France - Alsace Flashcards
What is the climate and why?
- Continental
- Warm, sunny, and dry
- Protected by the Vosges to the west
What color of wine dominates production? How much is it?
White (90%)
Why is there a German influence and how can it be seen?
- Control of Alsace passed between Germany and France
- Single variety wines from aromatic and unaromatic varieties
How is the trend for still wines and Crémant?
- Still wine: slightly decreasing
- Crémant: increasing
What is the avg. rainfall and why?
- Only 600mm
- Protected by Vosges
Is irrigation permitted?
No
What are factors that help the grapes ripening?
- Long growing season
- High sunshine hours
- Föhn -> raising temperatures and reduces incidence of fungal diseases
- Diurnal shifts on higher sites to preserve acidity
What can be a problem?
Untimely rainfall
Where are the best vineyards located?
- 200-250m
- Sometimes up to 450m
- South (-east, -west) facing
Describe the soil
Very varied (mosaic of terroirs)
Describe the characteristics of the soil on the plain and on steeper sites
- Plain: deeper, more fertile soils
- Steeper sites: lower fertility, better drainage
Name the 6 most important grape varieties and their rough plantings
- Riesling (21%)
- Pinot Blanc/Auxerrois (21%)
- Gewürztraminer (20%)
- Pinot Gris (16%)
- Pinot Noir (11%)
- Sylvaner (5%)
What are the noble varieties?
- Riesling
- Gewürztraminer
- Pinot Gris
- Muscat
What is permitted only with noble varieties?
- Permitted varieties for Grand Cru
- Styles as Vendange tardive and Sélection de grains nobles
Riesling
What is the budding/ripening time?
- Late budding (lower frost risk)
- Mid to late ripening (risk of autumn rain)
Riesling
Describe the typical style (intensity, oak, aromas, sweetness, acidity, alcohol, body, quality, price)
- Pronounced intensity
- Unoaked
- Citrus (lemon, grapefruit) and stone fruit (peach) and stony/steely character
- Dry
- High acidity
- Medium alcohol
- Medium to full body
- Good to outstanding quality
- Mid- to premium priced, some super-premium
Gewürztraminer
What is the budding/ripening time?
- Early budding (prone to spring frost)
- Early ripening (avoids autumn rain)
Gewürztraminer
Describe the variety’s characteristics (sugar accumulation, vigor)
- Rapid sugar accumulation
- Vigorous variety (pruning needed)
Gewürztraminer
What is it susceptible to?
- Coulure
- Chlorosis
- Powdery mildew
- Grape vine moth
- Grey rot
Gewürztraminer
Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, alcohol, body, acidity, sweetness, quality, price)
- Medium lemon
- Pronounced intensity
- Lychee, peach/apricot, rose and spice
- Medium to high alcohol
- Medium to full body
- Low acidity
- Dry to sweet
- Good to outstanding quality
- Mid- to premium priced
Pinot Blanc
Describe the typical style (intensity, aromas, acidity, alcohol, quality, price)
- Low intensity
- Apple and peach
- Medium acidity
- Medium alcohol
- Acceptable to good quality
- Inexpensive to mid-priced
Auxerrois
What is special about this variety in Alsace?
It can be labelled as Pinot Blanc
Auxerrois
How is the grape variety mostly used?
In blends or Crémant
Auxerrois
Describe the variety (ripening time, aromatic, acidity)
- Early ripening
- Low aromatic variety
- Low acidity
Pinot Gris
What is the budding/ripening time?
- Early budding (prone to spring frost)
- Early ripening (avoids autumn rain)
Pinot Gris
Describe the style of wine (intensity, aromas, body, alcohol, acidity, texture, ageing, quality, price)
- Medium intensity
- Peach, apple
- Full body
- Medium to high alcohol
- Medium acidity
- Rich oily texture
- Capacity to age, develop honeyed and smoky notes
- Good to outstanding quality
- Mid- to premium priced
Pinot Gris
What is it susceptible to?
Botrytis bunch rot and downy mildew
Pinot Gris
What is a risk regarding harvest? How is it mitigated?
- Can see rapid increase in sugar and drop in acidity
- Earlier picking and better canopy management
Pinot Gris
What is the sweetness and what is a trend?
- Dry to sweet
- Trend towards dry wines
Pinot Noir
Why has the reputation of the wine changed?
- Climate change
- Burgundy and Germany as example
- Unoaked and oaked wines
Sylvaner
What is the trend in plantings and why?
- Decreasing
- Pinot Gris and Blanc are easier to grow
What is the most common training form?
Single or double Guyot
Describe how vines are trained (fruit zone, canopy)
- Fruit zone trained higher (reduce frost risk and humidity)
- Canopy is higher to maximize sun exposure
Describe how vines are planted (spacing, density)
- Between-row-spacing is wider to avoid shading
- Planting density: 4,400–4,800 vines per ha
Where is the plantings density higher, where lower?
- Valley floor: less dense planting
- Slopes: denser planting
What are the main pests and diseases?
- Powdery and downy mildew
- Grape vine moth
- Esca
Is organic wine growing a thing?
Yes, 15% of vineyards
How is harvest conducted and are there certain rules?
- Machine or hand
- On steeper slopes often by hand
- Grand Cru vineyards have to be picked by hand
What are the fermentation temperatures for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner, and Gewürztraminer?
- Low: Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner
- Mid: Gewürztraminer
What are some producers doing to extract more flavors and enhance texture?
Skin contact
Why are mid-level fermentation temps used for Gewürztraminer?
- Pronounced aromas not affected by higher temps
- Ensure yeast can ferment to high alcohol levels
- To avoid low temp. banana aromas
Comment on vessels, yeast, malo, lees ageing
- Stainless steel or large old oak
- Some high-quality smaller producers use ambient yeast (terroir)
- Typically no malo
- Typically aged in neutral containers on fine lees (no stirring)
Is chaptalization allowed?
Yes, within EU limits
What are the max yields for Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and Pinot Blanc?
- 60 hL/ha: Pinot Noir
- 80 hL/ha: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer
- 90 hL/ha: Riesling
- 100 hL/ha: Pinot Blanc
What are the max yields for commune, lieu-dit, and Grand Cru wines?
- 72 hL/ha: Commune
- 68 hL/ha: Lieu-dit
- 50-55 hL/ha: Grand Cru
How many Grand Cru vineyards are there?
51
Name 3 famous Grand Crus
- Rangen
- Geisberg
- Schoenenbourg
Name two key producers
- Trimbach
- Hugel
What are the requirements for Sélection de grains nobles?
- Botrytis-affected grapes
- Sweet
- Min 276 g/L: Muscat, Riesling
- Min 306 g/L: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer
What are the requirements for Vendange Tardive?
- No botrytis required
- Can be dry or sweet
- Min 235 g/L: Muscat, Riesling
- Min 257 g/L: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer
What grape varieties are allowed for Vendange tardive or Sélection de grains nobles?
Only noble varieties
What are the avg. vineyard holdings and what does it mean?
- Small: 3.5 ha
- Many growers sell to co-ops
How much production is from co-ops and what is their reputation?
- 40%
- High-quality reputation
How much is exported?
25%
What are the top export markets?
- EU (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands)
- North America
In what type of packaging is the wine sold?
- Tall thin “flute” bottle (like German wines)
- Bag-in-box not allowed
How many different wine types do producers typically sell?
- 25-35 bottlings is normal
- Often all still wine styles from four or more varieties with up to four quality levels
