North France Flashcards
What are Vineyards altitude in Alsace?
Most vineyards are at an altitude of between 175 m and 420 m
Which is the biggest Grand Cru site in Alsace?
Schlossberg
Name two designations for late-harvest wines in Alsace?
Vendages Tardives and Selections de Grains Nobles (botrytis).
Which is the smallest Grand Cru site in Alsace?
Kanzlerberg
Which grape variety is known as Tokay d`Alsace?
Pinot Gris
Who is producing Riesling; Jubilée cuvée; vineyard?
Hugel, Grand Cru Schoenenbourg
Over two-thirds of Alsace’s Grand Cru vineyards are located in which département?
Haut-Rhin. Colmar is the capital and the driest city in France.
An inxpensive blended wine will be labeled with what term in Alsace?
Edelzwicker
More quality blend wine will be labeled with what term in Alsace?
Gentil. It requires a minimum of 50% of noble grapes. Base wines must be vinified seperately.
Dessert Wines made from grapes affected by noble rot (botrytis) will have what designation in Alsace?
Selections de Grains Nobles
Dessert Wines made from grapes picked when over-ripe will have what designation in Alsace?
Vendanges Tardives (late harvest), they don’t need to be sweet.
Alsace most planted grape variety is?
Riesling
What is the only red variety permitted for Alsace AOP wines?
Pinot Noir, light red and rosé wines are the result, although the wines can achieve depth in warmer vintages, may contribute to the Crémant d’Alsace AOP blend.
What is the most important variety for Crémant d’Alsace AOP?
Pinot Blanc
What is minimum alcohol level for Alsace Grand Cru wines?
11% for Riesling and Muscat and 12.5% for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer; although certain vineyards require higher levels.
When AOP Alsace was created, what percentage of Alsace production?
AOP Alsace was created in 1962. It represents 74% of the region’s wine production; of which 92% are white wines.
Name permitted grape varieties for Alsace Grand Cru?
Riesling; Gewurztraminer; Pinot Gris and Muscat.
What is the latest-ripening of the Alsace noble varietals?
Riesling
How many ha under vine in Alsace?
15;500 hectares of AOC vineyards in production
What is the name of mountains that act as rain shadow in Alsace?
Vosges Mountains
Describe Alsace Riesling?
Typically dry (either with no residual sugar or a low amount that is not easily evident in tasting due to high acidity), medium to full body, medium alcohol, medium to high acidity, with citrus (lemon, grapefruit) and stone fruit (peach) flavour with a prononounced stony/steely character.
Describe Alsace Gewürztraminer?
Typically medium lemon in colour, with pronounced aromas of lychee, peach/apricot, rose and spice, with medium to high alcohol, and medium to full body and low acidity. In Alsace the wines are made in a range of styles from dry through to sweet.
Describe Alsace Pinot Gris?
Wines have medium intensity aromas of peach and apple and are full bodied with medium acidity. The best examples have a rich oily texture and have the capacity to age and develop honeyed and smoky notes. In Alsace the wines are made in a full range of styles from dry to sweet but trend is to produce drier style.
Trimbach’s Riesling Clos Ste.-Hune is produced from what Grand Cru vineyard?
Rosacker. Wine is almost every year far and away the finest Riesling in Alsace.
What is Vin de Paille?
French for ‘straw wine’, Sweet wine made by drying the grapes off the vine. All Jura varieties except Pinot Noir are permitted. The wines must be above 14% abv, and residual sugar levels are typically 70–120 g/L. They must be aged in oak for a minimum of 18 months and released no sooner than three years after vintage.
What is mean Vin Jaune?
Meaning literally ‘yellow wine’ in French, oxidative white wine from Jura region made from Savagnin grapes using a technique similar to that used for making sherry but without fortification.
What area in the Loire Valley is planted with vine?
50.000 ha
Name four subregions in the Loire Valley?
Central vineyards, Touraine, Anjou-Saumur, and the Pay Nantais
What is the most important white variety in Touraine?
Sauvignon Blanc
What is the most important white variety in Anjou-Saumur?
Chenin Blanc for dry, off-dry and sweet white wines
What grape variety is known as Breton in the Loire Valley?
Cabernet Franc
What grape variety is known as Cot in the Loire Valley?
Malbec
What grape variety is known as Pineau de la Loire in the Loire Valley?
Chenin Blanc
What kind of wine is Cremant de Loire AOP?
Higher quality sparkling; traditional method. The better quality wines will consist primarily of Chardonnay; possibly with Cabernet Franc; Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc.
Name grapes used for Cremant de Loire AOP?
Any grapes permitted in the Loire may be used for both white and rosé sparklings; except Sauvignon Blanc; which is considered too aromatic. Better quality wines will consist primarily of Chardonnay; possibly with Cabernet Franc; Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc.
Describe Loire Chenin Blanc wines?
Dry and off-dry wines have medium intensity aromas of green apple and lemon (sometimes with a steely, smoky character), medium alcohol, and noticeably high acidity, often balanced with some residual sugar for an off-dry style.
Describe Loire Cabernet Franc wines?
Medium to pronounced intensity red fruit (redcurrant, raspberry), floral (violet) aromas and can have leafy aromas, a light to medium body, medium tannins and high acidity.
Name three regional appellations in the middle Loire?
Anjou AOC, Saumur AOC, Touraine AOC
What region is Loire’s center for sparkling wine production?
Saumur
What kind of wine is Anjou Villages AOC?
Only for red wines, made entirely from Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, either singly or blended; in practice, they are mostly Cabernet Franc.