Climate

Question 1

The northerly latitude results in a ____, ___ ____ and Alsace’s location inland gives a continental climate with ____ ____ and ____ ____ summers

Answer 1

long, growing season

cold winters and warm, sunny summers.

Question 2

With westerly winds carrying large rain clouds, Alsace only receives 600mm of rain per year.

What stops this large amount of rain from hitting the region?

Answer 2

The Vosges mountains -of which the hillside vineyards of Alsace sit on the eastern foothills- cause the rain to fall on the western side.

The western side of the Vosges mountains receives twice the amount of rain as the eastern side.

Question 3

Moderate rainfall means that ____ ____ can be an issue and currently _____ is not permitted for AOC wines.

Answer 3

summer drought

irrigation

Question 4

the rain is spread throughout the year with wettest months in summer (____) and the driest normally during harvest (____ and ____). Therefore, there can be issues at key times such as _____ and ____-___ and, more rarely, harvest

Answer 4

August

September and October

flowering and fruit set

Question 5

In addition to the Vosges mountains, stopping a lot of rainfall, therefore acting as a drying influence on the region, what other drying influence does Alsace have?

Answer 5

the Föhn wind, a warm wind that both raises the temperature and reduces the incidence of fungal diseases

Question 6

Alsace has high _____ ____, important to ripen grapes at this northerly latitude.

Answer 6

sunshine hours

Question 7

Alsace has a low diurnal range, especially on the hillside slopes, this lends itself to acidity being retained in the wines

True or False?

Answer 7

False

There is a marked diurnal temperature difference especially on higher sites, helping to retain acidity in the grapes.