CRÉMANT - Alsace

Question 1

What % of all wine is Alsace is sparkling?

Answer 1

25%

Question 2

How many producers make crémant d’Alsace?

Answer 2

500 producers. Usually alongside their still wines

Question 3

What is the climate in Alsace and where are the vineyards?

Answer 3

Climate is warm continental. The vineyards lie on the eastern side of the Vosges Mountains which protect from prevailing winds.

Question 4

Lack of rain in the growing season causes what problem

Answer 4

Water shortages as Irrigation is not permitted

Question 5

What other hazards are there in Alsace?

Answer 5

• earlier and earlier arrival of warmer weather means early bud break making the buds vunerable to Spring Frost

Question 6

What is the principle grape used for sparkling wine in Alsace?

Answer 6

Pinot Blanc

Question 7

Where is PB grown?

Answer 7

Best sites kept for Riesling and other high quality noble grapes
PB is a high fertility grape and produces neutral fruit with high acid in grown in the higher valleys too cool for the noble grapes

Question 8

Crémant d’Alsace is the only Alsace appellation which allows which grape?

Answer 8

Chardonnay

Question 9

After PB, what the grapes are permitted in their sparklers?

Answer 9

Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir

Question 10

Is Riesling routinely used in sparklers?

Answer 10

No. It is usually used in still wine where it commands more money

Question 11

What grapes in the region are not permitted in d’Alsace?

Answer 11

Muscat and Gewurztraminer - too aromatic

Question 12

Pinot Blanc is susceptible to what hazard?

Answer 12

spring frost as it buds early

Question 13

PB is early budding but is it early ripening?

Answer 13

Yes. It ripens early and is picked early to maintain acidity.

Question 14

Does sparkling wine schedule interfere with the still wine schedule?

Answer 14

It shouldn’t. Early picking of PB means that harvest and reception at winery occurs before that of grapes used in the still wine

Question 15

Harvest time for PB for use in sparklers is when?

Answer 15

late August to early September

Question 16

Potential alcohol in the grapes is high or low and how is this corrected?

Answer 16

LOW and corrected through chaptilization

Question 17

In terms of reserve wine, how does crémant d’alsace differ from champagne?

Answer 17

No reserve wines used. Just single vintages in Alsace

Question 18

Name a high quality cooperative in Alsace

Answer 18

Cave de Turkheim

Question 19

Do Cave de Turkheim age for the 12 month minimum?

Answer 19

They often age on lees for up to two years to increase the biscuit autolytic notes

Question 20

How is crémant d’Alsace rosé made?

Answer 20

By macerating the wine on its skins for 12-24 hours until color intensity is reached

Question 21

What is the distribution breakdown of houses, cooperatives, grower sparklers?

Answer 21

43% Cooperatives
37% Merchant Houses
20% Growers

Question 22

What is the largest cooperative in the region?

Answer 22

Maison Bestheim

Question 23

How many hectares does the largest single coop use to make still and sparkling wines? What % of that does it own?

Answer 23

1400 hectares. It owns 50% and the other half owned by 450 growers

Question 24

50% of all champagne is sold in France, what is the % for C d’A

Answer 24

80% of C d’A is sold in France

Question 25

what are the grape and ageing rules of the new (2012) UNPOPULAR Crémant d’Alsace Emotion catagory?

Answer 25

• min 75% PB and/or Chardonnay and/or PN

- 24 months minimum lees ageing