Alsace Flashcards

Question

1st Alsace Grand Cru & when?

Answer 1

Schlossberg in 1975, 24 followed in 1983, then 25 more in 1992, last one in 2007 (Kaefferkopf)

Answer 2

Zotzenberg Mittelbergheim, Bas-Rhin - Marl, limestone terroir - AC laws were modified in 2001 to allow Sylvaner Boeckel

Answer 3

2022: Hengst, Kirchberg de Barr 2024: Vorbourg **Kirchberg de Barr**: marl and limestone. Boeckel, Dom. Hering **Hengst (Wintzenheim)**: marl and limestone - with more sandstone. Albert Mann, Barmes-Buecher **Vorbourg**: Muré's Clos St-Landelin Pinot has been made for years. Red clay, iron-rich soils. 1st PN in Alsace planted 1631 during 30 Years War when Swedes carried vines from Burgundy to Baden-Wurtemmberg. Pinot is early budding, which was historically challenged by frost. SYRAH - Muré 1st with 2018 bottling. Meyer-Fonné in 2022 from Wineck-Schlossberg GC. Weinbach is planting Grenache and Syrah.

Answer 4

Permitted ONLY in Cremant d'Alsace AC

Answer 5

**Kaefferkopf** [60-80% Gew, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat] **Altenberg de Bergheim** [50-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot Gris, 10-25% Gewurztraminer, max. 10% combined Chasselas, Muscat à Petits Grains, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc]

Answer 6

Blienschwiller, Côtes de Barr

Answer 7

Vin d'Alsace subzone * Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir

Answer 8

Ottrott Rodern Saint Hippolyte

Answer 9

Scherwiller, Wolxheim

Answer 10

June 1 of 2nd year after harvest

Answer 11

1975: Schlossberg is the 1st 1983: more grand cru 2011: Grand Cru moves from Chablis-like single AC to "Cote d'Or model" with 51 separate ACs

Answer 12

Flûte d'Alsace

Answer 13

Altenberg de Bergheim - 5500 vs the regular 4500 * only one that differs

Answer 14

Altenberg de Bergheim (the only one, actually) * 185g/l for Riesling, 218g/l for Gewurz/Pinot Gris ABV: 12% for Riesling, 14% for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer (The regular appellation requires 168 and 193, respectively)

Answer 15

VARIETAL: Riesling, Gewurz, PG BLEND (added 2001): * 50-70% Riesling * 10-25% Pinot Gris * 10-25% Gewurz * max 10% Chasselas etc 11m north of Colmar, S-facing slope on the Grasberg Hill. 220-320M. Jurassic mark limestone covered with red calcareous clay - rare for Alsace. Also a lot of gypsum in soil. (only GC to allow any amount of Pinot Noir in any way prior to 2022) MARCEL DEISS Gustave Lorentz Pierre Sparr Sylvie Spielman

Answer 16

Marcel Deiss Gustave Lorentz Sylvie Spielmann

Answer 17

limestone covered in red calcareous clay.. significant amount of gypsum

Answer 18

Turckheim; Brand = fire * granite soils. S/SE aspect at the mouth of the Vallee de Munster * Albert Boxler, Josmeyer, Zind-Humbrecht, Kuntz-Bas

Answer 19

Riesling, Muscat: 11% Gewurz, PG: 12.5% Pinot: 12.5% in Hengst, 12% iin Kirchberg (Vin d'Alsace: 10% abv for Riesling, 9.5% for Muscat, 11.5% for PG/Gewurz - EXTRA 1% if labeled by lieu dit; 9% for generic blanc)

Answer 20

Gewurztraminer * min ABV 45% * max RS 10 gl * copper pot only * min 3 months aging, no wood or coloring 4.5L - 7.5L of alcohol per 100kg of marc

Answer 21

Ammerschwihr * VARIETAL: Gewurz, Riesling, PG * BLEND: 60-80% Gewurztraminer, 10-40% Riesling, max. 30% Pinot Gris, max. 10% Muscat Non-contiguous. 3 hillsides, 71ha. Granite area, limestone/sandstone areas

Answer 22

Zotzenberg (Mittelbergheim) Altenberg (de Bergheim) Kaefferkopf (Ammerschwihr)

Answer 23

Botrytis + Pinot Noir Botrytis develops an enzyme called laccase, that destroys color. The only way to rid of this enzyme is to heat the must to 70° C

Answer 24

Kaysersberg, Domaine Weinbach * Pinot Gris * sits at foot of GC Schlossberg

Answer 25

Trimbach; Hunawihr Grand Cru Rosacker * Riesling, 1st vintage 1919 * limestone, SE exposure * dry, no malo * VT only in special vintages (1983, '89, '97, 2007)

Answer 26

special bottling of 1989 Clos Ste June * Vendages Tardive Hors Choix = out of choice

Answer 27

Zind-Humbrecht; Rangen de Thann - 1st vintage 1978 - S-facing, above Thur river overlooking Thann - Volcanic, sandstone, low clay content - 60% grade Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurz (SGN, VT too)

Answer 28

Thann, Vieux-Thann * 335 - 465M * SOILS: volcanic rock high in magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, natural sulfur * 2 Clos: Clos St-Urbain (Zind-Humbrecht) Clos St-Theobald (Schofitt) particularly known for 1. PG ( 2. Riesling (ZH's main Rangen grape) 3. Gewurz (only Schofitt, ZH, Schoech) Good site for VT, SGN (River Thurr at foot of vyd gives fog/humidity) TLDR; [highest, steepest, most southerly, and the only volcanic of Alsace's GCs. Maginot Line ran through here. Records suggest 1st planting in 1272. Leonard Humbrecht bought St. Urbain in '77 - right in time to ensure its GC status in 1983. This is a steep, well-drained slope that needs water - this one isn't for dry years. The river does give fog and humidity... and botrytis]

Answer 29

Domaine Schlumberger

Answer 30

Domaine Weinbach * vineyard/varieties vary. Only best vintages

Answer 31

Domaine Weinbach * varying sites * l'Inedit = unusual (botrytis) * Riesling, Pinot Gris Schlossberg, Furstentum, Mambourg, Mackrain or Clos des Capucins or Altenbourg - Riesling/PG

Answer 32

F E Trimbach Domaine Weinbach Marcel Deiss Paul Blanck Maurice Schoech Meyer-fonne Albert Mann

Answer 33

Granite, topsoils of granitic sand rich in potassium, magnesium and phosphorous

Answer 34

Schlossberg Mambourg Furstentum Marckrain *orientation differs from the rest that are in the Vosges foothills; these occupy an east-west valley

Answer 35

Hugel Alsatian dialect meaning something akin to Grosses Gewachs or Grand Cru

Answer 36

Turckheim * CLOS: Clos Hauserer, Clos Jebsal, Clos Windsbuhl, Clos St Urbain * GC: Brand, Hengst, Rangen, Goldert

Answer 37

Zind-Humbrecht * Pinot Gris * Jebsal = gypsum; grey marl limestone * Good SGN site: Trie Speciale (1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010) no GC

Answer 38

Ribeauville, est 1626 * dry wines, proprietary names over GC labels historically. When they leased some hectares from a convent, the nuns required that they put the words "Grand Cru" on the label.. and so it began for them. Top Bottles: * Clos Ste Hune = top top * Cuvee Frederic Emile: Riesling. Geisberg GC, sandy soils. Osterberg GC, limestone marl. Grand Crus bottled: Mandelberg, Geisberg, Schlossberg

Answer 39

Barr; Bas-Rhin * Pinot Noir since 2022 * Calcareous Marl. 220 to 320M * Gewurz is most planted. Known Lieux dit since 1760.. legend says it was the 1st site planted to Gewurz in Alsace Clos Gaensbroennel (Willm) Clos Zisser (Dom. Klipfel)

Answer 40

Bergheim * Gustave Lorentz, Sylvie Spielman * smallest grand cru @ 3.23ha

Answer 41

varietal pinot noir rose in Switzerland it refers to red/white blended rose in Wurttemburg blended and co-fermented red/white

Answer 42

VT SGN Grand Cru PG or PN with ‘lieu dit’ (and Cremant d'Alsace AC)

Answer 43

Cotes de Toul AOC - blanc (auxerrois + aubin), gris (gamay + pn), rouge (pn) Moselle AOC - blanc (auxerrois, muller thurgau, pb), rose (gamay + pn), rouge (pn)

Answer 44

Riesling (min 50%) Gewurz (max 25%) PG (max 25%) Muscat etc (max 10%)

Answer 45

Andlau; Marc Kreydenweiss * GW, Muscat Ottonel - near to Moenchberg GC

Answer 46

Schlossberg Sommerberg Brand Rangen Kastelberg Granite = acidic

Answer 47

Rosacker Windsbuhl Furstentum Schoenenbourg Mambourg limestone = basic

Answer 48

Steinklotz - Marlenheim Frankstein - Dambach la Ville (Saint Hippolyte and Rodern are geo indications for reds only) Praelatenberg - Orschwiller Rangen - Thann

Answer 49

Cherry brandy (distilled pits intact) *bottled in a 70cl bottle called a “Bô”

Answer 50

Vin d'Alsace: 80 hl/ha GC: 55 hl/ha VT: 55 hl/ha SGN: 40 hl/ha ** 2020 agreement has yields reduced to 65 hl/ha for still wine, 70 hl/ha for cremant - in response to overproduction

Answer 51

Varietal requirement is dropped - Marcel Deiss played a large role; this opened the door for Altenbourg de Bergheim blends

Answer 52

Marc Kreydenweiss (Andlau) Dom. Bechtold (Dahlenheim) Melanie Pfister (Dahlenheim) Ostertag (Epfig)

Answer 53

2010 2012 2014** 2015** 2017 2019**

Answer 54

2022 2021 2020

Answer 55

2018 - heatwaves and dry! Generous, ripe wines. Good vintage other than for VT/SGN

Answer 56

2018 - warm, dry and without big weather events. Largest yield in decades.

Answer 57

2021 - frost - cold/rain - mildew up to 30-50% loss

Answer 58

2021 harvest forward - option to label as: Dry (sec): > 4g/L (or 9gl with TA within 2gl) Medium-dry (demi-sec): 4g/L - 12g/L Moelleux: 12g/L - 45g/L Sweet (doux): 45g/L+ **** only sec will be necessary; the rest are optional OR with visual sweetness scale [Vin d'Alsace. This is EU-enforced, assuming it applies to labels in US?]

Answer 59

Alsace's Grand Crus were the sites that historically were the ripest in a place that was marginal to ripen. Now, the South and SE-facing slopes are too hot

Answer 60

**Late ripening** - so late that acidity slips away. **Thick Skins** are full of structure-giving phenols. Pink. Full phenolic ripeness is essential - low yields and picky about site. Will struggle in drought or wet/peronospora years if roots aren't deep. **Hard to Grow** In Alsace: Rarely found mid-slope.. prefers bottom where soil is deeper and water more readily available. Prefers heavier clay soil. [pink-skinned mutation of Traminer (Savagnin). Originates in Tramin, Alto Adige. Ripens easily, accumulates sugar but loses acidity. Thus, malo is rare.]

Alsace Flashcards

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