Alsace

In the southwest corner of the Rhine River’s Rift valley, the Alsace region in France is a major European crossroad with a long history marked by French, Germanic and Roman influences. Alsace vineyards were already famous during the Middle Ages, when Alsace wines were sold and highly prized throughout all of Europe.

Alsace is particularly known for its dry Rieslings, which have a distinctively complex acid structure and high concentration. Aromatic and expressive, they display intense aromas of citrus, peach, pear, white flowers and a steely minerality.

The region offers a great diversity of terroirs with an amazing mozaic of more than 13 different soil types, such as clay, limestone, granite, marl, sandstone, slate, gravels and even volcanic ash.

Its wine growing area is concentrated in a narrow ribbon running north-south on the lower eastern foothills of the Vosges mountains, which shelter the area from rain and maritime winds, making the climate dry and sunny. The April to November growing season is dry and temperate, typically with low rainfall. In particular, mild weather in September and October enable the grapes to have a long and slow maturation, creating perfect conditions to preserve freshness and intensity of aromas in the wines.

Average annual Riesling production is about 2.8 million cases by some 950 producers. About 8000 acres of Riesling grapes are planted.

Alsace wines (Riesling included) are categorized in three different AOCs (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlées). Alsace AOC for white, red and rosé; Alsace Grand Cru AOC for white wines from classified vineyards; and Crémant d’Alsace AOC for sparkling wines made in the traditional manner. In 1983 two late harvest classifications were introduced, Vendange Tardive (VT) (comparable to the German Riesling Spätlese) and Sélection de Grains Nobles (meaning “selection of noble berries” or grapes affected by noble rot) (comparable to the German Riesling Beerenauslese). Wines that do not qualify for one of these classifications are simply sold as “vin de table de France.”

Visitors to Alsace will particularly want to follow the Route des Vins d’Alsace (wine route of Alsace). The 170 km route traverses the main wine producing areas of the region and many of its lovely and historic villages.