Location and climate of Alsace
Alsace is located in eastern France, bordering Germany and Switzerland. The climate is continental, meaning summers are warm and winters are cold. However, due to the Vosges mountains which border the region on its western side, Alsace has a microclimate with milder temperatures than other regions at similar latitudes. Summers can be sunny and hot, with July averaging highs of 25°C (77°F), but cool nights allow grapes to develop good acid retention.
The Vosges mountains also provide shelter from rainstorms coming from the west; this protection comes at a cost though, as winds can be fierce in Alsace. Winds coming from the north bring cold weather into the region from Eastern Europe and Russia; these winter conditions can sometimes last for weeks at a time. The variety of climates means that Alsace experiences different budbreak times for its grape varieties—Pinot Gris starts budding first around mid-April, followed by Riesling about 10 days later. Budbreak for Gewurztraminer happens about 5 days later than Riesling; Muscat buds almost two weeks after Gewurztraminer. Pinot Noir buds last around mid-May.*
History
With a winemaking history stretching back to Roman times, it’s perhaps not surprising that this region—with its northeastern-most location in France—has had such a complicated relationship with the country. Due to its proximity to Germany, Alsace and its wines have been passed back and forth between the two countries numerous times before finally settling as part of France (for the time being).
At one point, King Louis XIV became so enamored with Alsatian wines that he served them at his royal court. In 1697, he even signed an edict permitting Alsatian grapes planted outside of the region to be called “Alsace Grand Cru.” Unfortunately for growers in Champagne (the sparkling wine region) and Burgundy (famous primarily for Pinot Noir) this also applied to their regions. Today there are strict rules governing what can and cannot be labeled “Alsace Grand Cru”; all of which is more than fine by us here at Wine Access, because we enjoy learning about wine as much as we enjoy drinking it!
Grapes
Alsace is one of only three regions in France where the grape variety is mentioned on the label. The region specializes in aromatic white wines, primarily Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Muscat. The best known Alsatian red wine is Pinot Noir.
If you’re a wine lover looking to explore Alsace beyond the usual suspects like Riesling and Gewurztraminer, try Sylvaner for dry or off-dry whites, or Pinot Noir for full-bodied reds.
Alsace Grand Cru
The grand cru vineyards of Alsace cover just over 10% of the AOC’s total area and are divided into 51 distinct vineyards. Many of these are single-village vineyards, which are renowned for their white Rieslings, including Steinert (Obernai), Schoenenbourg (Ribeauvillé) and Sommerberg (Westhalten). Others have a wider scope, such as Brand (Andlau) and Kaefferkopf – both covering parts of Rangen in Thann as well as Ammerschwihr and Turckheim. The more famous names include Schlossberg from Kientzheim, Zotzenberg from Andlau, Herrenweg de Turckheim and Geisberg from Bergheim.
While many wines are produced under the village name alone, all the best producers label their wines with the name of the grand cru vineyard. Such wines can be very rich and concentrated when young but age extremely well; top examples can live for decades.
Other appellations and wines
Alsace’s other appellations and wines include:
- Crémant d’Alsace: sparkling wine made in the same way as Champagne, but from varietals allowed in Alsace.
- Vin de paille: sweet wine made from grapes that have been dried to concentrate their sugars.
- Vin de Gueuze: an AOC name used by some producers of gueuze, a blend of young and old lambic beers.
- Pinot Gris Reserve Personnelle: created by the winemaker selected a variety of Pinot Gris grapes that are intended for this reserve. The label also carries the name of the producer and winemaker.
Alsace is one of the most important winemaking regions of France.
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