09 Intro to Alsace

Question 1

Historical facts about Alsace

Answer 1

• Alternating French & German rule
• Germanic grapes
• French winemaking techniques

Question 2

Alsace Geography

Answer 2

• Northeastern France
• German border
• Vosges Mountains (west)
• Rhine River (east)
• Mountains create rain shadow to protect from harsh weather from Northern FR & Atlantic

Question 3

Alsace Regions

Answer 3

Divided in half along départmental boundaries

Bas-Rhin
- North
- Lower elevation
- Less protected from the Vosges

Haut-Rhin
- South
- Higher elevation
- Best vineyards

Question 4

Alsace Climate

Answer 4

• Cool continental (northerly latitude 48deg)
• Significant diurnal shift means slow maturation, retains acidity
• Dry, sunny summers (rain shadow - prevents rain & clouds)
• One of driest regions in France
• Long growing season means riper grapes, higher alcohol potential, fuller=bodied wines

Question 5

Alsace Topography

Answer 5

• Vineyards are rolling foothills of Vosges
• Better vineyards on slopes facing east / southeast
• Region has flat plains along the Rhine

Question 6

Alsace Soil

Answer 6

• Tremendous diversity
• Lots of soils within each area, means many different grape types possible
• Soilds include: marl, limestone, gneiss, schist, sandstone, granite, clay, volcanic

Question 7

Alsace grape varieties

Answer 7

White
- Riesling*
- Gewurztaminer*
- Muscat*
- Pinot Gris*
- Pinot blanc
- Sylvaner

Red
- Pinot Noir

*90% of Alsace Wine

Question 8

Alsace Vinification

Answer 8

• Neutral casks for fermnetation & aging
• little to no use of new oak
• Wines labled by variety must be made entirely from the grape indicated

Question 9

Alsace - Reisling

Answer 9

• Most predominant
• Different from German wines
• Richer, more intensity, more body
• Complex, acidity, minerality, aging potential

Question 10

Alsace - Gewurztraminer

Answer 10

• Floral, grapefruit
• Lower acidity
• Higher alcohol
• Phenolic bitterness
• Off-dry & high alcohol to balance phenolic bitterness

Question 11

Alsace - muscat

Answer 11

• Drier
• Grapey, floral

Question 12

Alsace - Pinot Gris

Answer 12

• Very different from Italy
• Rich, lots of flavor / intensity
• More areomatics
• Moderate acidity
• Nutty element & mushroom component
• Off-dry styles

Question 13

Alsace - Pinot Blanc

Answer 13

Base for wine in cremants

Question 14

Alsace - Pinot Noir

Answer 14

• ~10% of wine production
• only red grape allowed
• higher quality in last few years due to climate change

Question 15

Alsace Appelations

Answer 15

Alsace / Vin d’Alsace AOP
- One AOP covers entire region
- Must be bottled in tall, slender bottle

Alsace Grand Cru AOP
- 51 Grand Crus vineyards
- 4 grape vareities allowed: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris
- Grape varieties paired with soil
- Grand cru meant to reflect best light, but controversial b/c some vineyards are very large and varied

Crémant d’Alsace AOP
- Traditional method sparkling wines
- blend of grapes

Question 16

Late harvest wines

Answer 16

Vendange Tardive (VT)
- Late harvest
- Can have Botrytis impact
- Rich, full bodied
- Not always sweet

Sélection de Grains Nboles (SGN)
- Always affected by botrytis
- Small quantities
- Single variety
- Only in vintages when growing conditions are conducive