Alsace Flashcards
(12 cards)
Describe the style of Crémant d’Alsace.
Pinot Blanc-based Crémant has medium intensity apple and pear fruit with brioche and/or biscuit-like autolytic notes, medium (+) to high acidity, light to medium body, and is mostly in the Brut style.
Rosé can be done too.
What are the characteristics of Rosé Crémant d’Alsace? Quality?
Rosé Crémant d’Alsace can only be made from Pinot Noir, can be of very good quality, and has medium to medium (+) flavour intensity with red-berried fruit.
What factors affect temperature and sunlight in Alsace?
Alsace is mainly on the eastern flanks of the Vosges foothills at elevations of 200 to 400 m. The Vosges protect from prevailing westerly winds, (but create Foehn) resulting in a sunny and continental climate that is often dry and hot during the growing season.
Rain at harvest can be a problem, and irrigation is not permitted.
What factors affect water and nutrient availability in Alsace?
The Vosges protect from prevailing westerly winds, and the sunny continental climate leads to evaporation and potential sunburn. Water shortages can occur, and irrigation is not permitted.
best sites for Riesling and the other noble varieties to be made into still wines
Pinot Blanc grown on a range of sites – usually lower level elevations
high fertility and therefore not suited to top-quality grapes for still wines
some cooler sites in the higher valleys where grapes for still wines would struggle to ripen.
What hazards are present in Alsace?
Spring frost can be a problem, worsened by warmer springs leading to early bud break, making vines vulnerable and reducing yields. Water shortages and sunburn risks also exist.
What considerations are there in vineyard establishment in Alsace?
Best sites for Riesling and noble varieties are essential for still wines. Pinot Blanc is grown on lower level elevations which are not suited for top-quality grapes, while some cooler sites in higher valleys can retain acidity.
Example: Munster valley.
What are the considerations in planting materials for Alsace? Pinot Blanc characteristics.
Pinot Blanc:
* 20% of Alsace vineyard area
* early budding
* early ripening
* prone to fungal issues,
Other varieties:
* Auxerrois
* Chardonnay
* Riesling
* Pinot Gris
* Pinot Noir.
mostly low aromatic varieties well known for its suitability for traditional method sparkling wine
some add Pinot Gris (prominent fruit) to raise quality
Crémant d’Alsace is the only Alsace appellation allowing Chardonnay.
What are the considerations in canopy management and harvest in Alsace?
- pruned to a greater crop load than for still
- base wines do not need a high concentration of flavours
- maximum yield: 80 hL/ha (very similar to that allowed in Champagne)
- Growers must declare in July that they are going to make Crémant from particular vineyards.
Harvest:
* early
* last days of August -first part of September
* just-ripe fruit with high acidity needed
* Harvest by hand
* whole-bunch pressing mandatory
mandatory for producing high quality juice with low phenolic content
What are the winemaking options for Alsace?
- low potential alcohol = often chaptalised
- standard procedure for traditional method
- typically entirely from single vintage, i.e. no reserve wines
- on the lees:
- typically relatively short (e.g. 12 months) = wines with mainly primary fruit
- better producers (incl top co-operatives: (e.g. Cave de Turckheim):
increase time on lees substantially (e.g. two years for Cave de Turckheim’s most inexpensive sparkling wine)
results in wines with brioche and/or biscuit autolytic notes and more complexity
Most wines are Brut with a dosage of 8–10g/L.
Rosé involves maceration on skins for 12–24 hours.
What is the production split in Alsace?
Production is split among co-operatives (43%), merchant houses (37%), and independent growers (20%).
The largest single company is co-operative Maison Bestheim.
What is the volume of production in Alsace? Where it’s consumed mostly?
- more than doubled between 2000 and 2014 2️⃣✖️
- reaching nearly 40 million 4️⃣0️⃣ mln 🍾bottles per year by 2020
- around 72% sold in France 🇫🇷
Define Crémant d’Alsace Emotion 🇵🇱🇺🇦
Crémant d’Alsace Emotion:
* prestige category for top-quality Alsace sparkling wine
* launched in 2012🇵🇱🇺🇦
* minimum of 75% Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir
* 24 months on lees.
