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WSET Level 4 - D3 > France - Alsace > Flashcards

France - Alsace Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the climate and why?

A
  • Continental
  • Warm, sunny, and dry
  • Protected by the Vosges to the west
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2
Q

What color of wine dominates production? How much is it?

A

White (90%)

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3
Q

Why is there a German influence and how can it be seen?

A
  • Control of Alsace passed between Germany and France
  • Single variety wines from aromatic and unaromatic varieties
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4
Q

How is the trend for still wines and Crémant?

A
  • Still wine: slightly decreasing
  • Crémant: increasing
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5
Q

What is the avg. rainfall and why?

A
  • Only 600mm
  • Protected by Vosges
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6
Q

Is irrigation permitted?

A

No

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7
Q

What are factors that help the grapes ripening?

A
  • Long growing season
  • High sunshine hours
  • Föhn -> raising temperatures and reduces incidence of fungal diseases
  • Diurnal shifts on higher sites to preserve acidity
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8
Q

What can be a problem?

A

Untimely rainfall

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9
Q

Where are the best vineyards located?

A
  • 200-250m
  • Sometimes up to 450m
  • South (-east, -west) facing
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10
Q

Describe the soil

A

Very varied (mosaic of terroirs)

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11
Q

Describe the characteristics of the soil on the plain and on steeper sites

A
  • Plain: deeper, more fertile soils
  • Steeper sites: lower fertility, better drainage
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12
Q

Name the 6 most important grape varieties and their rough plantings

A
  • Riesling (21%)
  • Pinot Blanc/Auxerrois (21%)
  • Gewürztraminer (20%)
  • Pinot Gris (16%)
  • Pinot Noir (11%)
  • Sylvaner (5%)
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13
Q

What are the noble varieties?

A
  • Riesling
  • Gewürztraminer
  • Pinot Gris
  • Muscat
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14
Q

What is permitted only with noble varieties?

A
  • Permitted varieties for Grand Cru
  • Styles as Vendange tardive and Sélection de grains nobles
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15
Q

Riesling
What is the budding/ripening time?

A
  • Late budding (lower frost risk)
  • Mid to late ripening (risk of autumn rain)
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16
Q

Riesling
Describe the typical style (intensity, oak, aromas, sweetness, acidity, alcohol, body, quality, price)

A
  • 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
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17
Q

Gewürztraminer
What is the budding/ripening time?

A
  • Early budding (prone to spring frost)
  • Early ripening (avoids autumn rain)
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18
Q

Gewürztraminer
Describe the variety’s characteristics (sugar accumulation, vigor)

A
  • Rapid sugar accumulation
  • Vigorous variety (pruning needed)
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19
Q

Gewürztraminer
What is it susceptible to?

A
  • Coulure
  • Chlorosis
  • Powdery mildew
  • Grape vine moth
  • Grey rot
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20
Q

Gewürztraminer
Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, alcohol, body, acidity, sweetness, quality, price)

A
  • 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
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21
Q

Pinot Blanc
Describe the typical style (intensity, aromas, acidity, alcohol, quality, price)

A
  • Low intensity
  • Apple and peach
  • Medium acidity
  • Medium alcohol
  • Acceptable to good quality
  • Inexpensive to mid-priced
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22
Q

Auxerrois
What is special about this variety in Alsace?

A

It can be labelled as Pinot Blanc

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23
Q

Auxerrois
How is the grape variety mostly used?

A

In blends or Crémant

24
Q

Auxerrois
Describe the variety (ripening time, aromatic, acidity)

A
  • Early ripening
  • Low aromatic variety
  • Low acidity
25
Q

Pinot Gris
What is the budding/ripening time?

A
  • Early budding (prone to spring frost)
  • Early ripening (avoids autumn rain)
26
Q

Pinot Gris
Describe the style of wine (intensity, aromas, body, alcohol, acidity, texture, ageing, quality, price)

A
  • 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
27
Q

Pinot Gris
What is it susceptible to?

A

Botrytis bunch rot and downy mildew

28
Q

Pinot Gris
What is a risk regarding harvest? How is it mitigated?

A
  • Can see rapid increase in sugar and drop in acidity
  • Earlier picking and better canopy management
29
Q

Pinot Gris
What is the sweetness and what is a trend?

A
  • Dry to sweet
  • Trend towards dry wines
30
Q

Pinot Noir
Why has the reputation of the wine changed?

A
  • Climate change
  • Burgundy and Germany as example
  • Unoaked and oaked wines
31
Q

Sylvaner
What is the trend in plantings and why?

A
  • Decreasing
  • Pinot Gris and Blanc are easier to grow
32
Q

What is the most common training form?

A

Single or double Guyot

33
Q

Describe how vines are trained (fruit zone, canopy)

A
  • Fruit zone trained higher (reduce frost risk and humidity)
  • Canopy is higher to maximize sun exposure
34
Q

Describe how vines are planted (spacing, density)

A
  • Between-row-spacing is wider to avoid shading
  • Planting density: 4,400–4,800 vines per ha
35
Q

Where is the plantings density higher, where lower?

A
  • Valley floor: less dense planting
  • Slopes: denser planting
36
Q

What are the main pests and diseases?

A
  • Powdery and downy mildew
  • Grape vine moth
  • Esca
37
Q

Is organic wine growing a thing?

A

Yes, 15% of vineyards

38
Q

How is harvest conducted and are there certain rules?

A
  • Machine or hand
  • On steeper slopes often by hand
  • Grand Cru vineyards have to be picked by hand
39
Q

What are the fermentation temperatures for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner, and Gewürztraminer?

A
  • Low: Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner
  • Mid: Gewürztraminer
40
Q

What are some producers doing to extract more flavors and enhance texture?

A

Skin contact

41
Q

Why are mid-level fermentation temps used for Gewürztraminer?

A
  • Pronounced aromas not affected by higher temps
  • Ensure yeast can ferment to high alcohol levels
  • To avoid low temp. banana aromas
42
Q

Comment on vessels, yeast, malo, lees ageing

A
  • 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)
43
Q

Is chaptalization allowed?

A

Yes, within EU limits

44
Q

What are the max yields for Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and Pinot Blanc?

A
  • 60 hL/ha: Pinot Noir
  • 80 hL/ha: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer
  • 90 hL/ha: Riesling
  • 100 hL/ha: Pinot Blanc
45
Q

What are the max yields for commune, lieu-dit, and Grand Cru wines?

A
  • 72 hL/ha: Commune
  • 68 hL/ha: Lieu-dit
  • 50-55 hL/ha: Grand Cru
46
Q

How many Grand Cru vineyards are there?

A

51

47
Q

Name 3 famous Grand Crus

A
  • Rangen
  • Geisberg
  • Schoenenbourg
48
Q

Name two key producers

A
  • Trimbach
  • Hugel
49
Q

What are the requirements for Sélection de grains nobles?

A
  • Botrytis-affected grapes
  • Sweet
  • Min 276 g/L: Muscat, Riesling
  • Min 306 g/L: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer
50
Q

What are the requirements for Vendange Tardive?

A
  • No botrytis required
  • Can be dry or sweet
  • Min 235 g/L: Muscat, Riesling
  • Min 257 g/L: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer
51
Q

What grape varieties are allowed for Vendange tardive or Sélection de grains nobles?

A

Only noble varieties

52
Q

What are the avg. vineyard holdings and what does it mean?

A
  • Small: 3.5 ha
  • Many growers sell to co-ops
53
Q

How much production is from co-ops and what is their reputation?

A
  • 40%
  • High-quality reputation
54
Q

How much is exported?

A

25%

55
Q

What are the top export markets?

A
  • EU (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands)
  • North America
56
Q

In what type of packaging is the wine sold?

A
  • Tall thin “flute” bottle (like German wines)
  • Bag-in-box not allowed
57
Q

How many different wine types do producers typically sell?

A
  • 25-35 bottlings is normal
  • Often all still wine styles from four or more varieties with up to four quality levels

WSET Level 4 - D3 (56 decks)

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