Wine Tasting Group

Alsatian Wines

The wines from Alsace, France are some of the most intriguing wines in the world. History tells us that Alsace passed back and forth between Germany and France for over a century, however, today, in spite of the German names, Alsace is distinctly French.

In 1962 Alsace received the French AOC (Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée) status. A mere 13 years later the first Grand Cru was named. Today there are 51 Grand Crus with high-quality, predominately white selections.

Alsace, a region 80 miles north to south and only 10 miles wide, in the northeast corner of France, has an extremely complex geology to thank for its special character of wine. A combination of sedimentary layers and river deposits yields over a dozen distinct soil types to include granite, limestone, volcanic and sandstone. This is Alsace’s secret sauce. The Vosges Mountain range blocks Alsace from the normal European maritime weather pattern, giving the region much sun and a long and dry growing season.

Ninety percent of Alsatian wines are white, representing nearly 20% of French still white wine. It is also the only appellation in France that produces predominately single-variety wines, with minimal blending.

There are only three AOC categories in Alsace. The largest sector is AOC Alsace, producing about two-thirds of all Alsatian wines. The second largest category is AOC Crémant d’Alsace. These wines are sparkling wines made in the traditional method, fermenting in the bottle. AOC Crémant d’Alsace wines represent just under 30% of Alsatian wines. The final group is the Alsace Grand Crus.

The Grand Crus often sit at the highest point of the vineyards. The varietal production is very strict, and only Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and

Gewurztraminer may be bottled as singlevarietal, single-vineyard Grand Crus.

Riesling makes up about 20% of the region’s wines and could be described as the king of Alsatian wines. No other varietal absorbs the unique territory so beautifully. With citrus and floral characters, they develop with rich and honeyed complexity. Gewurztraminer also represents just under 20% of the region’s wines. Look for notes of rose petals, sweet spices, and tropical fruit. We follow with another common Alsatian grape, Pinot Blanc. Known as a food-friendly wine, most of the yield is used for Crémant d’Alsace. We wrap up with Pinot Gris, displaying smokiness and honeyed notes. The Pinot Gris of Alsace, when offered as complex Grand Crus, are some of the best wines in the region.

Nothing beats a chilled Alsatian wine in the heat of Arizona! A quick check at Total Wines and More lists a large assortment of Alsatian wines. My favorites are Trimbach.

Submitted by Jesse D. Young; Corte Bella Resident; Founder, CB Wine Tasting Group