Ch. 5 – Alsace Flashcards
Alsace climate
Warm, sunny, unusually dry continental climate due to protection of Vosges mountains
Moderate rainfall (600mm)
- drought can be issue
- irrigation is not permitted for AOC
- relatively dry harvest period
- high sunshine hours
Föhn wind
- drying influence
- raises temperature
Marked diurnal difference
Alsace topography
Best vineyards 200-250m (up to 450m)
- south, south-west for max sunlight
- free draining, low fertility soils
Lower quality vineyards on floor by Rhine river
Riesling
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
Medium to pronounced in aroma
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
Gewurztraminer
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)
Only moderately productive due to coulure.
Can suffer from chlorosis and desiccation of the stems
Vulnerable to powdery mildew, grape vine moths, grey rot.
Medium lemon colour, pronounced aroma of lychee, peach and apricot, rose and spice
Medium to high alcohol, medium to full body, low acidity
Pinot Blanc
flavour profile
Light intensity of apple and peach, medium acidity and alcohol
Used for Cremant d’Alsace
Auxerrois
sometimes labelled Pinot Blanc
Early ripening, low aromatic with low acidity
Used for Cremant d’Alsace
Pinot Gris
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)
Sylvaner in Alsace
in decline.
Stock of old vines
Vineyard management in Alsace
Single or double Guyot required by AOC
- typically train high to reduce risk of frost and humidity and to maximase sunlight for grapes
- wide rows to avoid shading
- terracing on slopes if necessary
15% of organic vineyards
Harvest in Alsace
Long harvest period
AOC requires Grand Cru to be picked by hand
Winemaking in Alsace
most wine from single varieties
Aim to preserve primary aroma
- pre-fermentation skin contact (practiced by some)
- Cool ferment for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner
- Chaptalization is common
- Mid range for Gewurztraminer (easier for yeast to handle the higher alcohol)
- inert vessels (old large oak or steel)
- Preference for ambient yeast (high quality producers)
- malo usually avoided
- very little new oak
- no lees stiring usually
Alsace Grand cru regulations
Lower max yields than Alsace AOC
Single varietal wines from noble varieties
51 Grand Cru vineyards which can set their own rules
Which appellations in Alsace can produce Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles
Both Alsace AOC and Grand crus
Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles regulations
Only from noble varieties
High minimum sugar levels at harvest required (higher for Pinot Gris & Gewurz than for Muscat & Riesling)
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
Alsace wine business
average vineyard holding is small
Many growers sell to cooperatives or larger producers
- 40% cooperatives
- Cave de Turckheim
25% exported
- EU, North America
All AOC wine has to be sold in typical tall thin flute bottle
- No bag-in-box allowed
Notable for domaines producing many styles (varieties and sweetness levels)
- 20-35 bottlings is normal
- e.g. Hugel, Trimbach
