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Flashcards in Alsace Deck (82)
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1
Q

When did Alsace receive AOC status?

A

1962 - it was the last major French region to do so

2
Q

When percentage of Cremant d’Alsace Rosé must be Pinot Noir?

A

100%

3
Q

Where are the vineyards of Alsace located? What is the best exposure?

A
  • Thin strand along the lower slopes and foothills of the Vosges
  • Aspect is very important
  • Southern, southeastern, & warm eastern exposures
4
Q

Alsace is said to be a geological mosaic, what different soil types are located there?

A
  • Granite
  • Limestone
  • Schist
  • Clay
  • Gravel
  • Chalk
  • Loess
  • The local-pink sandstone (Grés de Vosges)
5
Q

Can VT wines show bortytis?

A

Yes, but emphasize varietal purity

6
Q

Are Vendange Tardive wins required to be dry?

A

Not obligated by statute to be sweet, the wines can vary in actual sugar, and can be quite dry

7
Q

What is the workhorse for Cremant d’Alsace?

A

Pinot Blanc

8
Q

Since when must standard Alsatian AOP Riesling be dry?

A

2008 vintage forward

9
Q

What was Pinot Gris formerly known as in Alsace?

A

Tokay d’Alsace or Tokay Pinot Gris

10
Q

What are the major requirements in the vineyard for Grand Cru wines?

A
  • Hand-harvesting
  • Min sugar must be higher than Alsace AOP
  • Yields are more restrictive than Alsace AOP
11
Q

What are the min ABV’s for Alsatian Grand Cru wines?

A
  • Riesling & Muscat - 11%
  • Gewurztraminer & Pinot Gris - 12.5%

Exceptions:
Altenberg de Bergheim R 12% Pg and Gewürz 14% Final blend 14%

Kaefferkof R 11%
PG and Gewurz 12.5%
Final Blend 12%

12
Q

What is France’s smallest “région”?

A

Alsace

13
Q

What are the two departments of Alsace? Which is generally considered the best?

A
  • Bas-Rhin

- Haut-Rhin (Best)

14
Q

What steadily replaced Traminer in Alsace through the latter half of the 19th century?

A

Gewurztraminer (a pink berried clone of Traminer)

15
Q

What is the synonym for Savagnin in Alsace?

A

Klevener

16
Q

What is “Grés de Vosges”?

A

A local pink sandstone that can be found throughout Alsace

17
Q

What soil is generally found on the steeper mountain slopes?

A
  • Schist
  • Granite
  • Volcanic Sediment
18
Q

What is the smallest & largest Grand Cru vineyards in Alsace?

A
  • 3ha (Kanzlerberg)

- 80ha (Schlossberg)

19
Q

What are the main points of controversy for the Alsatian Grand Cru system?

A
  • Rapid development of the system

- The lack of intermediary premier cru level

20
Q

Klevener vs Gewurztraminer

A

Klevener is less intensely aromatic than GW but higher in acidity

21
Q

What is edelzwicker?

A

An inexpensive blend

  • Do not need to vintage dated
  • Not required to be more than one grape (in practice they are blends)
  • Do not need to indicate any % of grapes on the label
22
Q

What portion of Alsatian production is sparkling?

A

Nearly a quarter

23
Q

Where is Lorraine located?

A

Neighboring region to Alsace

24
Q

What Grand Cru does Trimbach’s Clos-Ste-Hune Riesling come from?

A

Rosacker

25
Q

What is the synonym for Pinot Blanc in Alsace?

A

Klevner

26
Q

What is the synonym for Chasselas in Alsace?

A

Gutedel

27
Q

What is Gentil?

A
  • A designation for blends
  • Min 50% noble grapes - any other Alsace AOP grape may make up the rest
  • Base wines are vinified separately
28
Q

Who is the staunchest advocate for field blends as the best approach for emphasizing Alsatian terroir?

A

Marcel Deiss

29
Q

What soil do the lower slopes of Alsace sit on?

A

Limestone base w/rich alluvial clay and gravel

30
Q

What portion of Alsace AOP wine is white?

A
  • 90%

- 18% of France’s still white production (2008)

31
Q

Wine simply labeled “Pinot” may contain any proportion of what related varieties?

A
  • Pinot Noir
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Pinot Gris
  • Auxerrois
32
Q

What varietal is the largest volume of production for Alsace?

A

Pinot Blanc & Auxerrois - when considered collectively

33
Q

What house chooses not to promote admissible wines as Alsace Grand Cru AOP?

A

Hugel

Trimbach does not label their Clos Ste Hune as Rosacker, but as of ‘09 they released Geisberg Grand Cru

34
Q

What is the only red variety permitted to be Alsace AOP?

A

Pinot Noir

35
Q

What are the AOPs of Lorraine?

A
  • Côtes de Toul AOP

- Moselle AOP

36
Q

What is Côtes de Toul AOP?

A

(Lorraine)

  • Red - Pinot Noir (light)
  • Rosé - pale vin gris style
  • From a high proportion of Gamay & Pinot Noir
  • White - Auxerrois & Aubin
37
Q

Describe Alsace’s climate. What is the major moderating influence?

A
  • Vosges Mountains - provides a rain shadow
  • Semi-continental
  • One of France’s driest & sunniest climates
38
Q

What are the two designations for late-harvest wines? When were they created?

A
  • 1984
  • Vendanges Tardive
  • Sélections de Grain Noble’s
39
Q

What are the major requirements for VT and SGN to be labeled either Alsace AOP or Grand Cru AOP?

A
  • Contain a single, noble variety

- Pass a blind tasting panel

40
Q

What is the capital of Haut-Rhin?

A

Colmar

41
Q

What is Alsace’s most planted noble grape?

A

Riesling

42
Q

What is last noble grape to ripen?

A

Riesling

43
Q

When was Alsace Grand Cru system first proposed? When did the first appear? When were the rest promoted?

A

1975 - first decreed- Schlossberg

  • 1983 - 24 vineyards received the designation
  • 1985 - Another 25 vineyards promoted
  • 2007- 51st was promoted - Kaefferkopf

-2011- the actual number of Alsace Grand Crus increased from 1 to 51 as each received their own AOP

44
Q

What is the Moselle AOP?

A

(Lorraine)
Red, white, rosé
-Principally from Auxerrois and Pinot Noir

45
Q

Klevner vs Klevener

A
  • Klevner - Pinot Blanc

- Klevener - Savagnin

46
Q

What is the only AOP in Alsace to allow Chardonnay?

A

Cremant d’Alsace AOP

47
Q

What is Savagnin Rose?

A

A pink berried clone of Traminer - aka Klevener

-Five communes may bottle this varietally under the Alsace AOP
-but vineyards may not be replanted
up to 2021

48
Q

What are the noble grapes of Alsace?

A
  • Riesling
  • Pinot Gris
  • Muscat
  • Gewurztraminer
49
Q

What clones of Muscat are permitted as a noble variety?

A
  • Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
  • Muscat Rosé à Petits Grains
  • Muscat Ottonel
50
Q

Are SGN wines required to be sweet?

A

No, but in practice are always dessert-like

51
Q

What are the min must weights for SGN?

A
  • Muscat & Riesling - 276g/l
  • Pinot Gris & Gewurztraminer - 306g/l

(@306 amongst the highest min must weights in France)

52
Q

What 2 Grand Cru vineyards allow for blending according to prescribed proportions?

A
  • Altenberg de Bergheim

- Kaefferkopf

53
Q

What is the historical site for Sylvaner?

A
  • Zotzenberg

- Allows for Sylvaner varietal Grand Cru wines

54
Q

What are the two designations for Alsatian blends?

A

Gentil & Edelzwicker

55
Q

What is the climate of Alsace?

A

Continental

56
Q

What is the elevation range of Alsace?

A

This isn’t a high elevation region- ranges from 175-214 meters

57
Q

What is the largest AOP in Alsace?

A

Vin d’Alsace AOP which covers 15,500 ha. Alsace Grand Cru AOP is 850 ha in comparison.

58
Q

How did the 30 Years War affect Alsace?

A

The 30 Years War happened between 1618-1648 when the French seized Alsace. The Treaty of Westphalia concluded the war in 1648 and cemented France’s ownership until 1871 during the Franco-Prussian war. Alsace was occupied during the World Wars by the Germans, but since 1940s remains French.

59
Q

How far back does grape growing date to in Alsace?

A

Back to the year 1,000 AD

60
Q

Which grapes are permitted for use in the Vin d’Alsace AOP?

A

Pinot Blanc, Chasselas, Sylvaner, Pinot Noir plus the noble grapes Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat and Gewurtztraminer and sometimes Sylvaner.

61
Q

What are the five communes for Savagnin Rose or Klevener de Heiligenstein?

A

Heiligenstein, Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, Obernai

62
Q

Which is the only type of wine in Alsace that can be made by cofermentation?

A

Wines with a vineyard name can be the only wines that can be co-fermented.

63
Q

Best Alsace vintages for SGN wines since 2000?

A

2005 and 2007

64
Q

Rosacker is located in what village? What is the major soil type here?

A

Hunawihr

Dolomitic Limestone is the main soil type here.

65
Q

In what village is Zotzenberg located? What is the major soiltype of this vineyard? Grape? Who is the producer?

A

Mittelbergheim

Marl-Limestone is the main soil type here

Sylvaner is the grape

Albert Setz

66
Q

Who produces Clos St Urbain? What village is it located near? What is the soil type of this vineyard?

A

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht (Producer)

Thann (Village)

Volcanic Soils (Soil)

67
Q

Who is the most notable producer of the “Field Blend” style?

A

Marcel Deiss

68
Q

When was the first Grand Cru recognized in Alsace? When did the next 24 vineyards get recognized? When were the final 26 get recognized? What was the most recently recognized Grand Cru?

A

1975 (Schlossberg)

Next 24 in 1983

25 in 1992

Last in 2007 (Kaefferkopf)

69
Q

What distilled product is derived from the final pressing of Crémant d’Alsace?

A

Marc d’Alsace

70
Q

What is the only appellation in Alsace that produces AOP wine that includes Chardonnay among other grapes for its production? What other grapes are allowed here (5)? What two noble varietals are not allowed for production here?

A

Crémant d’Alsace

Pinot Noir 
Pinot Blanc 
Pinot Gris 
Auxerrois 
Riesling 

Gewürztraminer and Muscat are not allowed!!!!

71
Q

Name a producer that produces late harvest wines from both Brand and Sommerberg Grands Crus.

A

Albert Boxler

72
Q

In what department is Heiligenstein located and what is the star grape here? What is it a variant of? What Jura grape is it synonymous with?

A

Bas-Rhin

Klevener or Savagnin (variant or Traminer)

Synonymous with Savagnin in the Jura

Savagnin Rose or Klevener de Heiligenstein is a specialty

73
Q

(There are three pressings used for the production of Crémant d’Alsace. What are they called and how much volume does each contain? Which is used for prestige wines? Which is used for distillation?)

A

(Cuvée - First pressing (50L) and used for prestige wines

Taille - Second pressing (following 47 L)

Final 3 Liters must be used for distillation)

74
Q

If a wine is labeled “Pinot” in Alsace what grapes can be used for the production of that wine?

A

Any proportion of Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois

75
Q

Who is the producer of Clos des Capucins?

A

Weinbach

76
Q

Hugel releases which wines under Jubilee labels?

A

Only from Grand Cru sites

77
Q

Alsace AOP wines must contain 100% of the printed grape variety True or False

A

True

78
Q

How many grand cru vineyards are there in Alsace?

A

51

79
Q

Name the vineyard in Alsace located 20 km south of the main concentration of Haut Rhin Grand Crus

A

Rangen vineyard, the steepest vertical vineyard in Alscae

The only site to be classified grand cru in it’s entirety

Home to the prestigious CLos Saint Urbaine and CLos Saint Theobald vineyards

Located along the Vosges fault line

80
Q

Name the prestigious biodynamic producer in the Bas Rhin depertment of Alsace

A

Domaine Ostertag

81
Q

Where is Marcel Deiss located?

A

Bergheim, Alsace

Instrumental in changing regulations to allow blends from Altenberg de Bergheim to have grand cru status

82
Q

name 5 Grand Cru of

Bas Rhine

A

Steinklotz
-northernmost in all Alsace

Kastelberg
-smallest in Bas Rhine

Frankstein

  • southernmost in Bas Rhine
  • largest in Bas Rhine

Zotzenberg
-only GC to allow Sylvaner

Muenchberg -OR- Moenchenberg
-both “munchies” are here