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Flashcards in 17. Alsace Deck (27)
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1
Q

Geography? climate? seasons? conclusions for grape growing?

A
  • cool to moderate climate
  • Vosges Mountains in the west protect from rain-bearing winds and clouds
  • sunny summers and dry autumns
  • grapes achieve high levels of sugar ripeness, but drought can be an issue
2
Q

best and lesser vineyards - geography? grapes and wines?

A
  • best vineyards on steepest slopes, east and south-east
  • north: coolest and less protected from Vosges
  • lesser vineyards: plain between Vosges foothills and Rhine – often used for Crémant d’Alsace
3
Q

geology? conclusion?

A
  • dramatic geological history, therefore great variety of soils
  • geological complexity is a key factor for variety of styles?
4
Q

grape growing practices? slopes? plains? harvesting? organic and biodynamic culture

A
  • slopes: vines trained low to benefit from radiated heat, rows oriented to maximise to sun exposure, harvesting done by hand
  • plain: vines trained high to minimise spring frost
  • organic and biodynamic viticulture is widely practised due to low disease pressure in the sunny, dry conditions
5
Q

climate & geography - key logistical challenge?

A
  • number of small plots of wines planted with different varieties
  • varieties ripen at different times over a long period (e.g. mid-Sept until beginning of Dec (for VT and SGN wines)
6
Q

Alsatian appelations? Challenge of simplicity and conclusion?

A
  • Two principal appellations for still wines:
    • Alsace
    • Alsace Grand Cru
  • Challenge: produces seek to distinguish between different qualities
  • conclusion: label statements such as Réserve personelle, Cuvée spéciale - both no legal status
7
Q

Alsation extra classifations?

A
  • Vendanges Tardives (VT) = “late harvest” (=Spätlese)

- Sélection de grains nobles (SGN, similar to Beerenauslese)

8
Q

Appellation Alsace - volume? single grape? blend? villages?

A
  • vast majority of region’s production
  • most are from single grape, then it has to be named and 100%
  • small number of blends
  • some villages have right to add their names
9
Q

Appellation Alsace Grand Cru - nb? noble grapes? exceptions? label (3)?

A
  • over 50
  • produced from one of four noble grape variety (Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Pinto Gris) although exceptions
  • label: vineyard, vintage, grape variety
10
Q

Appellation Alsace Grand Cru - controversy? concl?

A
  • vineyard boundaries, some are far too large

- concl: some producers with grand cru vineyards chose not to name them

11
Q

Classification VT - def? restrictions? wine growing tech (2)?

A
  • Vendanges Tardives (late harvest, similar to Spätlese)
  • must be from one of 4 noble varieties
  • minimum sugar ripeness depending on grape variety
  • best wines may undergo passerillage
  • sometimes noble rot
12
Q

Classification SGN - def? restrictions? wine growing tech? often?

A
  • Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
  • one of 4 noble grape var.
  • minimal sugar ripeness depending on grape var., higher than for VT
  • usually noble rot
  • not every year and small quantities
13
Q

4 most important grape varieties (“noble”) - what can they only be used for?

A
  • Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat

- only var. for VT, SGN, grand cru wines

14
Q

varietal wines - def? common?

A
  • from one single grape variety
  • very common
  • blended wines not very common and usually from juices that were not good enough for varietal wines
15
Q

blended wines - names (2)? high quality?

A
  • Edelzwicker, Gentil, or producer’s name

- some very high-quality blends exist, even grand cru vineyards, but very rare

16
Q

how is the winemaking influenced by grape varieties? fermentation? MLF? bottling?

A
  • Alsacian var. are all aromatic (see nobles)
  • winemaking focused on retaining the aromas and flavours of the grapes
  • traditional producers: fermentation in old large oak barrels with thick tartrate depost (i.e. wood no longer influences wine)
  • modern cellars: stainless steel vats
  • MLF normally not encouraged since it would mask fruit flavours
  • bottling usually in spring following the vintage and ready to drink then but many are capable to further evolve in bottle
17
Q

style of wine? sweetness? issue?

A
  • best wines have traditionally been dry (except VT and SGN)
  • in recent years, particularly at grand cru level, made with noticeable sweetness
  • issues: no way to indicate sweetness in a wine through labelling, impossible to distinguish for consumer if dry or sweet wine
18
Q

style: VT? SGN?

A
  • VT: can vary in style from dry to medium sweet (nothing indicates this on label)
  • SGN: always sweet although this can vary through level of nobel rot
19
Q

Riesling - body? alcohol? acidity? aromas?

A
  • most widely planted noble variety
  • medium to full body
  • high acidity
  • citrus and stone fruit, with pronounced stony/steely character
  • often some residual sugar
  • usually not as much floral character as German Riesling
20
Q

Gewurztraminer - aromas? colour? body? acidiy? alcohol?

A
  • pungent spicy nose, lychees, roses, sweet baking spices
  • skin of grape slight pink, giving golden colour to some wines
  • full bodied, rich oily texture
  • low to medium acidity
  • high alcohol, often 14% and above
21
Q

Pinot Gris - body? alcohol? acidity? texture? colour? flavours?

A
  • rich, full-bodied
  • high alcohol
  • more acidity than Gewurztraminer
  • similar colour to Gewurz but less aromatic
  • richly textured on palate
  • pronounced flavour with fresh and dried fruits and honeyed character
22
Q

Muscat - varieties? flavours? body? issues?

A
  • 2 types: Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains & Muscat Ottonel
  • M. Blanc à Petit Grains: intensely aromatic, orange blossom, rose, grape, light to medium body, low to medium acidity. Prone to poor fruit set and rot.
  • M. Ottonel: more widely planted because reliable to crop more regularly
23
Q

Pinot Blanc - abundant? style?

A
  • more planted on fertile soil of plain rather than better sloped sites
  • light, simple, refreshing, non-aromatic
  • widely planted and mostly used for sparkling wine, but also still wine
24
Q

Auxerrois - characteristics? blends?

A
  • similar to Pinot Blanc but slightly spicier, more full-bodied
  • sometimes blended with Pinot blanc
25
Q

Sylvaner - history? characteristics? age to drink?

A
  • used to be widely planted but not anymore
  • delicately perfumed with some richness but far less than Gewurztraminer
  • best drunk young
26
Q

Pinot Noir - only? vs Burgundian? charact.? technology?

A
  • only black grape permitted in Alsace
  • lack weight and concentration of Burgundian Pinot Noir
  • best lightly fruity red or rosé
  • some more concentrated with new oak flavours
27
Q

other varieties in Alsacae

A
  • Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Sylvaner, Pinot Noir