Alsace/Jurie/Savoie Flashcards
What are the noble grape varieties of Alsace?
- Muscat
- Pinot Gris
- Gewurztraminer
- Riesling
What are the only varieties allowed in Alsace Grand Cru wines?
The noble varieties.
(besides one exception)
What are the non-noble varieties allowed in Alsace?
- Pinot Blanc
- Auxerrois
- Chasselas
- Sylvaner
- Pinot Noir
- Savagnin Rose
Which non-noble grape variety is allowed in a grand cru wine?
Sylvaner
The Zotzenberg vineyard allows this grape
Which Alsatian grape is similar to Pinot Blanc and usually blended together with it?
Auxerrois
What are the local names for the following grapes?
- Chasselas
- Pinot Blanc
- Savagnin Rose
- Guteadel
- Klevner
- Klevener de Heiligenstein
What other 5 communes can Savagnin Rose be found?
- Heiligenstein
- Bourgheim
- Gertwiller
- Goxwiller
- Obernai
This grape is a rare varietal, a sibling of Gewürztraminer
What percentage of the Alsace AOP wine is white?
90%
White grapes are paramount in this region
What percentage of France’s white wines comes from Alsace?
20%
What 2 departments is Alsace split into?
- Haut-Rhin
- Bas-Rhin
The Bas-Rhin is lower lying than the Haut but situated in the North
Which major wine producing country does Alsace share a border with?
Germany
Alsace is approx 305 miles east of Paris
What are some major climatic influencers in Alsace?
- The Vosges mountains to the west of the region, running N to S
- The Rhein River to the east of the region
What do the Vosges mountains do for Alsace?
They create a rain shadow effect, making alsace one of the sunniest and driest regions in France
What is the climate like in Alsace?
- semi-continental
- Plenty of sunshine but the region still has a fairly cold annual temperature
What are weather threats that alsace faces?
- early or late frosts
- deep freezes
What direction do the best vineyards in Alsace face?
South or Southeast
This orientation helps to maximize the number of sunlight hours the vineyards will receive and to mitigate the cold
How does the grape ripening in Alsace compare to that of the Loire and Burgundy?
Even though Alsace has a more northerly location, the ripening is more consistent due to the number of sunlight hours Alsace receives.
What is the soil like in Alsace?
Mosaiced soil structure
- Granite
- Limestone
- Schist
- Clay
- Gravel
- Chalk
- Loess
- Local pink sandstone “gres de vosges”
What empire was Alsace part of during the Middle Ages?
Germanic Holy Roman Empire
Which rivalry catapulted the thirty-years-war in Alsace?
The French vs Habsburg rivalry
After going back and forth between the Germans and French, when was Alsace French territory finally?
in the 1940s
What year is Alsace gain AOC status?
1962
When was the Grand Cru AOC for alsace established and what was the first vineyard?
1975
The first vineyard was Schlossberg
In what year did Grand Cru vineyards go from being designations to having their own AOC in Alsace?
2011