Alsace

Question 1

What is The Grand EST region?

Answer 1

The region of France containing Alsace, Champagne and Lorraine

Question 2

What are the 2 departments that divide Alsace? What is their respective orientation and quality levels?

Answer 2

The Bas Rhin and Haut Rhin.

The Haut Rhin is the more southerly region and is considered the more premium as over 2/3rds of the regions grand crus exist here.

Question 3

What is the name of the mountain range in Alsace? What is its importance?

Answer 3

The Vosges Mountains. They create the rain shadow that allows alsacian wines to reach their powerful levels of ripeness.

Question 4

What are the Grapes of Alsace?

Answer 4

4 Noble grapes:
Pinot Gris
Riesling
Gewurtztraminer
Muscat(either Muscat Blanc a petit grains, Muscat rose a petit grains or Muscat ottonel)

5 extra
Pinot Blanc(Klevner)
Chasselas(Gutedel)
Sylvaner
Auxerrois(very similar to Pinot Blanc)
Pinot Noir

Question 5

What are the labeling laws of Alsace?

Answer 5

• Wines are generally varietal labeled
• Varietal labeled wines must be 100% that varietal
• Auxerrois May be labeled as Pinot Blanc
• White “Pinot” may contain any amount of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois

Question 6

Describe the style of each of the Alsacian noble grapes?

Answer 6

Riesling - dry, more powerful and higher alcohol with pronounced minerality and acidity. Some of the longest living whites in the world

Pinot Gris - fullest, ripest expression, spicy, Smokey quality’s with mild acid and elevated alcohol.

Muscat - Aromatic, floral, grapey, diminished acid

Gewurztraminer - aromatic, perfumed, sweet spice, tropical fruits. Lower acid, higher alcohol, normally off dry.

Question 7

What are the alsacion blending terms? What kind of wines do they produce?

Answer 7

4 terms

• Edelzwicker - “noble mixture” can be hodge podge of anything, does not require any labeling for vintage, blend and does not even have to be a blend.
• Gentil - unofficial higher quality term that requires 50% minimum noble varietals. Any other varietals that make up blend must be Vinified separately
• Field blends - unofficial but considered by some as the most pure expression of terroir. Normally vinified together and produced under vineyard name. Marcel Deiss is a top producer
• Pinot - blend of Pinot noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois

Question 8

What is an Alsace grand cru? How many are there

Answer 8

51 in total

• Named sites
• produced from Nobel grapes (typically single varietal)
• Zotzenberg is able to produce Sylvaner at a grand cru level.
• Mandatory have harvesting
• higher minimum sugar, and potential alcohol.
• more restrictive yields

Some producers do not label as Grand cru despite qualifying as there is controversy over some sites being picked for political rather than quality reasons. Also the lack of premier cru designation results in varying quality

Question 9

What is Schlossberg? What kind of wine does it produce?

Answer 9

Alsaces first and largest grand cru(80ha). Similar to Clos de Vougeot, quality is a bit all over the show.

Question 10

What is Zotzenberg? What kind of wine does it produce?

Answer 10

Only alsacion grand cru allowed to produce Sylvaner at this level as it is a historical site.

Question 11

What are the alsacion grand crus allowed to blend according to prescribed proportions?

Answer 11

Altenberg de Berghiem

Kaefferkopf

Question 12

What is Vendanges Tardives and what kind of wine does it produce?

Answer 12

One of the 2 Alsacion late harvest terms.

• May show Botrytis characters but emphasise varietal purity
• Normally originate from state of Passerillage (grapes drying on the vine)
• Can be produced at AOP or Grand cru level
• must contain Single noble variety to be grand cru
• Varying sweetness level, may even be quite dry
• Must be hand harvested

Question 13

What is Selections de Grains Nobles and what kind of wine does it produce?

Answer 13

One of the 2 Alsace late harvest terms

• Picked it tries
• Shows diminished varietal flavours in favour of botrytis complexities.
• Does not require wines to be sweet but almost always are
• Must be hand harvested

Question 14

What is the red wine style of Alsace?

Answer 14

Pinot noir, light wines that can attain depth in warmer years.

Question 15

What is the sparkling wine style of Alsace?

Answer 15

Cremant d’Alsace (makes up 25% of total Alsace production)
•Method traditional 9 months min on lees, 12 months before release.
•Pinot Blanc is normally majority but may include Pinot noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois and Chardonnay.
•Sparkling Rose from 100% Pinot noir exists

Question 16

What is Lorraine and what kind of wines does it produce?

Answer 16

Neighbouring region to Alsace. In decline but contains several AOPs

• Cote de Toul- light PN based reds and whites from Auxerrois and Aubin. Vin Gris roses with Gamay and PN
• Moselle - red, white and rose from primarily PN and Auxerrois. Some varietal labeled Muller-Thurgau and PG. Namesake of Moselle river that flows up into the Mosel valley of Germany.