1
Q
Vin dAlsace 2004
Grand Cru Steinert
Mis en Bouteille au Domaine
Domaine Riefle Vignerons
Grewurztraminer
Decribe the Above wine
A
- Full bodied
- Low, Medium (-) or Medium Acidity
- Lychees
- Roses
- Sweet baking spices
2
Q
Wines from Alsace are grown in two distinctive areas, on the plain and on slopes. Give the trellising height used on each and why this is needed.
A
- On the plain? High trellising - Minimise the risk of spring frost
- On slopes? Low trellising -Maximise radiated heat from the ground
3
Q
What accounts for the high quality of this wine?
Vin dAlsace 2004
Grand Cru Steinert
Mis en Bouteille au Domaine
Domaine Riefle Vignerons
Grewurztraminer
A
- Grand Cru vineyard. High quality vineyard.
- Very small vineyard area, so very limited supply
- The price of land expensive
- Grand Cru wines are on steepest slopes
- Slopes give frost drainage
- Slopes give rain drainage
- Mid slope is the warmest area, creating riper & richer wines
- Mechanisation is more difficult on slopes resulting in higher labour costs
- Grand Cru wines are usually East or South East facing, getting more sunlight and riper grapes
- Vosges Mountains shelter the vineyards from weather giving dry, sunny growing conditions
- The producer is a Domaine; these are estates that grow their own grapes and make their own wines. They are often high quality producers.
- Domaines/Estates are relatively small scale, producers have relatively higher equipment costs meaning they must target the higher priced and therefore quality wines.
- 2004 vintage. Older wines will have tertiary flavours and are more complex and therefore higher quality.
