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Alsace Flashcards

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1
Q

When did France reclaim Alsace? Why is this important to winemaking style?

A

1945 post WWII. This marks the beginning of the divergence in winemaking styles…German remaining sweeter in style and Alsatian dryer in style.

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2
Q

When did Alsace reach AOP Status?

A
  1. The last French region to do so.
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3
Q

What are the two departments of Alsace? Why is this relevant?

A 
Haut Rhin (southern)
Bas Rhin (northern)
2/3 of the grand cru vineyards are located in the Haut Rhin.
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4
Q

Which mountains separate Alsace from the rest of France? Where are they located?

A

Vosges mountains

Western border of Alsace to the rest of France

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5
Q

What do the Vosges mountains offer geographically to the winemaking climate of Alscae?

A

It provides a rain shadow, making Alsace the driest and sunniest winemaking climates in France.

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6
Q

Where is the capital of of the Haut-Rhin?

A

Colmar. Driest city in France

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7
Q

Gerographically, where do the vineyards exist in Alsace?

A

In a thin string along the foothills of the Vosges mountains. Bascially down the center of Alsace.

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8
Q

What is the climate classification of Alsace?

A

Continental or semi-continental

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9
Q

The best vineyards enjoy what direction of exposure? Why is this important?

A

Southern, Southeastern, or warm eastern exposure to maximize sunlight

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10
Q

True or False: Vineyards in Alsace generally ripen sooner than their counterparts in Loire or Burgundy?

A

True. Due to sunlight hours.

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11
Q

What is the local pink sandstone of Alsace called?

A

gres de vosges

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12
Q

Generally speaking, what are the major soil types of the higher slopes in Alsace?

A

Schist, granite, and volcanic sediment

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13
Q

Generally speaking what are the major soil types of the lower slopes in Alsace?

A

Limestone base

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14
Q

Generally speaking, what are the major soil types of the plains at the foot of the mountains in Alsace?

A

richer alluvial clay and gravel.

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15
Q

What percentage of Alsatian AOP wine production is white?

A

90%– 20% of France’s total output of AOP still white wine

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16
Q

What are the four noble grapes of Alsace?

A

Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, and Gewurtztraminer

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17
Q

What are the types of Muscat that are permitted as Alsatian noble grapes?

A

Muscat Ottonel
Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains
Muscat Rose a Petit Grains

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18
Q

Name all the grapes permitted in Alsace AOP

A 
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Muscat
Gewurtztraminer
Pinot Blanc
Chasselas
Sylvaner
Pinot Noir
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19
Q

Synonym for Pinot Blanc in Alsace

A

Klevner

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20
Q

Synonym for Chasselas in Alsace

A

Gutedel

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21
Q

What percentage of grape variety must be in the bottle if varietally labeled in Alsace?

A

100%

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22
Q

If a bottle of Alsatian Auxerrois is 100% Auxerrois, what can the varietal say on the label?

A

Pinot Blanc or Auxerrois

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23
Q

What grapes can be in an Alsatian white wine bottle simply labeled “PINOT”

A

Any proportion of the following: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, or Auxerrois

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24
Q

What is the most planted grape in Alsace?

A

Riesling

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25
What grape is the largest volume of appellation production in Alsace?
When considered collectively, it is Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois
26
Which is the last of the Alsatian noble varieties to ripen?
Riesling
27
Characteristically, how does Alsatian Riesling compare to its German counterparts?
Drier, more powerful, and higher in alcohol
28
When did Alsatian AOP change to mandate that standard Riesling be made dry?
2008
29
What is considered to be Alsace's quintessential white wine?
Pinot Gris-- Pinnacle of this grape..fullest richest expression with spicy smoky qualities, rich fruit, flinty minerality
30
What is the ancestral name of Gewurtztraminer?
Traminer
31
What is Traminer known as in the Jura?
Savagnin. Generally Pink-Skinned
32
What is Klevener? Where is is produced?
Klevener is the synonym of Traminer (or Savagnin in the Jura) It is "Savagnin Rose or Klevener de Heiligenstein"
33
What is Klevener de Heiligenstien?
A rose savagnin that can only be made around the commune of Heiligenstein in the BAS RHIN
34
What five communes can bottle Klevener de Heiligenstein?
Gertwiller, Goxwiller, Heiligenstein, Bourgheim, Obernai
35
What does Edelzwicker mean?
"noble mixture" Ironic since the wines are generally a cheap blend and don't have to contain more than one grape, and no vintage
36
What does gentil or Edelzwicker gentil mean?
Not an *official* term. A designation for blends that contain a minimum of 50% noble grapes, and any other Alsace AOP grape may make up the remainder. Base wines must be vinified separately. Some producers (Marcel Diess) approach this as a field blend in which case the grapes are vinified together and bottled under a vineyard name.
37
When was the Alsace Grand Cru AOP decreed?
1975
38
What was the first Alsatian Grand Cru?
Schlossberg-- 1975
39
When were the second crop of Alsatian Grand Cru decreed?
1983 (24 of them)
40
When were the third crop of Alsatian Grand Cru decreed?
1992 (25 of them)
41
When was the last Alsatian Grand Cru decreed?
2007-- Kaefferkopf
42
Which Alsatian Grand Crus are allowed to blend their Grand Cru wines?
Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
43
Which Grand Cru allows Sylvaner?
Zotzenberg
44
What year was the Alsace cahier des charges amended to give each Grand Cru its own AOP?
2011
45
What harvest process is mandatory for all Alsace GC Vineyards?
Hand Harvesting
46
Are minimum sugar levels at harvest higher or lower for Alsace GC?
Higher
47
What are the minimum alcohol levels for Alsace GC wines?
Riesling and Muscat - Min 11% Pinot Gris and Gewurtz - Min 12.5% Note: Some vineyards can mandate higher amounts
48
What is the smallest Alsace GC?
Kanzlerberg (3ha)
49
What is the largest Alsace GC?
Schlossberg (80ha)
50
Which GC is Trimbach's Clos Ste Hune in?
Rothsacker
51
When did Trimbach release its first vintage of Giesberg with the cru on it?
2009
52
What year was Vendages-Tardive and Selections de Grains Nobles introduced?
1984
53
True or False: SGN or VT can be printed on both Alsace AOP and Alsace Grand Cru AOP labels
True.. It can be used on both
54
What are the harvest requirements for a wine to be labeled SGN?
- Labeled Alsace AOP or Alsace GC AOP - A single noble variety - Pass a blind tasting panel - generally picked in tries - not affected by botrytis (typically) - hand harvested - 276 g/l for Muscat and Riesling - 306 g/l for PG and Gewurtz (some of the highest min must weights in France)
55
What are the harvest requirements for a wine to be labeled VT?
- Labeled Alsace AOP or Alsace GC AOP - A single noble variety - Pass a blind tasting panel - Often affected by botrytis - hand harvested - 244 g/l for Muscat and Riesling - 270 g/l for PG and Gewurtz
56
What state are vines in that quality VT wines originate from?
passerillage
57
What is passerillage?
the process by which grapes are dried, shrivelled, or raisined on the vine, concentrating the sugar in grapes—an alternative to wines whose sugars have been concentrated by botrytis.
58
Are VT and SGN wines required to be sweet in their final bottling?
No. they can be vinified dry.
59
What is the only red grape permitted in Alsace AOP wines?
Pinot Noir
60
What style of wines are made with Pinot Noir in Alsace?
Red, Rose, White, Sparkling
61
What grapes are permitted in Cremant d'Alsace Rose?
Pinot Noir only
62
What is the only AOP of Alsace to allow Chardonnay?
Cremant d'Alsace
63
What are the permitted grapes of Cremant d'Alsace AOP?
Pinot Blanc (workhorse), Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois
64
Approx what percentage of cremant d'alsace is alsaces total output?
25%
65
What are the AOP of Lorraine?
Cotes de Toul AOP | Moselle AOP
66
Permitted grapes of Cotes de Toul AOP
Pinot Noir, Auxerrois, Aubin
67
Permitted grapes of Moselle AOP
Auxerrois, Pinot Noir. Muller Thurgau and Pinot Gris are also allowed
68
When was the term Tokay d'Alsace eliminated?
2007
69
What are the continuation of the Vosges mountains called in Germany?
The Haardt Hills
70
What is the closest German wine producing region to Alsace?
Pfalz
71
What is the river that separates France and Germany?
Rhine River
72
Why can Marcel Diess bottle their field blends under the Grand Cru Schoenenberg?
Because they are in Bergheiem.
73
What is the northernmost still winemaking region in France?
Alsace
74
What are the AOP of Alsace?
- Alsace AOP - Cremant d'Alsace AOP - All 51 Alsace Grand Cru AOP
75
Does Alsace permit Chaptalization?
yes
76
Northernmost GC in Alsace
Steinklotz
77
Southernmost GC in Alsace
Rangen
78
Required bottle type of AOP Alsace
Flute d'Alsace or Vin du Rhin
79
Where is Clos Ste Urbain?
Rangen de Thaan. (Zind Humbrecht)
80
Where is Close Saint Theobald?
Rangen de Thaan (Schoffitt)
81
Where is Clos Ste Hune?
Rothsacker (Trimbach)
82
Where is Close Ste Landelin?
Vorbourg (Mure)
83
Where is Clos Ste Imer?
Goldert
84
Where is Clos des Capucins?
No GC-- Close to Schlossberg. CUVEE THEO-- Weinbach
85
Who owns the three most famous Alsatian Clos that have no GC deisgnation? What are they?
Zind-Humbrecht. They are Clos Hauser, Clos Jesebel, Clos Windsbuhl

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