The Alsace Wine Region: A Brief Guide

The Alsace Wine Region: A Brief Guide

By Dr Edward Fitzgerald

Alsace became modern France in 1648 at the end of the 30 Year’s War, though it has twice been reoccupied by Germany. It has been said that the wines here are Germanic made in a French way! Notable that wines here are mainly varietal labelled, in contrast to the rest of France.

Geography

Very northern – on level with Baden in Germany.

Vosges mountains shelter to the west, running parallel to the Rhine on the east.

Subsequently has amongst the lowest rainfall levels in France (Colmar 500mm).

Narrow strip 70 miles long and never more than 2 miles wide.

Vineyards run mostly along the foothills of the Vosges at 175-420m altitude.

South and south-east facing vineyards situated on the Vosges foothills.

Vineyards split between two French départments:

Bas-Rhin (lower Rhine)

·               Never achieved the fame of the southern vineyards

·               Rainfall is higher, Vosges are lower.

·               Grapes don’t ripen as well.

·               Lighter & drier than the wines of the south.

·               Runs from villages of Marlenheim to Orschwiller

Haut-Rhin (upper Rhine)

·               Rainfall is lower, Vosges are higher.

·               Grapes ripen over longer period into warm autumn.

·               Runs from St-Hippolyte to Thann.

Negociants and cooperatives dominate due to the thousands of small growers who cannot afford to market their own wine.

Wines bottled in tall, thin bottles called flutes.

Very northern – white wines dominant, only 5% red

Appellations

Due to strict, tightly enforced Appellation laws, Alsace wine tends be very reliable.

Alsace AC

AC status granted in 1962 (as Alsace AC or Vin d’Alsace).

Until recently this covered the whole Alsace region in one appellation.

Maximum yield of 80ha/hl, minimum alcohol strength of 8.5 degrees.

Uniquely in France the grape variety is labelled. This must be 100% of the contents.

Covers all 8 permitted varieties:

·         4 noble varieties +

·         Sylvaner

·         Pinot Noir

·         Pinot Auxerrois

·         Pinot Blanc (synonym: Klevner).

Alsace Grand Cru AC

First granted in 1983.

Second division added in 1992 (though allowed to label bottles from 1985 vintage).

Accounts for about 15% of Alsace wine production.

Covers specified single named vineyard for a specified grape variety.

Can be either 100% single vineyard (in which case the vineyard is named) or from a mixture (in which case it is simply labelled Grand Cru).

Lower permitted yields (65 hl/ha) and higher minimum alcohol strength.

Only four ‘Noble’ grape varieties permitted to carry Grand Cru status:

·         Riesling

·         Gewurztraminer (lychees or roses!)

·         Muscat (a pronounced grapiness)

·         Tokay-Pinot Gris (Tokay name actually banned to avoid confusion with Furmint)

Cremant d’Alsace

Created in 1976.

Champagne-method sparkling wine.

Edelzwicker (= noble blend)

Variable quality blended wine – sometimes excellent, other times unwanted wine.

Wine Classifications

Vendange Tardive

·               Sweet, late picked grapes give a wine with a higher degree of natural sugar.

·               Picking must take place after a certain date, determined yearly by the authorities.

·               The wine must undergo analysis and tasting before the label is granted.

·               Greater concentration of flavours develops from the later harvesting – passerillage.

·               The grapes do not have to be botrytis affected.

·               The wines actually vary from dry to medium-sweet, often not apparent from the label.

·               Most will have residual sugar even after fermentation has stopped.

·               Must be from one of the 4 noble varieties from a single vintage – most often Gewürtz.

·               No chaptelization of these wines is allowed.

·               Hugel family were instrumental in creating this classification.

·               Laws for this classification drawn up in 1983.

Selection des Grains Nobles

·               A further refinement of Vendange Tardive, governed by the same rules.

·               Sweet wines from (a proportion of) botrytized grapes (sugar >256g/L or 110° Oechsle)

·               Must be from one of the four noble varieties.

·               Tiny quantities made only from top vineyards in top years.

Main Grapes

Riesling

·               Accounts for 20% of vineyard area.

·               Later ripening.

·               Usually produced bone dry.

·               Young: floral or neutral

·               Aged: complex, gunflint, crisp steely acidity.

Gewürztraminer

·               Fussy grape to grow – needs shelter. (Gewürz = spice)

·               Natural high sugar levels make it the most frequent varietal for Vendange Tardive.

·               Dry to off dry, but low acidity, high alc and glycerol can give impression of sweetness.

·               Distinctive spicy aroma  with roses and lychees & grapefruit – sometimes bitter finish!

Pinot Gris

·               Traditionally know as Tokay-Pinot Gris or Tokay d’Alsace

·               Early ripening.

·               Combines spicy flavours of Gewürztraminer with backbone of acidity in Riesling.

·               Consequently ages well.

·               Young: peaches, apricot & hint of smoke.

·               Aged: takes on biscuity, buttery flavours.

Muscat

·               Unreliable due weather sensitivity to flowering - only produces well in good vintages.

·               Usually produced dry.

·               Low in alcohol & quite low in acidity.

·               Fresh grapey aroma and flavour – should be reminiscent of biting into a fresh grape!

Sylvaner

·               Difficult to grow, needs good site yet fetches relatively little – resulting in bad press.

·               Best when young and fresh & best in hot vintages.

·               Slightly bitter, slightly perfumed aroma and flavour with very firm acidity.

Pinot Blanc (Clevner or Klevner – not to be confused with Klevener)

·               The workhorse grape of Alsace, and forms base wine for Cremant d’Alsace.

·               Good, clean dry wine that’s not particularly aromatic – so often blended.

Pinot Noir

·               Only red grape of Alsace – around 5% of Alsace wine production.

·               Rarely achieves deep colour at this northern climate – often produces rosé.

·               Light & fresh, with raspberry flavours – some versions are now being oaked.

(Pinot) Auxerrois

·               Rarely mentioned on bottle labels.

·               Mainly a blending wine with, though spicy & soft as a pure varietal.

Chasselas

·               Rarely mentioned on bottle labels. Also grown in Switzerland & Savoie.

·               Mainly a blending wine with in Edelzwicker

·               A light, soft, grapey wine as a pure varietal with herby, smokey hints.

Klevener de Heiligenstein

·               The village of Heiligenstein in the Bas-Rhin is know for this long forgotten variety.

·               Similar to Savagnin of Jura and probably related to Gewürztraminer.

·               Currently having a new delimited appellation created for it.

·               Dry, lightly spicy & sometimes slightly buttery flavour.

Wines to Age

Selection de Grains Nobles – up to 30 years.

Vendange Tardive – up to 20 years.

Gewürztraminer – up to 30 years.

Riesling – up to 20 years.

Pinot Gris – up to 10 years.

Muscat – drink upon purchase.

Sylvaner – drink upon purchase.

The Grand Cru of Alsace

Asterixed Grand Cru indicates the most highly regarded. The Cru system is discredited by some, as they believe today's Cru areas to not correspond to the historical high quality vineyard sites, having been enlarged or elevated in status incorrectly. Of note, the famous producer Hugel does not use the Grand Cru system on its bottles for this reason.

In alphabetical order:

Altenberg de Bergbieten

*Altenberg de Bergheim – Excellent Gewürztraminer.

Altenberg de Wolxheim

Brand

Bruderthal

*Eichberg – Lowest rainfall in Colmar. Famous for Gewürztraminer.

Engelberg

Florimont

Frankstein

Froehn

Fürstentum

*Geisberg – Famous for Reisling.

Gloeckelberg

*Goldert – Famous for Gewürztraminer.

Hatschbourg

*Hengst – Famous for Gewürztraminer, though excellent for all.

*Kaefferkopf – not technically Grand Cru, but superior to many official sites.

Kanzleberg

*Kastelberg – Planted since Roman times, excellent for Riesling.

Kessler

Kirchberg de Barr

*Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé - Famous for Riesling.

Kitterlé

*Mambourg – Supposed to have the warmest vineyards in Alsace.

Mandelbourg

Marckrain

*Moenchberg – Firm, intensely fruity Rieslings.

Muenchberg

Ollwiller

Osterberg

*Pfersigberg (variations of spelling) – Gewürztraminer is excellent.

Pfingstberg

Praelatenberg

*Rangen – A truly great Grand Cru even in poor years. Steeply terraced, poor soil.

*Rosacker – Home of Trimbach’s Clos Ste.-Hune Riesling, perhaps the finest of all.

Searing

*Schlossberg – The first Alsace Grand Cru, best for Riesling.

*Schoenenbourg – Famous for Riesling, Muscat & Pinot Gris.

*Sommerberg – Excellent for all 4 Noble varieties.

Sonnenglanz

Spiegel

*Sporen – One of the true great Grand Crus, famous for Gewürztraminer & Pinot Gris.

Steinert

Steingrubler

Steinklotz

*Vorbourg – Excellent for all 4 Noble varieties.

Wiebelsberg

Wineck-Schlossberg

Winzenberg

Zinnkoepflé

*Zotzenberg – historically the finest site for Sylvaner, but not a Grand Cru grape now.

 

Producers

Hugh Johnson lists leading Alsace producers as follows:

Caves Becker

Leon Beyer

Paul Blanck & Fils

E Boeckel

Domaine Marcel Deiss

Dopff Au Moulin

Dopff & Irion

Théo Faller

Rolly Gassmann

Louis Gisselbrecht

Willy Gisselbrecht

Hugel & Fils

Jos Meyer & Fils

Domaines Klipfel

Domine Marc Kreydenweiss

Kuentz-Bas

Maison Michel Laugel – Perhaps largest winemaker in terms of quantity 330,000 cases.

Gustave Lorentz

Muré

Domaine Ostertag

Preiss-Zimmer

Domains Schlumberger – Biggest domaine in Alsace with 346 acres.

Albert Seltz & Fils

Domaine Sick-Dreyer

Pierre Sparr & ses Fils

F. E. Trimbach – Producer of famous Clos Ste.-Hune Riesling.

Alsace Willm

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

Olivier Humbrecht MW - The Zind family & Humbrecht family merged in 1959.

17,000 case production – low due to low yields.

Own four Grand Cru vineyards:

·         Brand @ Turkheim – light & fruity wines.

·         Goldert @ Gueberschwihr – full bodied Gewürztraminer.

·         Hengst @ Wintzenheim – full bodied vin de garde

·         Rangen @ Thann – Clos St-Urbain top quality Riesling.