Alsace wine
Alsace wine or Alsatian wine (
In 2006, vines were grown on 15,298 hectares (37,800 acres) in 119 villages in Alsace, and 111.3 million litres of wine was produced, corresponding to 148.4 million bottles of 750 mL, generating 478.8 million euro in revenue. Of the vineyard surface, 78% was classified for the production of AOC Alsace wines, 4% for AOC Alsace Grand Cru, and 18% for AOC Crémant d'Alsace.[1] About 90% of the wine produced is white.[2] 25% of the production is exported, and the five largest export markets for still Alsace wine in terms of volume are Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and the United States.[3]
History
An important influence in the history of Alsace wine has been the repeated changes of nationality of the Alsace region, which has passed from France to Germany and vice versa several times throughout history. In the early history of the Alsace wine industry, they were traded together with other German wines since Rhine provided the means to transport the wines. In much of the post–
The total vineyard surface in Alsace has increased over the last decades, although the total French vineyard surface has decreased. In 1967, there were 9,400 hectares (23,000 acres) of Alsace vineyards, in 1982, 11,750 hectares (29,000 acres), and in 2007, 15,300 hectares (38,000 acres).[4] Over the same period of time, among the varieties, Pinot gris has increased the most, from 4% to 15% of the vineyard surface, while Sylvaner has decreased the most.
Use of the name "Tokay" in Alsace
The grape variety
Geography, geology and terroir
The geography of the wine growing area in Alsace is determined by two main factors, the Vosges mountains in the west and the Rhine river in the east. The vineyards are concentrated in a narrow strip, running in a roughly north–south direction, on the lower eastern slopes of the Vosges, at altitudes of 175–420 metres (574–1,378 ft).[2] Those altitudes provide a good balance between temperature, drainage and sun exposure under Alsace's growing conditions. Because of predominantly westerly winds, the Vosges mountains tend to shelter Alsace from rain and maritime influence, and the region is therefore rather dry and sunny. The city of Colmar in the Haut-Rhin department of Alsace receives approximately 600 millimetres (24 in) of precipitation a year on average, but the amount can vary greatly between sites. While the slope down the Vosges is generally east-facing, many of the best sites are south-west to south-east facing, and benefit from extra sun exposure.
Alsace's geology is quite varied, with many different kinds of soils represented in the vineyards.
Wine styles
Almost all wines are white, except those made from the
Almost all production in Alsace is of AOC wine, since there is no
Bottles
There is a legal requirement for bottling Alsace wine in tall bottles commonly called flûtes d'Alsace .[2] In the AOC rules, the bottle type is actually called vin du Rhin, i.e., "Rhine wine bottle". Without being mandated by law, this bottle format is also common and traditional in many German regions, particularly for Riesling and other traditional white wine varieties.
Late harvest wines
There are two
The required level of ripeness of the grapes, which was increased in 2001, are as follows, expressed as sugar content of the must and
The producer Aimé Stentz produces a late harvest Pinot blanc known as Pi-Noblesse, which is ineligible for either VT or SGN labelling.
Varieties | VT since 2014 | SGN since 2014 | VT before 2001 | SGN before 2001 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gewürztraminer Pinot gris |
270 grams per liter or 15.3% potential alcohol or 110 °Oe[14] |
306 grams per liter or 18.2% potential alcohol or 128 °Oe |
14.3% potential alcohol or 104 °Oe |
16.4% potential alcohol or 117 °Oe |
Riesling Muscat |
244 grams per liter or 14% potential alcohol or 102 °Oe |
276 grams per liter or 16.4% potential alcohol or 117 °Oe |
12.9% potential alcohol or 94 °Oe |
15.1% potential alcohol or 108 °Oe |
The minimum required must weights have again been increased to the following:
VT: Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 235 g/L (formerly 220 g/L); Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer: 257 g/L (formerly 243 g/L)
SGN: Riesling, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel: 276 g/L (formerly 256 g/L); Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer: 306 g/L (formerly 279 g/L)
Grape varieties
Variety | Area 2008 (proportion)[15] |
---|---|
Riesling | 21.7% |
Gewürztraminer | 18.6% |
Pinot gris | 15.2% |
Auxerrois blanc[16] | 14.2% |
Pinot noir | 9.6% |
Sylvaner |
8.9% |
Pinot blanc[16] | 7.0% |
Muscat varieties |
2.3% |
Chasselas | 0.6% |
Other, including Chardonnay and Savagnin | 1.3% |
Mixed vineyards | 0.6% |
Sum | 15 535 ha |
Over the last decades, plantings of Riesling, Pinot noir and in particular Pinot gris have increased, while Sylvaner (once the most grown variety) and Chasselas have been on the decrease.
Varietal labels and similar designations
Alsace is known for being the only French wine-growing region with a long practice in varietal labeling, which was a German tradition long before varietally labelled
Label | Varieties allowed (if different) |
AOC Alsace | AOC Alsace Grand Cru | VT & SGN | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Noble varieties | |||||
Gewurztraminer | Gewürztraminer | X | X | X | Written without umlaut in French
|
Muscat | Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains Muscat Rose à Petits Grains Muscat Ottonell |
X | X | X | Blends within these varieties are allowed for AOC Alsace, but only for specific AOC Grands Crus in certain cases. Not allowed for Grands Crus on Zotzenberg or Kaefferkopf . |
Pinot gris | X | X | X | Called Tokay d'Alsace before 1994 and later Tokay Pinot gris. The use of Tokay has been phased out to avoid confusion with wines from Tokaji in Hungary. From the 2007 vintage, Pinot gris is the only allowed designation.[5] | |
Riesling | X | X | X | ||
Other single variety labels | |||||
Chasselas Gutedel |
Chasselas | X | |||
Klevener de Heiligenstein | Savagnin Rose | X | Allowed for existing vineyards in Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, Heiligenstein and Obernai, with no replanting allowed outside the designation area after 2021. | ||
Pinot noir | X | For red and rosé wines | |||
Sylvaner | X | The variety Sylvaner - pure or mixed with Gewürztraminer, Pinot gris and Riesling - is allowed in wines from the Grand Cru vineyard Zotzenberg in Mittelbergheim since 2006, but not the varietal label. | |||
Labels allowing blends of several varieties | |||||
Pinot[19] Klevner |
Auxerrois blanc Pinot blanc Pinot gris Pinot noir, vinified as blanc de noirs |
X | Pinot-labelled wines can be varietally pure or blends in any proportions of any of these varieties. Klevner-labelled wines are not supposed to be different. It has been claimed that the blending of Chardonnay into Pinot blanc-labeled wine, while against the AOC regulations, is quietly tolerated by the regulatory bodies.[20] | ||
Edelzwicker | Any variety allowed in AOC Alsace | X | Commonly blended from several varieties in any proportions. | ||
Labels outside the appellation regulations | |||||
Gentil | Any variety allowed in AOC Alsace | Unregulated older designation for blends that has been reintroduced.[21] Consensus seems to be that a Gentil should have a minimum of 50% of the four noble grapes, and can therefore be thought of as a high-end Edelzwicker. | |||
Other varieties grown in Alsace | |||||
Chardonnay | Allowed in Crémant d'Alsace, but not in AOC Alsace wines. Still Alsace wine from Chardonnay can only be sold as Vin de table according to regulations, but its blending into "Pinot blanc" is said to be quietly tolerated.[20] |
Non-AOC wines
Almost all Alsace wine is produced under one of the region's three AOC designations—Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru and Crémant d'Alsace. Unlike most other French wine regions, there exists no
Industry structure
Up to 2,000 growers bottle their own wine, but more than 80% of the wine is produced by 175 producers, including many winemaking cooperatives. Even the largest winemaking companies/négociants in Alsace tend to be family-owned.[2] In 2001, approximately 45% of Alsace wine was made by cooperatives.
Producers
Some of the best known producers include
Route des Vins d'Alsace
The Route des Vins d'Alsace (
- Marlenheim
- Wangen
- Westhoffen
- Traenheim
- Bergbieten
- Dangolsheim
- Soultz-les-Bains
- Avolsheim
- Molsheim
- Rosheim
- Boersch
- Ottrott
- Obernai
- Bernardswiller
- Heiligenstein
- Barr
- Mittelbergheim
- Andlau
- Itterswiller
- Nothalten
- Blienschwiller
- Dambach-la-Ville
- Scherwiller
- Châtenois
- Kintzheim
- Orschwiller
- Saint-Hippolyte
- Rodern
- Rorschwihr
- Bergheim
- Ribeauvillé
- Hunawihr
- Zellenberg
- Riquewihr
- Beblenheim
- Mittelwihr
- Bennwihr
- Sigolsheim
- Kientzheim
- Kaysersberg
- Ammerschwihr
- Ingersheim
- Niedermorschwihr
- Turckheim
- Colmar
- Wintzenheim
- Wettolsheim
- Eguisheim
- Husseren-les-Châteaux
- Voegtlinshoffen
- Obermorschwihr
- Hattstatt
- Gueberschwihr
- Pfaffenheim
- Rouffach
- Westhalten
- Soultzmatt
- Orschwihr
- Bergholtz
- Guebwiller
- Soultz
- Wuenheim
- Cernay
- Vieux-Thann
- Thann
References
- ^ CIVA website, read on September 9, 2007
- ^ ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
- ^ "CIVA: Vins d'Alsace en 2006 : Développement à l'export" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
- ^ Chandra Kurt: Elsass oder Alsace? – das ist hier die Frage[permanent dead link] (in German)
- ^ ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
- ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
- ^ "Decanter October 11, 2006: Italians lament the end of Tocai". Archived from the original on January 12, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2008.
- ISBN 1-84000-332-4.
- ^ James E. Wilson: Terroir p. 84
- ^ Décret du 1er mars 1984 modifié relatif aux appellations d'origine contrôlées « Alsace » et « Alsace grand cru »: Décret relatif aux conditions propres à la déclaration et à la présentation des mentions « vendanges tardives » et « sélection de grains nobles »
- ^ Hugel.com: Vendange Tardive and SGN, read on February 11, 2008
- ^ Weimax Wines & Spirits: Dessert wines, accessed February 11, 2008
- ^ Food.gov.uk: Guide to EU wine regulations, p. 11 Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine, accessed on March 18, 2008
- ^ In the range of higher degrees of ripeness, different sources vary considerably in the Oechsle to potential alcohol conversion provided.
- ^ CIVA: Surface area of production, by grape variety (2008) Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, accessed on December 19, 2009
- ^ a b Using 2007 data from Viniflhor stats 2008: Les cepages blanc dans le vignoble, as CIVA only reports the sum of Auxerrois blanc and Pinot blanc under the label "Pinot" as 21.2% in 2008.
- ^ INAO: AOC Alsace appellation regulations, updated until February 16, 2006, Retrieved 2011-04-19.
- ^ INAO: AOC Alsace Grand Cru appellation regulations, updated until January 14, 2007, Retrieved 2011-04-19.
- ^ INAO-regulations for Alsace wines don't allow "Pinot blanc" labels neither as blends nor as varietal wines.
- ^ ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
- ^ Hugel.com: The background behind the tradition of GENTIL, read on February 11, 2008
- ^ Oenoalsace: Information by Zind-Humbrecht about wines from the 2005 vintage
External links
- The Official Alsace wines home page (CIVA)
- The wines of Alsace—The official website of France (in English)
- Wines, villages and terroirs of Alsace