Alsace & Jura

Question 1

Name the grape varieties permitted in Alsace. What are the noble grapes?

Answer 1

Riesling (Noble)
Muscat (Noble)
Pinot Gris (Noble)
Gewürztraminer (Noble)
Pinot Blanc
Sylvaner

Question 2

Name the key Grand crus in the Haut-Rin & Bas-Rin Regions

Answer 2

Weinbach
Schoelhammer
Zind Humbrecht
Trimbach
Valentin Zusslin
Marcel Deiss
Pfister
Muré
Kientzler
Dirler-Cadé

Question 3

What are the classic grapes for both white and red in Jura

Answer 3

Trousseau
Poulsard
Pinot Noir
Chardonnay
Savagnin

Question 4

What are the sub-regions of Jura?

Answer 4

Arbois
Arbois-Papillon
Château-Chalon
Crémant du Jura
Côtes du Jura
L’Étoile
Macvin du Jura

Question 5

What is Vin Jaune, and how is it made?

Answer 5

Vin Jaune is a dry style of white wine made from Savagnin, and translates to yellow wine. It was supposedly created by accident when a winemaker discovered a forgotten barrel at the back of their cellar.

It is aged in barrel for 60 months, untouched. A veil, or thin layer of yeast, forms at the surface of the wine that simultaneously protects the wine from direct contact with air, and allows for a slow and controlled oxidation. This technique is know as sous voile.

Question 6

Why is Chateau Chalon important?

Answer 6

Apart from producing Vin Jaune, it was in Château-Chalon where a small group of nuns planted the very first Savagnin vine stocks back in the middle ages.

Question 7

Explain the key styles for all grapes

Answer 7

Floral or traditional.

The former being more subtle and refined, obtained using the ullage method, consisting of topping up the barrel as the wine evaporates to prevent it from coming into contact with air.

The latter is obtained by allowing the wine to come in contact with air, creating a thin layer of yeast on the surface, resulting in a wine with more intense aromas.

Vin de Paille or straw wine is a type of sweet wine made from grapes dried off the vine, Chardonnay, Poulsard, and Savagnin, and aged in oak for a minimum of 18 months.