Alsace ADv - Brainscape

Question 1

When did Alsace receive AOC status?

Answer 1

1962 - it was the last major French region to do so

Question 2

When percentage of Cremant d’Alsace Rosé must be Pinot Noir?

Answer 2

100%

Question 3

Where are the vineyards of Alsace located? What is the best exposure?

Answer 3

• Thin strand along the lower slopes and foothills of the Vosges
• Aspect is very important
• Southern, southeastern, & warm eastern exposures

Question 4

Alsace is said to be a geological mosaic, what different soil types are located there?

Answer 4

• Granite
• Limestone
• Schist
• Clay
• Gravel
• Chalk
• Loess
• The local-pink sandstone (Grés de Vosges)

Question 5

Can VT wines show bortytis?

Answer 5

Yes, but emphasize varietal purity

Question 6

Are Vendange Tardive wins required to be dry?

Answer 6

Not obligated by statute to be sweet, the wines can vary in actual sugar, and can be quite dry

Question 7

What is the workhorse for Cremant d’Alsace?

Answer 7

Pinot Blanc

Question 8

Since when must standard Alsatian AOP Riesling be dry?

Answer 8

2008 vintage forward

Question 9

What was Pinot Gris formerly known as in Alsace?

Answer 9

Tokay d’Alsace or Tokay Pinot Gris

Question 10

What are the major requirements in the vineyard for Grand Cru wines?

Answer 10

• Hand-harvesting
• Min sugar must be higher than Alsace AOP
• Yields are more restrictive than Alsace AOP

Question 11

What are the min ABV’s for Alsatian Grand Cru wines?

Answer 11

• Riesling & Muscat - 11%

- Gewurztraminer & Pinot Gris - 12.5%

Question 12

What is France’s smallest “région”?

Answer 12

Alsace

Question 13

What are the two departments of Alsace? Which is generally considered the best?

Answer 13

• Bas-Rhin

- Haut-Rhin (Best)

Question 14

What steadily replaced Traminer through the latter half of the 19th century?

Answer 14

Gewurztraminer (a pink berried clone of Traminer)

Question 15

What is the synonym for Savagnin in Alsace?

Answer 15

Klevener

Question 16

What is “Grés de Vosges”?

Answer 16

A local pink sandstone that can be found throughout Alsace

Question 17

What soil is generally found on the steeper mountain slopes?

Answer 17

• Schist
• Granite
• Volcanic Sediment

Question 18

What AOP in Alsace allows for noble and some non-noble grapes to be bottled varietally? What percentage must it contain? What is the exception?

Answer 18

• Alsace AOP aka Vin d’Alsace AOP
• 100%
• Except Pinot Blanc - often blended w/the similar, but non synonymous, Auxerrois
• Even if Auxerrois is bottled as a single variety, it may be labeled Pinot Blanc

Question 19

What non-noble varieties may be bottled varietally as Alsace AOP?

Answer 19

• Pinot Blanc
• Chasselas
• Sylvaner
• Pinot Noir

Question 20

What are the permitted varieties for Cremant d’Alsace?

Answer 20

• Pinot Blanc
• Pinot Noir
• Riesling
• Pinot Gris
• Auxerrois
• Chardonnay

Question 21

What are the min must weights for VT wines?

Answer 21

• Muscat & Riesling - 235 g/l

- Pinot Gris & Gewurztraminer - 257g/l

Question 22

What is the smallest & largest Grand Cru vineyards in Alsace?

Answer 22

• 3ha (Kanzlerberg)

- 80ha (Schlossberg)

Question 23

What are the main points of controversy for the Alsatian Grand Cru system?

Answer 23

• Rapid development of the system

- The lack of intermediary premier cru level

Question 24

Klevener vs Gewurztraminer

Answer 24

Klevener is less intensely aromatic than GW but higher in acidity

Question 25

What is edelzwicker?

Answer 25

An inexpensive blend - Do not need to vintage dated - Not required to be more than one grape (in practice they are blends) - Do not need to indicate any % of grapes on the label

Question 26

What portion of Alsatian production is sparkling?

Answer 26

Nearly a quarter

Question 27

Where is Lorraine located?

Answer 27

Neighboring region to Alsace

Question 28

What Grand Cru does Trimbach's Clos-Ste-Hune Riesling come from?

Answer 28

Rosacker

Question 29

What is the synonym for Pinot Blanc in Alsace?

Answer 29

Klevner

Question 30

What is the synonym for Chasselas in Alsace?

Answer 30

Gutedel

Question 31

What is Gentil?

Answer 31

- A designation for blends - Min 50% noble grapes - any other Alsace AOP grape may make up the rest - Base wines are vinified separately

Question 32

Who is the staunchest advocate for field blends as the best approach for emphasizing Alsatian terroir?

Answer 32

Marcel Deiss

Question 33

What soil do the lower slopes of Alsace sit on?

Answer 33

Limestone base w/rich alluvial clay and gravel

Question 34

What portion of Alsace AOP wine is white?

Answer 34

- 90% | - 18% of France's still white production (2008)

Question 35

Wine simply labeled "Pinot" may contain any proportion of what related varieties?

Answer 35

- Pinot Noir - Pinot Blanc - Pinot Gris - Auxerrois

Question 36

What varietal is the largest volume of production for Alsace?

Answer 36

Pinot Blanc & Auxerrois - when considered collectively

Question 37

What house chooses not to promote admissible wines as Alsace Grand Cru AOP?

Answer 37

Hugel

Question 38

What is the only red variety permitted to be Alsace AOP?

Answer 38

Pinot Noir

Question 39

What are the AOPs of Lorraine?

Answer 39

- Côtes de Toul AOP | - Moselle AOP

Question 40

What is Côtes de Toul AOP?

Answer 40

(Lorraine) - Red - Pinot Noir (light) - Rosé - pale vin gris style - From a high proportion of Gamay & Pinot Noir - White - Auxerrois & Aubin

Question 41

Describe Alsace's climate. What is the major moderating influence?

Answer 41

- Vosges Mountains - provides a rain shadow - Semi-continental - One of France's driest & sunniest climates

Question 42

When are the two designations for late-harvest wines? When were they created?

Answer 42

- 1984 - Vendanges Tardive - Sélections de Grain Noble's

Question 43

What are the major requirements for VT and SGN to be labeled either Alsace AOP or Grand Cru AOP?

Answer 43

- Contain a single, noble variety | - Pass a blind tasting panel

Question 44

What is the capital of Haut-Rhin?

Answer 44

Colmar

Question 45

What is Alsace's most planted noble grape?

Answer 45

Rielsing

Question 46

What is last noble grape to ripen?

Answer 46

Riesling

Question 47

When was Alsace Grand Cru system first proposed? When did the first appear? When were the rest promoted?

Answer 47

- 1975 - first proposed - 1983 - First 25 vineyards received the designation - 1985 - Another 25 vineyards promoted - 2006 - 51st was promoted - Kaefferkopf

Question 48

What is the Moselle AOP?

Answer 48

(Lorraine) Red, white, rosé -Principally from Auxerrois and Pinot Noir

Question 49

Klevner vs Klevener

Answer 49

- Klevner - Pinot Blanc | - Klevener - Savagnin

Question 50

What is the only AOP in Alsace to allow Chardonnay?

Answer 50

Cremant d'Alsace AOP

Question 51

What is Savagnin Rose?

Answer 51

A pink berried clone of Traminer - aka Klevener - Five communes may bottle this varietally under the Alsace AOP - but vineyards may not be replanted - designation expires in 2021

Question 52

What are the noble grapes of Alsace?

Answer 52

- Riesling - Pinot Gris - Muscat - Gewurztraminer

Question 53

What clones of Muscat are permitted as a noble variety?

Answer 53

- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains - Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains - Muscat Ottonel

Question 54

Where are there still a few plantings of Klevener?

Answer 54

Heiligenstein in the Bas Rhin

Question 55

Are SGN wines required to be sweet?

Answer 55

No, but in practice are always dessert-like

Question 56

What are the min must weights for SGN?

Answer 56

- Muscat & Riesling - 276g/l - Pinot Gris & Gewurztraminer - 306g/l (@306 amongst the highest min must weights in France)

Question 57

What 2 Grand Cru vineyards allow for blending according to prescribed proportions?

Answer 57

- Altenberg de Bergheim | - Kaefferkopf

Question 58

What is the historical site for Sylvaner?

Answer 58

- Zotzenberg | - Allows for Sylvaner varietal Grand Cru wines

Question 59

What are the two designations for Alsatian blends?

Answer 59

Gentil & Edelzwicker