage Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles

Answer 29

Both Alsace AOC and Grand crus

Question 30

Vendage Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles regulations

Answer 30

``` only from noble varieties High minimum sugar levels at harvest required - Muscat or Riesling - VT - 235 g/l, SGN - 276 g/l - Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer - VT - 257 g/l, SGN - 306 g/l ``` Vendage Tardive - does not have to be botrytised - does not have to be sweet Sélection de Grains Nobles - must be from botrytis affected grapes - must be sweet

Question 31

Minimum sugar levels at harvest for Sélection de Grains Nobles

Answer 31

Muscat or Riesling - 276 g/l Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer - 306 g/l

Question 32

Minimum sugar levels at harvest for Vendage Tardive

Answer 32

Muscat or Riesling - 235 g/l Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer - 257 g/l

Question 33

Alsace wine business

Answer 33

average vineyard holding 3.5 ha Many growers sell to cooperatives or larger producers - 40% cooperatives (quality wine reputation) - Cave de Turckheim Strong reputation for gastronomical wines - 75% sold in France - export - Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, North America All AOC wine has to be sold in typical tall thin flute bottle No bag in the box allowed Notable for producers covering most styles - 20-35 bottlings are normal Hugel, Trimbach, Zind-Humbrecht

Question 34

Alsace producers and cooperatives

Answer 34

Hugel, Trimbach, Zind-Humbrecht Cooperative: Cave de Turckheim

Question 35

Bottling requirements

Answer 35

All AOC wine has to be sold in typical tall thin flute bottle No bag in the box allowed