Cremant d'Alsace Flashcards

1
Q

How much of the total production of wine does Cremant account for in Alsace?

A

about 25%

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2
Q

About how many producers make Cremant in Alsace?

A

500

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3
Q

How has the area of vineyard declared each year for Cremant grown in Alsace?

A

by about 15% over the last 10 years to 3600 hectares - shows increase in demand

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4
Q

What is the most important varietal for sparkling wine in Alsace?

A

Pinot Blanc

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5
Q

SAT for Pinot Blanc Cremant

A

med intensity apple and pear fruit with brioche and biscuit like autolytic notes
medium + to high acidity
light to med body
most are brut style

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6
Q

Where are vineyards mostly found for sparkling wines in Alsace?

A

eastern flanks of the Vosges foothills

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7
Q

what are the elevations of most Alsace vineyards

A

200-400 m

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8
Q

What protects vineyards in ALsace from prevailing westerly winds

A

Vosges

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9
Q

What is the climate in Alsace?

A

sunny and continental; dry and hot during growing season and rain at harvest can be a problem

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10
Q

Why is shortage of water a problem in Alsace?

A

irrigation is not permitted

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11
Q

How does the climate in Alsace help with grape ripening?

A

ripening progresses with hot days and cool nights giving flavor ripeness while retaining the high acidity which is ideal for traditional method

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12
Q

How has spring frosts become more of an issue recently for Alsace region?

A

warmer and earlier bud break in turn makes vines more vulnerable to spring frost and leads to reduction in yields

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13
Q

What are the best vineyard sites reserved for in Alsace?

A

noble varieties such as Riesling to be made into still wines

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14
Q

What kind of sites are PInot Blanc grown in Alsace?

A

range of sites - usually lower level elevations (high fertility and therefore not suited to top quality grapes for still wines) and some cooler sites in the higher valleys

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15
Q

What are the varieties used for Cremant d’Alsace?

A

PInot Blanc, Auxerrious, Chardonnay, Riesling, PInot Gris and Pinot Noir - all suited for traditional method

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16
Q

How much of the total vineyard area in Alsace does Pinot Blanc carry?

A

20%

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17
Q

What are two things Pinot Blanc are prone to?

A

spring frosts (early budding)
fungal disease

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18
Q

Why is harvesting for Pinot Blanc much earlier than other varieties?

A

it is early ripening and the early picking that is necessary for sparkling wines

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19
Q

What does Pinot Blanc contribute to Cremant?

A

pear and apple aromas and high acidity

20
Q

What varieties are not permitted in Cremant from Alsace?

A

Gewurztraminer and Muscat

21
Q

Why will some growers add Pinot Gris to Pinot Blanc Cremant wines?

A

to raise quality

22
Q

What is the only Alsace appellation that allows the use of Chardonnay? what vineyard area it makes up there?

A

Cremant d’Alsace
only makes up 1% total vineyard area

23
Q

What grape is Cremant d’Alsace Rose made from

A

Pinot Noir

24
Q

SAT for Cremant d’Alsace Rose

A

very good quality
med to med+ flavor intensity of red berried fruit

25
Q

What is the max yield permitted in Cremant d’Alsace?

A

80 hl/ha

26
Q

How are grapes intended for Cremant pruned and why?

A

pruned to a greater crop load than for still wines, as the base wines do not need a high concentration of flavors

27
Q

In Alsace, when must a grower declare they are going to make Cremant from particular vineyards?

A

July

28
Q

When in harvest for Cremant in Alsace? why

A

last days of August to first part of September
this is when just ripe fruit with high acidity is sought

29
Q

Is harvest by hand or machine for Cremant? why?

A

hand - whole bunch pressing is mandatory to produce high quality juice with low phenolic content

30
Q

Because the potential alcohol is low in Cremant wines, what often needs to be done?

A

chaptalization

31
Q

What winemaking procedure is followed for Cremant wines?

A

standard procedure for the traditional method to produce fully sparkling wines

32
Q

Are reserve wines made in cremant?

A

no - they are made entirely from a single vintage

33
Q

How long is time on lees typically during 2nd fermentation for Cremant wines? what does this do to the wines?

A

relatively short (12 months)
results with wines showing primary fruit flavor

34
Q

Some top producers will increase time on lees in Cremant, by how much? and for what purpose?

A

at least two years
results in wines with brioche and/or biscuit autolytic notes and more complexity

35
Q

What style are the majority of Cremant sparkling wines made at?

A

Brut

36
Q

What are the typical dosage levels for Cremant sparkling wines? why?

A

8-10 g/l
sugar balances high acidity

37
Q

How are Cremant Rose sparkling wines made?

A

maceration on the skins for 12-24 hours to get desired depth of color.

38
Q

How is production divided in Cremant d’Alsace

A

43% co-operatives
37% merchant houses
20% independent growers

39
Q

What is the largest single company in Cremant d’Alsace?

A

the co-operative Maison Bestheim

40
Q

Through mergers and acquisitions how many hectares does Maison Bestheim own?

A

1,400
half of these vineyards owned by the company
half of these vineyards owned by 450 growers

41
Q

How much has production grown in cremant d’Alsace between 2000-2020

A

more than doubled and produces nearly 40 million bottles per year

42
Q

Where are most Cremant d’Alsace wines sold?

A

France although exports are also rising

43
Q

What is Cremant d’Alsace Emotion

A

prestige category that was launched in 2012 to create top quality category for Alsace sparkling wine

44
Q

What are the requirements of Cremant d’Alsace Emotion?

A

min 75% pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir separately or together

min 24 mths on lees

45
Q

How popular is the new category of Cremant d’Alsace?

A

not proving to be popular