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Master Sommelier Theory 2025 > FR: Alsace, Lorraine > Flashcards

FR: Alsace, Lorraine Flashcards

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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) flashcards
1
Q

what is a vin de liqueur?

A

Also called Mistelle in french. It is unfermented grape juice fortified with brandy (grape distillate). More fruit flavors.

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2
Q

what is a vin doux naturel?

A

“naturally sweet wine” grape juice is allowed to ferment before being fortified with brandy. Less fruit flavors than vin de liqueur, more flavors of fermentation

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3
Q

What German wine region runs parallel to Alsace?

A

Baden, across the Rhine River. Pfalz is the contiguation of Alsace, so it continues northward

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4
Q

When did Alsace attain AOC status?

A

1962- the last major winemaking region in France to do so

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5
Q

What are the two départements in Alsace? Which is in the North? What are their capitols?

A

Bas Rhin - northern half. Strasbourg is capitol.

Haut Rhin - in the south. over 2/3 of the grand cru vineyards are here. Colmar is capitol.

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6
Q

What geographical feature separates Alsace from the rest of France?

A

The Vosges Mountains

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7
Q

List some of the soil types in Alsace

A

granite, limestone, schist, clay, gravel, chalk, loess

grés de Vosges - local pink sandstone

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8
Q

What type of soil is typically on the steeper mountain slopes in Alsace?

A

schist, granite, volcanic sediment

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9
Q

What type of soil is typically on the lower slopes in Alsace?

A

limestone

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10
Q

What type of soil is typically on the plains in Alsace?

A

richer alluvial clay, gravel

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11
Q

Alsace synonyms for Pinot Blanc

A

Pinot Vrai
Klevner

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12
Q

By what other name was the Clos Ribeaupierre known?

A

Clos du Schlossberg

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13
Q

Which Alsace Grand Cru allows Sylvaner?

A

Zotzenberg

Boeckel producer

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14
Q

What does Gentil indicate on Alsatian wine?

A

Alsatian blend, must be at least 50% noble varieties, vinified separately and then blended

rest of the grapes may be other alsatian white grapes- i.e. Chasselas, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois

producers: Hugel, Meyer-Fonne, and Willm

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15
Q

What is edelzwicker?

A

A blend of any two of the approved white varieties of alsace;
may be vinified separately or together, and no vintage needs to be declared on the label

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16
Q

In what village is the Clos des Capucins? Who makes this wine?

A

In the village of Kayserberg, at the foot of Schlossberg GC, owned by Domaine Weinbach

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17
Q

Clos St Hune

A

in Rosacker Grand Cru, in the village of Hunawihr
Trimbach monopole, 1.67 ha, planted with Riesling

Limestone soils, SE facing

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18
Q

Alsace houses traditionally opposed to Grand Cru bottlings

A

TBH
Léon Beyer
Trimbach
Hugel

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19
Q

What Clos is owned by Albert Mann? What village is it in?

A

Clos de la Faille, Wintzenheim

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20
Q

What four grapes are permitted for Alsatian Vendanges Tardives?

A

Riesling
Pinot Gris
Muscat
Gewurztraminer

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21
Q

What is Alsace’s signature cheese?

A

Munster

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22
Q

Cuvée Frédéric Emile: who makes it? Blend of which grand crus?

A

A blend of riesling from the Grand crus Osterberg and Geisberg produced by Trimbach since 1898

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23
Q

What is unique about the 1989 vintage of Clos St Hune?

A

one of very few vintages released as Vendange Tardives, labelled ‘Hors Choix’

other VT vintages: 1983, 1997, 2007

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24
Q

Who owns the majority of Schlossberg Grand Cru?

A

Schlumberger

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25
Q

Clos St Urbain

A

In Rangen Grand Cru
Zind-Humbrecht monopole
mostly Riesling, with PG & Gewurz

South facing
Volcanic, sandstone, low clay content

60% grade- very steep

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26
Q

Which Alsace Grand Crus allow blends?

A

Kaefferkopf (Meyer Fonne producer)

Altenberg de Bergheim (Marcel Deiss producer)

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27
Q

Altenberg de Bergheim

A

varietal Riesling, Gewurz, PG

blends: 0-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot Gris, 10-25% Gewurztraminer, max. 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat à Petits Grains, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc

authorized for blends in 2001
produfers: Marcel Deiss, Gustave Lorentz, Sylvie Spielmann

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28
Q

What are the largest and smallest grand crus in Alsace?

A

Schlossberg 80.28 ha
Kaefferkopf 71 ha

Kanzlerberg 3.23 ha

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29
Q

Rangen

A

grand cru of Alsace.
Clos St Urbain (Zind-Humbrecht)
Clos St Théobald (Schoffit)

Varietal: all noble grapes, but known for PG & Gewurz

Volcanic soils! just east of the main faultline of the Vosges. sulfur rich = less risk of phylloxera

335 to 465 meters elevation

30
Q

Kanzlerberg

A

smallest GC of Alsace at 3.23 ha

only 2 producers: Sylvie Spielmann, Gustav Lorenz

31
Q

Schlossberg

A

largest grand cru in Alsace, in village of Kientzheim

granite soils. non contiguous- in 2 sections.

mostly planted to riesling

Weinbach, Trimbach, Albert Mann, Marcel Deiss

32
Q

Secondary grapes in Alsace?

A

Pinot Blanc (Klevner)
Chasselas (Gutedel)
Sylvaner
Auxerrois
Muscat
Muscat Ottonel
Klevener de Heiligenstein (Savagnin Rose)
Pinot Noir

33
Q

Klevener de Heiligenstein

A

aka Savagnin Rose. These communes may bottle varietally under Vin d’Alsace:

Heiligenstein
Bourgheim
Obernai
Gertwiller
Goxwiller

34
Q

For varietally labeled Alsatian wines, how much of the grape on the label must be present?

A

100%

Vin d’Alsace may be varietal: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chasselas, Sylvaner

35
Q

What is a synonym for Chasselas in Alsace?

A

Gutedel

36
Q

What was Pinot Gris formerly called in Alsace?

A

Tokay Pinot Gris
Tokay d’Alsace

37
Q

An Alsatian wine labeled “Pinot” may contain what varieties?

A

Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois

38
Q

What is Savagnin called in Alsace?

A

Klevner de Heiligenstein, or Savagnin Rose

39
Q

When was Alsace Grand Cru first decreed? When did each grand cru receive it’s own AOP?

A

First in 1975, With Schlossberg as the single named vineyard.

1983: 24 more added
1992: 25 more added
2007: Kaefferkopf was 51st

2011: all 51 become their own appellations

40
Q

Alsace Vendanges Tardives requirements

A

may be vin d’Alsace or Alsace Grand Cru
must be hand harvested
may show botrytis character
not necessarily totally sweet

Riesling & Muscat: 244 g/l must weight
PG & Gewurz: 270 g/l

41
Q

Alsace Sélection de Grains Nobles requirements

A

may be vin d’Alsace or Alsace Grand Cru
must be hand harvested
must show botrytis character
dessert like sweet

Riesling & Muscat: 276 g/l must weight
PG & Gewurz: 306 g/l

42
Q

Crémant d’Alsace AOC

A

Pinot Blanc*, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois

Rose 100% PN

Traditional method. 9 months on the lees, 12 months total.
Rosé wines may be made by Maceration or Saignée.

double or simple guyot

AOC est 1976

43
Q

Côtes de Toul AOP - grapes and styles

A

In Lorraine

white: Auxerrois and Aubin

red: Pinot Noir

rose: made in pale vin gris style from Gamay and Pinot Noir

44
Q

Moselle AOP- grapes and styles

A

white: Auxerrois, Muller Thurgau, Pinot Gris
red: Pinot Noir

** only french region that allows varietal MT!

Moselle River- flows north, and forms border between Luxembourg and Germany.

45
Q

What are the two AOPs in Lorraine?

A

Côtes du Toul
Moselle

46
Q

Who makes Clos de la Faille?

A

Albert Mann, in Wintzenheim

Pinot Noir!

47
Q

Clos Windsbuhl

A

Zind Humbrecht monopole vineyard, 5ha

Located on a hill above the village of Hunawihr, overlooking the village church.
Not in a Grand Cru, but close to Rosacker

Planted to Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris

48
Q

Who makes Cuvée St Catherine?

A

Weinbach

49
Q

Zind Humbrecht uses an indice on their labels to refer to what?

A

Residual Sweetness

50
Q

Alsace grand crus that are 100% Riesling?

A

Muenchberg
Kastelberg
Geisberg

51
Q

Which grand crus does Trimbach bottle?

A

Mandelberg
Schlossberg
Geisberg

Frederich Emile: Osterberg and Geisberg
Clos St Hune: Rosacker

52
Q

What are the minimum must weights for Alsace Grand Cru wines?

A

Alsace Grand Cru:

Riesling, Muscat, Sylvaner: 168 g/l

Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 193 g/l

Altenberg de Bergheim:
Riesling: 185 g/l
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 218 g/l

53
Q

What is the min alc % for Alsace Grand Cru?

A

Riesling/Muscat/Sylvaner: 11%

Pinot Gris/Gewurztraminer: 12.5%

Altenberg de Bergheim:
Riesling: 12%
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 14%
Final Blend: 14%

Kaefferkopf:
Riesling: 11%
Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer: 12.5%
Final Blend: 12%

54
Q

When must producers declare intent to make Alsace Grand Cru?

A

Intent to produce Grand Cru wine must be declared before March 1 of the harvest year

55
Q

Quintessence de Grains Nobles

A

an unofficial term for wines that significantly exceed the minimum requirements for SGN wines. The term was invented in 1983 by Domaine Weinbach to describe an exceptional cuvee of that year’s vintage, and while still used primarily by Weinbach, it has been adopted by a few other producers, including Marcel Deiss.

55
Q

Why is thermovinifcation a commonly used technique in Alsace?

A

Botrytis + Pinot Noir
Botrytis develops an enzyme called laccase, that destroys color. The only way to rid of this enzyme is to heat the must to 70° C

56
Q

Alsace 2020 rules for sweetness

A

from 2021 vintage forward, wines labeled Vin d’Alsace / Alsace AOP must be labelled with one of the following:

Dry (sec): sugar content of the wine does not exceed 4g/L

Medium-dry (demi-sec): sugar content of the wine is between 4g/L and 12g/L

Mellow (moelleux): sugar content of the wine is between 12g/L and 45g/L

Sweet (doux): sugar content of the wine exceeds 45g/L

57
Q

producers making Schlossberg GC

A

Trimbach
Weinbach
Schlumberger
Albert Mann

58
Q

Marc d’Alsace

A

Gewurztraminer
Minimum Alcohol: 45%

Distillation Procedures:
Only copper Alambic/Pot stills may be used
Distillate must be less than or equal to 68.5% alcohol

Authorized Additives:
Addition of color is not allowed

Maximum residual sugar is 10 g/l

Aging Requirements:
May not be aged in wood.
Aged a minimum of 3 months prior to sale.

Additional Requirements:
Chaptalization of the marc is not permitted.
Distillation must take place during a period of time starting two months after the declaration of the harvest and April 30th of the following year.

59
Q

Kaefferkopf Grand Cru

A

in village of Ammerschwihr. non-contiguous! covers 3 hillsides and is 71 ha (second largest GC)

Varietal: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris

blends: 60-80% Gewurztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat

59
Q

Which 2 Alsatian Grand Cru’s were the first to approve Pinot Noir for usage? When?

A

Hengst
Kirchberg de Barr
2022
*approved by France, but not by the EU. So, it will be in effect unless rescinded by the EU - which is unlikely.

60
Q

Clos St Landelin

A

Muré
Grand Cru Vorbourg

61
Q

Clos Hauserer

A

Zind-Humbrecht
Grand Cru Hengst, in Winzenheim

62
Q

types of Muscat in Alsace

A

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains
Muscat Ottonel

63
Q

Zind Humbrecht’s Clos Vineyards

A

Clos Windsbuhl
Clos Hauserer
Clos Jebsal

63
Q

Name 3 major producers of Cremant d’Alsace.

A

Wolfberger (6 to 7 million bottles per year)
Lucien Albrecht
Dopff & Irion
Albert Mann
Pierre Sparr
Joseph Cattin

64
Q

Cuvée Theo

A

Domaine Weinbach

Riesling and Gewurztraminer, from Clos des Capucins

64
Q

What are the 3 northernmost Grand Crus of the Haut-Rhin?

A

Altenberg de Bergheim
Kanzlerberg
Gloeckelberg

65
Q

Clos St Theobald

A

Domaine Schofitt
in Rangen Grand Cru

65
Q

What is the soil composition of Altenberg de Bergheim?

A

150 million year old Jurassic marl-limestone covered in red calcareous clay - a very unique setup. There is also a significant amount of gypsum in the soil.

66
Q

What is the Tahlwendala?

A

A cool nighttime wind unique to slopes just north of Ribeauville, affecting the Osterberg, Geisberg and Kirchberg de Ribeauville Grand Cru’s

Master Sommelier Theory 2025 (58 decks)

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