Alsace
The wines of Alsace are different - different from other French wines, and from other wines in general. Their individuality is due in part to the location of the Alsace vineyards, which lie along the eastern flank of the Vosges mountains in north-eastern France, not far from the Rhine and the German border.
Introduction
History
Grapes Varieties
Wines of Alsace
Alsace Wineries
Hugel & Fils Designed and
maintained by FLB Enterprises
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Introduction Perhaps surprisingly, the semi-continental climate in this part of
the north east is ideal. Sheltered from the west wind by the mountains, the
vineyards enjoy plenty of sunshine and one of the lowest levels of rainfall in
France. The wines themselves are as distinctly individual as the region and the people that produce them. While most French wines are named after their place of origin, Alsace wines are generally named after the grape variety from which they are made. There are seven such varieties: Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Muscat, Tokay Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. The first six produce white wines, the seventh a rose and a red. Even without its label, an Alsace wine would be easy to identify: the slim,
stylish bottle is reserved by law for Alsace. The law also insists that all
Alsace wine be bottled where it is produced: a unique requirement for a still
wine in France, and an absolute guarantee of authenticity. And what are the
wines actually like! In general, they could be described as dry, light and
fragrant, with a clean; smooth aftertaste. UP HISTORY AIsace is a land blessed with perfect conditions for wine production : sunshine, dry weather and fertile soil. The Romans first introduced the vine to Alsace during their conquests. By the end of the first millenium, there were already 160 wine growing localities. In the Middle Ages, Alsace wines were among the most renowned and expensive wines in all Europe. Even in those early days, growers set themselves rigorously high standards of production and selection, in order to protect the reputation of Alsace wines. However, in the l7th century, war, pillaging and plague brutally destroyed the prosperity of Alsace and decimated the population. The following two centuries brought great hardship and devastation. During this period, Alsace was under German rule from 1870 to 1918. After the end of the first world war, quality wine production began again. Traditional vines were replanted and producers set about their work. The AOC system then being introduced elsewhere in France was enthusiastically adopted by Alsace winegrowers. These rules of quality were further refined in 1945, clearly delimiting the region of production and strictly defining production methods. Finally, in 1962, Alsace was awarded AOC quality status by the Institut
National des Appellations d'0rigine. This was followed by two further
Appellations : AOC Alsace Grand Cru in 1975 and AOC Cremant d'Alsace in 1976. UP GRAPE VARIETIES GEWURZTRAMINER: Clean and dry, but above all fruity and richly scented, Gewurztraminer is the most full-bodied of all the Alsace wines. ' Gewurz' means spice: with its lingering spicy aftertaste, Gewurztraminer lives up to it's name. RIESLING: Alsace Riesling has received wide and well deserved acclaim. It is the epitome of Alsace wines: dry and delicate, with a fine bouquet and a full, fruity aftertaste. PINOT BLANC: Increasingly popular because of it's fresh-fruit taste and reasonable price, Pinot- Blanc is a typical Alsace wine: a clean tasting complement to all kinds of dishes, and a crisp refreshing drink on it's own. SYLVANER: A pleasant, grapey wine with a bright fresh taste and the characteristic fragrance of Alsace. MUSCAT: Light enough to make an excellent aperitif , Muscat has a sweet, heavy fragrance, but the wine itself is dry, crisp and clean. TOKAY PINOT GRIS: Previously known as Tokay d'Alsace, Tokay Pinot Gris is rich, earthy and distinctively aromatic. Subtle and intriguing, this is the dark horse among the Alsace varieties. PINOT NOIR: The Pinot Noir grape produces both rose and red wine. Visually it
may be the odd-one-out among Alsace wines, but Pinot Noir's dry, pleasant taste
places it firmly within the Alsace tradition.
UP WINES OF ALSACE
ADVICE FROM THE SOMMELIER
Although Alsace wines are usually consumed young, from six months to five
years after the harvest, wines of the finest vintages, the Grands Crus, the
"Vendanges Tardives" and "Selections de Grains Nobles" will improve with ageing
for a very much longer period. Riesling : considered to be one of the finest varieties of white wine in the world, is a dry, well-bred wine, with delicate fruit and a bouquet of great finesse. It is incomparable with fish, shellfish, seafood, white meat and chou-croute. Gewurztraminer : masterpiece of Alsace wine growing, it is known all over the world... and recognised for its exceptional aromas ("Gewurz" literally means "spice"). A full-bodied, well-constructed wine, its intense bouquet overwhelms the nose and lingers deliciously in the mouth. Gewurztraminer is often served as an aperitif, or with desserts, but its opulence harmonizes well with strong cheeses such as Roquefort. Munster or Pont-I'Eveque. Muscat d'Alsace: this is a white wine with an incomparable fruit flavour. Its dryness differentiates it from the sweet southern Muscats. It gives the delicious sensation of biting into fresh grapes. The originality of Muscat d'Alsace makes it an inspired choice for parties and receptions. Tokay Pinot Gris: formerly called Tokay d'Alsace, this is a heady, full-bodied wine, and an excellent alternative to red wine with white meat, roasts and game. It is incomparable with foie gras. Sylvaner : a wine of remarkable freshness, dry and light, it has a discreet fruit flavour and is an excellent accompaniment for seafood, fish and charcuterie Pinot Blanc: a dry wine, more recently introduced and therefore less well known. It combines freshness with suppleness and represents a midway point in the range of Alsace wines. It may be served with most dishes but is particularly acceptable with seafood, poultry or cold-buffet. Pinot Noir: a red or rose wine with a deliciously fruity flavour. Its charm and originality currently make it a much-sought-after wine. It accompanies many dishes: red meat and game, charcuterie, goats' cheeses, gruyere. Cremant d' Alsace: are lively sparkling wines, made according to the Champagne method, mainly from Pinot grapes. Thanks to its quality, this sparkling wine has charmed an increasing number of admirers. After a few short years Cremant d' Alsace is already the leader of all the exclusive Cremant wines of France. Cremant d'Alsace is an ideal wine for receptions and festive occasions. 'Vendanges Tardives'and 'Selections de Grains Nobles' In exceptional
years, and in accordance with criteria of exemplary severity, these two rare and
prestigious descriptions may be added to the Alsace and Alsace Grand Cru
appellations for Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Tokay Pinot Gris and Muscat varietals
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SOUTHERN AREA
The Southern Area In this area, a very rustic or primitive Viticulture predominates. This region is cold during winter and spring. During summer temperatures are high - around 35 C during the day and a very cold 10 C during the night. Cultivating vineyards without wires and no irrigation because of the natural
high rainfall is characterisic. The varieties grown are of medium to low quality
(Pais, Carignanr, Cinsault) and the wines obtained here are inexpensive and
mainly used for local consumption. UP
CENTRAL VALLEY
The Central Valley The last and best area for wine production is what is called the central valley that goes from Aconcagua River down to Talca-Maule River. In the main, this area is the home of quality grapes. A long central valley running parallel to the Andes mountains, with the
Pacific Ocean just 80 kms away. The area stretches from the Aconcagua River down
to Maule River. Clearly, there are many climatic changes from north to south. UP
TRANSVERSAL VALLEYS
The Transversal Valleys Also in this region we can find what we call Transversal Valleys. They run from east to west, from Los Andes mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Each of these valleys has a river which flows through it, irrigating the soil and forming individual characteristics. THESE VALLEYS ARE Aconcagua Valley (Aconcagua River)
The climatic conditions produce slightly different characteristics in the wines of these regions, The warmer areas makes wines of a higher alcohol content less acidic and result in a higher PH. The red wines produced in this case will be smooth, round with a ripe tannin; on the other hand the whites will need to be carefully ripened during the harvest season - over-ripening will produce a flat wine with no structure in acids. If we move onto cooler regions (south and towards the coast) white wines are easier to obtain. The low temperatures produce grapes which do not over-ripen, the structure in acids is adequate in order to obtain fresh, light, fruity wines. In the case of the red (especially Cabernet) you have to be very careful in picking the grapes with the correct ripeness in order to get round tannins, and the right level of acidity. Current technology combined with the skill of the wine makers has resulted in
the ability to produce good quality wines from each other which have retained a
certain individuality, characteristic of the region. UP Designed and
maintained by FLB Enterprises
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