FR_Alsace Flashcards
1
Q
Major Grapes of Alsace
* How many Grand Cru
A
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Gewürztraminer
- Muscat
- 51 Grand Cru can only contain these 4 “Noble Grapes”
2
Q
Minor Grapes of Alsace
5 White
1 Red
A
- Pinot Blanc
- Auxerrois (ok-ser-wah): often confused with Pinot Blanc
- Chasselas (chas-lah)
- Sylvaner (sill-vah-nair)
- Savagnin Rose (sah-vah-nyah): a sibling of Gewürztraminer that is rare but can be found in five communes
- Pinot Noir
3
Q
2 Characteristics of Alsatian Riesling
+2 Facts
A
- Aroma: fruity
- Sweetness: always dry
- “King of Alsace wines”
- Good vintages can age for ten years.
4
Q
6 Characteristics of Alsatian Pinot Gris
1 Fact
A
- Color: golden yellow
- Aroma: dried apricot, mushroom, spice, subtle smoke
- Acid: low
- Alcohol: high
- Body: full
- Texture: silky
- light-skinned mutation of pinot noir
5
Q
7 Characteristics of Gewürztraminer
1 Analogy
A
- Intensity: powerful
- Aroma: lychee (lie-chee), tropical, rose petal
- Sweetness: dry to off-dry
- Palate: stone fruit (mango, peach, apricot), lemon zest, ginger spice
- Acid: low to medium
- Alcohol: high
- Body: medium
“A grown up Muscat”
6
Q
4 Styles of Alsatian Wines
A
- 90% of grapes are white
- Reds and rosé made from Pinot Noir
- Sparkling
Dry is the standard
7
Q
Alsace Location
2 Facts
A
- 300 Miles east of Paris
- Shares a border with Germany
8
Q
Alsace Landmarks
2 Facts
A
- Bas Rhine: north
- Haut Rhine: south
Two of the 101 French Departments (similar to a county)
9
Q
Alsace Geology
2 Facts
A
- Vosges Mountains: east
- Rhine River: west
10
Q
Alsace Climate
3 Facts
A
- Semi-continental with lots of sunshine and a cold average annual temperature
- Vosges Mountains create a rain shadow that make this the dryest wine region in France
- Early or late frost and deep freezes are a threat
11
Q
Alsace during the Middle Ages
A
- Middle Ages: 500-1500
- Alsace is part of the Germanic Holy Empire
12
Q
Thirty Years’ War
4 Facts
A
- A central European religious conflict, between France and the Habsburg Dynasty (habs-borg), an Austrian Monarchy
- 1618-1648
- In 1639 France Siezes Alsace
13
Q
Alsacian Wine Bottles
3 Facts
A
- Long-necked Germanic bottles called flutes
- More efficient/economical for shipping via barges on the Rhine (bottles didn’t need to be as strong)
- Alsace AOC law requires white wines to be bottled in flutes
14
Q
Alsacian wine labled by variety
A
Must contain 100% of stated variety
15
Q
3 Important Alsace Villages
A
- Stratsbourg (straz-bohr): Bas Rhin, center of the wine trade
- Ribeauville (ree-bow-vee-lay): Haut Rhin
- Colmer: Haut Rhin
