• Shuffle
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Alphabetize
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Front First
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Both Sides
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Read
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
Reading...
Front

Card Range To Study

through

image

Play button

image

Play button

image

Progress

1/32

Click to flip

Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;

Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;

H to show hint;

A reads text to speech;

32 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back

Location

Alsace wine region is in the north/eastern part of France at the border of Germany between towns of Strasbourg and Mulhouse
Geography
On the west the region is bordered by Vosges mountains and on the east by Rhine river.
Vineyards are situated at 200 - 400 m of altitude on the slopes of the mountains as well as on the Alsacian plain near the river.
Alsace Appellations
AOC Alsace
AOC Alsace Grand Crus
AOC Crémant d’Alsace
AOC Alsace
The wines are made from grapes grown on parcels with precisely stipulated boundaries, based on historical growing areas.
If grape variety is indicated on the label, the wine must by law be made from 100 % of that varietal. Where not indicated, the wine is typically a blend of several grape varietals, sometimes called “Edelzwicker” or “Gentil”, or bearing a brand name.
Corresponding geographical information may also be included on the label :
a communal geographical name
the name of a lieu-dit
AOC Alsace wines (with the exception of Crémant d’Alsace) are always sold in a “Wine of the Rhine” shaped bottle, known as the “Flute”, which must be used by law.
Wines must be bottled in their region of production.
All Alsace AOC wines are subject to a quality control via an independent organisation governed by the INAO.
Chaptalization is allowed
Min 8,5 % abv in the wine
AOC Alsace communes
11 communal names are allowed: Blienschwiller, Saint-Hippolyte, Côtes de Barr Scherwiller, Côte de Rouffach, Vallée Noble, Klevener de Heiligenstein, Val Saint-Grégoire, Ottrott, Wolxheim, Rodern.
Lieu-dit
A lieu-dit is a name given locally to a plot of land or vineyard within a larger appellation. Wines from these areas also need to meet stringent production standards, which include varietals planted, vine density, pruning, trellising, grape maturity and yields. The standards are stricter than for Communal appellations.
AOC Alsace Grand Cru
The AOC Grand Cru features 51 classified areas, defined according to strict geological and climactic criteria. In 2011, each of these lieux-dits was recognised as an Appellation in its own right.
To get Grand Cru status vineyard must be owned by more than one owner.
Hand-picking is obligatory
Chaptalization is not allowed
Min. 11 % abv in finished wine
Only noble grape varieties must be used except in Zolzenberg GC (Sylvaner) and Altenberg de Bergbieten (blend).
Lower yields
Tasting test
Grape varieties of AOC Alsace Grand Cru
With a few minor exceptions, permitted grape varieties grown in Alsace include: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat (Noble grape varieties).
AOC Crémant d’Alsace
Made by methode traditionelle predominately from Pinot Blanc, but also from Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling or Chardonnay.
Minimum aging on the lees - 9 months
Vendanges Tardives
Late Harvest - may apply to the appellations of Alsace or Alsace Grand Cru
Wines must be made from Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling or Muscat grapes, picked when over-ripe, generally several weeks after the official start of harvest. By that time some grapes may be affected by botrytis cinerea.
Thus labeled wines can range from dry to sweet and are of a very high quality. Gewurztraminer is the most common example. It is generally high in alcohol and has an excellent honeyed bouquet.
Very strict regulations are applied for this category of wines.
Sélection de Grains Nobles
This labeling may apply to the appellations of Alsace or Alsace Grand Cru
Only Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling or Muscat grapes are allowed
At least some grapes must be affected by botrytis cinerea and must be hand picked.
Thus labeled wines can be likened to the Beerenauslese wines from Germany and are of very high quality which is guaranteed by very strict regulations.
Grape varieties allowed for AOC Alsace
Sylvaner
Pinot Blanc
Riesling
Muscat
Pinot Gris
Gewurztraminer
Klevener de Heiligenstein
Pinot Noir
Sylvaner
The wine made from this varieaty is dry, light and fruity, but softer than other Alsace varieties grown in Alsace. It is best drunk young with fish or shellfish and is used widely as local wine.
Food and wine pairing
Sylvaner flourishes in light, sandy and stony soil. In certain terroirs, it produces wines of great finesse. Sylvaner is a varietal that provides a regular yield, even though it is succeptible to spring and winter frosts.
Pinot Blanc
Also called Klevner or Clevner is a dry, well balanced wine, suitable whenever white wine is requested. Although lighter in body than many other Alsace wine, it is much under-valued and will work as an aperitif, with shellfish, seafood and fish dishes as well as roast chicken and other white meats.
Pinot Blanc is a rather rigorous varietal that suits deep, hot soils, whether stony, or not. It shows a strong resistance to the cold, and produces a regular yield.
Riesling
Most widely planted and regarded as varietal from which the best Alsace wines are produced.
It is traditionally dry with a steely character, a good strong fruity nose, marked minerality, an oily texture and is fuller-bodied than the majority of German Rieslings. It is best suited to poor and even stony soils, with abundant light exposure. The best Rieslings are grown on granite soils.
It is an excellent complement to hors-d'oeuvres, oysters, shellfish and fish dishes and works well with escallops of veal and pork, and roast chicken
Muscat
Two varieties of Muscat are cultivated in Alsace: Muscat “à petits grains" and Muscat Ottonel
They are not widely planted in Alsace and rely on good years to produce quality wine.
Muscat wine has a grapy bouquet and is less spicy than Gewurz and Pinot Gris. The wine is dry with a musky flavor: like a Gewurztraminer it is lower in acid and is an excellent aperitif wine. Food and wine pairing
This is a wine to be enjoyed young. With its dry character, Alsace Muscat is perfect for whetting the appetite. It is served as an aperitif at some the finest restaurants in Alsace. Unlike many wines, Muscat is an excellent pairing for asparagus. It brings out the best in light, vegetable-based dishes, both cooked and raw.
Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris has a citrus/spicy bouquet, is medium to full bodied, slightly sharp yet smooth and dry. Good quality Pinot Gris have the potential to age well.
Pinot Gris is a low-yielding, vigorous grape variety. It is well-adapted to deep, chalky soils that are relatively dry and well-exposed. It shows good resistance to winter frosts. Because of its extremely delicate skin, it is susceptible to grey rot.
Pinot Gris wines will work well with escallops of veal or pork, poultry and lightly spiced dishes.
In the vineyards
Gewurztraminer
These wines are low in acid and higher in alcohol. They have a full, powerful, highly aromatic fruit bowl aroma, with rose petals, flowers of the field, ripe tropical fruit, touch of grapefruit, and spicy characteristics. They have the most distinctive bouquet and flavor of all Alsace wines, and are dry to medium. Gewurztraminer is a moderately productive, early ripening grape. It is well-adapted to sandy-chalky, granite-rich, and clay-sand soils. It is a demanding varietal that thrives with good exposure.
Food and wine pairing
Gewurztraminer pairs beautifully with spicy dishes and strong cheeses such as Munster, and equally well with foie gras and the most intensely flavoured aromatic herbs and spices. In addition, it is the ideal partner for Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Thai and Indian.
Klevener de Heiligenstein
Made from Savagnin-rose grape variety and produced within the designated area in the communes of Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, Heiligenstein and Obernai.
It is familiar to Gewurztraminer but is less pungent and spicy.
Pinot Noir
High in fruit, low in tannin and much lighter bodied than Pinot Noir wines from Burgundy. It is made as red or rose and at its best it has a red cherry/raspberry bouquet with taste to match. It is the only Alsace wine permitted to be sold in Burgundy-style bottles.
Chasselas
Wine produced from Chasselas grape in Alsace is rarely sold as such and is not exported because it is not of as high quality as other exported Alsace wines. It is normally used locally for house and carafe wines. No new plantings of this variety is permitted.
Edelzwicker
In practice, the term Edelzwicker is often used to designate any blended wines of AOC Alsace white grape varietals, without indicating the percentages in the composition. The different grape varieties may be vinified together or separately. The mention of vintage is optional.
Edelzwickers generally display a clear yellow colour, with a fruity and harmonious nose. The palate is supple and well-balanced.
Food and wine pairing
Edelzwicker is generally a wine that is simple and easy to drink, a combination of fruit and freshness in the mouth. Light-bodied, it has minimal ageing potential and is best served with simple dishes such as salads, and charcuterie.
Gentil
Gentil is a blended wine which must be composed of a minimum of 50% Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and/or Gewurztraminer, with the rest made up of Sylvaner, Chasselas and/or Pinot Blanc. Before blending, each varietal must be vinified separately and must officially qualify as AOC Alsace wine. Gentil must mention the vintage and may not be sold commercially until after quality control certification in bottle.
Alsace climatic conditions
Alsace wine region enjoys some of the lowest rainfall in France (just 400-500mm or 16-20 inches per year) and is blessed with a semi-continental climate—sunny, warm and dry.
Factors affecting climate
Vosges mountains on the west of the region shelter it from the rains, westerly winds and oceanic influence.
Rhine river on the east acts as temperature regulator
The geology of Alsace
Granite, limestone, schist, sandstone, vulcanic soils
Vine pruning method in Alsace
Single or double Guyot
Viticultural and wine-making filosofy
That of minimum intervention:
sustainable practices in the vineyards with increasing amount of producers making wines from organic or biodynamic certified grapes
Stainless steel and neutral casks are used for white wine production, less fining and filtration than in Germany.
Location of best vineyards
Haut-Rhin - higher altitudes, south, south-east facing slopes
Alsace sub districts
Bas Rhin and Haut-Rhin
Alsace AOC wine style
Wines are generally dry, although some producers leave some residual sugar in the wine. They are fragrant and aromatic with at least a slight spiciness about their flavor. They are usually suitable for drinking between one and four years old.
Moelleux
This term mus be put on the label of any Alsace wine which has a minimum of 12g/l of residual sugar, other than Riesling wines for which minimum of 12g/l. If the acid content is more than 6g/L the minimum residual sugar is 18g/L after which this term must be used