THE WINES OF ALSACE. V i n s A l s a c e. c o m

THE WINES OF ALSACE

THE ALSACE

WINE-PRODUCING AREA

PARIS

FRANCE

ALSACE

Allemagne Suisse

THE VINEYARDS AND THE WINE ROUTE

THE VINEYARDS:

 Cover an area120 km long, from North

to South and 2 to15 km wide

 They lie at altitudes of between 200 and

400 metres

 And are planted over 119 communes

THE WINE ROUTE RUNS

THROUGH THE VINEYARDS:

 For 170 km

 And includes 47 wine tracks winding

KEY FIGURES

PRODUCTION



15,500 hectares of AOC vines in production



4,500 grape producers



1.15 million hectolitres mean annual AOC wine

production, 150 million bottles, of which are

90%

white wine



140,3 million bottles marketed

in 2012, of which:



75 % in France



25 % for export



The various appellations of ALSACE

WINES produce ex-tax total sales of

500 million euros.

KEY FIGURES

ALSACE WINES

exports in 2012

Europe 74% USA 5% Asia 5% Canada 6% Other countries 10 %

HISTORY



A TUMULTUOUS

HISTORY



REVIVAL,

925-1618: the Golden Age of Alsace

wines



Planting of the Thann Vineyard in Marlenheim



900: 160 vine-growing areas



1400: 430 wine-producing villages



Introduction of the first production regulations



1600: High point of Alsace wines

During this period, Alsace rivalled Bordeaux as the biggest wine-producing

area, both as regards quantity and quality.

1618-1918: a series of Crises



1618 -1648: The 30-Years' War, villages and vineyards are ravaged



After the war: vines are planted again, but mainly on the plain



1871: Alsace is annexed by Germany, wine is produced in mass for

blending with German wines



The vines are wiped out by phylloxera and other diseases



1918: Alsace comes back under French rule

1925 to now: Revival



1925: The quest for quality leads to the uprooting

of large areas under vine in the plain, allowing

producers to focus on the best vineyards



1940: Alsace is again annexed by Germany and

negotiations with the INAO are interrupted.



1962: Alsace joins the French AOC system



1972: Alsace wines are required to be bottled in

the region



1975: 1

st

Grand Cru terroir, the Schlossberg



1976: Introduction of the AOC Crémant d’Alsace



2011: Recognition of Lieux-dits and Communales

Wines

characteristic of

the ALSACE

TERROIR:



NATURAL CONDITIONS



OUR VARIETALS



OUR AOCs

THE TERROIR

A TERROIR IS THE PRODUCTIVE COMBINATION OF GRAPES,

CLIMATE, SOIL AND THE WINEMAKER.

ALSACE WINES are the result of this combination:

 natural factors such as local geology, climate and topography.

 human factors, such as the grape production method, agricultural traditions and the

A FAVOURABLE CLIMAT

The grape ripening period sees warm days and cool nights

The vines are protected by the Vosges

mountains, giving low annual rainfall of

between 500 et 650 mm

1,800 hours of sun per year in Colmar, with excellent conditions in Autumn

The different valleys and hills produce a variety of micro-cimates

450 m

A SOUTH / SOUTH-EAST EXPOSURE

Most of the vines are planted at an altitude of between 200 and 400 metres, with a S-S/E

SLOW MATURATION

CYCLES, TYPICAL OF

ALSACE, LEAD TO:



The development

of complex aromas



Fresh, fruity wines



Wines with a good

structure and mature acidity

AN UNRIVALLED VARIETY OF SOILS

A violent geological history has

produced an extraordinarily varied and complex range of terroirs

All geological formations from the

Palaeozoic to the Quaternary eras are found in Alsace.

Most of the wine-producing communes are located on 4 or 5 different

formations, sometimes found together over a narrow area

FORMATION of soils and sub-soils in Alsace

PALAEOZOIC ERA, about 300 million years MESOZOIC ERA, about 150 million years) 1 Sandstone

2 Limestone

3 Marls (chalk + clay) 4 Limestone

A Rocks of the primitive shellf

B Sedimentary rocks

TERTIARY ERA, about 50 million years (1st phase)

VOSGES

TERTIARY ERA, about 50 million years (2nd phase)

D

The graben is invaded by the sea, which leaves oilfield deposits in the North and potassium in the South

THE RHINE RIFT VALLEY today

Lorraine Plateau Vosges Plaine of Alsace Black Forest sub-Vosgian hills Rhine

FAULTS

CHAMP DE

FRACTURE DE

RIBEAUVILLÉ

THE TRACKS OF A COLLAPSE

13 GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS

GRANITE GNEISS SCHIST VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY SANDSTONE LIMESTONE MARLY LIMESTONE CALCAREOUS-MARL-SANDSTONE CALCAREOUS SANDSTONE MARLY SANDSTONE

MARLY CLAY VALLEY FLOOR COLLUVIAL ALLUVIAL

LOESS & LOAM ALONGSIDE THE

MOUNTAINS

PLAIN SUB-VOSGIAN HILLS

GRAPE BIODIVERSITY

WITH THE REGION'S

EXTRAORDINARY DIVERSITY OF SOILS, SUBSOIL AND

MICROCLIMATES, ALSACE WINE PRODUCTION FEATURES A WIDE

RANGE OF VARIETALS

Alsace winemaking tradition is based on

7 main varietals, which appear on the bottle labels and which give the region's

wines their aromatic diversity.

Each varietal has its favourite type of soil, the aim is to find the terroir which best

suits each grape (soil, microclimate, exposure..)

Sylvaner

Pinot

Blanc

Pinot Gris

Riesling

Muscat

Pinot Noir

Gewurztraminer

7 MAIN

VARIETALS

AREA UNDER VINE PER VARIETAL

for AOC ALSACE as a whole

Alsace - Alsace Grand-Cru - Crémant d'Alsace - 2012 (in hectares)

CH - CHASSELAS SY - SYLVANER PB - PINOT BLANC CHD - CHARDONNAY RI - RIESLING PG - PINOT GRIS MU - MUSCAT GW - GEWURZTRAMINER KL. H - KLEVENER H. PN - PINOT NOIR

FRESHNESS

Sylvaner

Pinot

Blanc

Muscat

d’Alsace

Riesling

Pinot Gris

Gewurztraminer

STRUCTURE

Wines with excellent

freshness and structure

THE GUARANTEE OF

TERROIR

AUTHENTICITY:

THE AOCs



Alsace



Crémant d’Alsace

AOCs, guaranteeing the authenticity of

ALSACE TERROIR



AOC ALSACE

o

72%

OF PRODUCTION



AOC CRÉMANT D’ALSACE

o

24%

OF PRODUCTION



AOC ALSACE GRANDS CRUS

THE FRESHNESS

AND EXPRESSION

OF THE VARIETALS

THE EXPRESSION

OF THE TERROIR

AOC ALSACE AOC ALSACE Commune &

Lieu-dit AOC ALSACE GRANDS CRUS

THE

QUINTESSENCE

OF MICRO-

TERROIRS

Each of the Alsace

appellations and labels is

an individual expression of

AOC ALSACE



Created in 1962



The varietal generally gives its name

to the wine



The wines are made from grapes

grown on parcels with precisely

stipulated boundaries, based on

historical growing areas



Alsace wines are, by law, bottled in

the region of production in the typical

tall flute bottles, which are unique to

Alsace,.

BLENDED WINES:

GENTIL & EDELZWICKER



GENTIL - a fresh, fruity, easy-drinking wine made from a

superior-quality blend of grapes:

 Minimum 50% of noble grapes:

Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and/or Gewurztraminer

+ 50% of another grape: Sylvaner, Chasselas and/or Pinot Blanc

 Each varietal must be vinified separately  Compulsory tasting after bottling

 The vintage must be indicated on the label



EDELZWICKER -

a blend of white grapes of AOC Alsace, sans without any indication of percentage:

 The varietals can be vinified together or separately  The vintage does not have to be indicated on the label

COMMUNAL AOC ALSACE



A COMMUNALE GEOGRAPHICAL NAME

Wines with a communal geographical name need to meet stringent production standards.

11 communal names are allowed:

WINES WITH A TYPICAL CHARACTER, WHICH MEET HIGHER QUALITY

STANDARDS, CAN ADD THE NAME OF THEIR COMMUNE TO THE AOC

SY PB CHA AUX RI MU PG SAV GW PN BLIENSCHWILLER CÔTES DE BARR CÔTE DE ROUFFACH KLEVENER DE HEILIGENSTEIN SAINT-HIPPOLYTE OTTROTT RODERN VALLEE NOBLE VAL SAINT GREGOIRE SCHERWILLER WOLXHEIM

AUTHORISED VARIETALS

AOC ALSACE « Communale »

SY : SYLVANER PB : PINOT BLANC CHA : CHASSELAS AUX : AUXERROIS RI : RIESLING MU : MUSCAT PG : PINOT GRIS SAV : SAVAGNIN ROSE GW : GEWURZTRAMINER PN : PINOT NOIR

AOC ALSACE LIEU-DIT

THE APPELLATION CAN ALSO FEATURE:



THE NAME OF A 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,

AUTHORISED VARIETALS

AOC ALSACE & « Lieu-dit »

AOC

ALSACE AOC ALSACE « LIEU-DIT »

SYLVANER PINOT BLANC CHASSELAS AUXERROIS RIESLING MUSCAT PINOT GRIS SAVAGNIN ROSE GEWURZTRAMINER PINOT NOIR

AOC

Yields

ALSACE

White

Pinot Noir (rosé) Pinot Noir (red)

80hl/ha 75 hl/ha 60 hl/ha ALSACE COMMUNALES

White

Red 72 hl/ha _{60 hl/ha}

ALSACE LIEUX-DITS

White

Red 68 hl/ha _{60 hl/ha}

ALSACE GRAND CRUS 55 hl/ha

CREMANT D’ALSACE 80 hl/ha

AUTHORISED YIELDS

51 AOC ALSACE GRANDS CRUS



The AOC Grand Cru was created in 1975

and features 51 classified areas



In 2011, each of these lieux-dits was

recognised as an Appellation in its

own right



They represent 8% of total surface area &

4% of total production of Alsace wines



4 noble grape varieties are authorised

(with a few exceptions) :

o

RIESLING

o

MUSCAT

o

PINOT GRIS

AOC ALSACE GRANDS CRUS

3 EXCEPTIONS

DECREE OF 21 MARCH 2005 :



ALTENBERG DE BERGHEIM

GW, PG, RI or blend of RI (50 - 70%), PG-GW (10 - 25%), PB, PN, MU,CH (< 10%)

DECREE OF 12 JANUARY 2007:



KAEFFERKOPF

Ammerschwihr :

GW, PG, RI or blend of GW (60 - 80%) RI (10 - 40%), PG (<30%) , MU (<10%)



ZOTZENBERG

Mittelbergheim :

RI, GW, PG, SY

Granite & gneiss Schist Volcano-sedimentary Sandstone Limestone Marly

limestone Marly clay

AROMATIC, FINE ACIDITY, OPENS UP QUICKLY LIVELY EXPRESS ES THE VARIETAL SVELTE, AUSTERE BODY, SMOKY, BRINY FULL-BODIED, WELL-STRUCTURED PEPPERY LEMONY, WITH LONG

ACIDITY COARSE, _ALMOST TANNIC

THE DIFFERENT SOIL TYPES

WINES OF EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY AND

CHARACTER!

ALSACE GRANDS CRU

WINES ARE:



Authentic expressions of their terroir,

through their structure and aromas.



Elegant and complex, with cellaring of

between 10 and 15 years sometimes

needed to reveal their full potential.



Perfect partners for food, and are to be

found at almost all the world's great

tables

.

2 ADDITIONAL LABELS

VENDANGES

TARDIVES

SÉLECTION DE

GRAINS NOBLES

Some years, late summer produces

warm, moist nights and hot days,

the perfect conditions for the

development of noble rot, or

Botrytis Cinerea

.

Water is slowly removed from the

grapes by the fungus, causing a

concentration of sugar and

aromas, which results in

marvellously sweet, powerful and

opulent wines!

VENDANGES TARDIVES (Late Harvest)

GIFTS FROM THE EARTH!

Grapes affected by noble rot

(Botrytis Cinerea) are

hand-picked in several passes

The highly concentrated

grape juice reduces the

intensity of the grape

variety, to produce wines of

extraordinary power,

complexity and length!

SÉLECTION DE GRAINS NOBLES

POWERFUL AND RICH!

AOC CRÉMANT D’ALSACE



Created in1976



Sparkling wine



24 % of total production



Made by the traditional method

(the same as in Champagne)



Authorised grapes:

o

Pinot Blanc, Gris & Noir

o

Auxerrois

o

Riesling



EXTRA BRUT 0 - 6 G/L



BRUT

<12 G/L



EXTRA DRY 12 - 17 G/L



SEC

17 - 32 G/L



DEMI-SEC

32 - 50 G/L

Tolerance of + or - 3 g/litre

DIFFERENT DOSAGES

THE APPELLATION PYRAMID

AOC ALSACE AOC ALSACE « COMMUNALE » AOC ALSACE « LIEU-DIT » AOC ALSACE GRANDS CRUS AOC CRÉMANT D’ALSACE SGN VT

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