Alsace wine Appellations

The wines of Alsace have been classified AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) since 1984 (Decree of 1^st March 1984).  The A.O.C Alsace usually refers to the grape variety or the dEdelzwicker. The label can also refer to a locality. LEdelzwicker (cutting noble) is a blend of varietals produced by the inspiration of the winemaker. It is usually made from Sylvaner and Chasselas.

This term tends to disappear. The A.O.C (Alsace Grand Cru). This designation was created in 1975, but the top 25 wines were defined in 1983, followed by 25 more in 1992. There are 51 localities delineated eligible for designation of Grand Cru. Only four varietals are permitted in the Grand Cru AOC Alsace: Riesling; Gewurztraminer; Pinot gris and Muscat d’Alsace. However, the decree of March 21^st 2005 authorizes the use of grape Sylvaner in the AOC Alsace Grand Cru wines Zotzenberg and assembly in the AOC Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim. The decree of January 12^th 2007 also allows blended wines in the AOC Alsace Grand Cru Kaefferkopf.
The A.O.C Cremant d’Alsace are sparkling wines made from Pinot Blanc, Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Riesling and Chardonnay developed on a traditional method of Champagne. They are white, sometimes pink.

The name dates back to 1976.  Since a decree in December 1999, the wine appellation d’origine controlee Alsace Alsace Grand Cru can be declared and presented with one of the Special Late Harvest and Selection de Grains Nobles if they meet strict conditions (manual harvesting, minimum sugar contents and only wines from grapes Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Muscat d’Alsace). Late Harvest (spatlese in German) indicates that the harvest was made at the optimal ripening of grapes (not necessarily later than normal harvest). The designation applies to the main varietals: Gewurztraminer; Pinot gris; riesling and muscat. They are semi-dry wines.

Indication Selection de Grains Nobles applies to wines made from grapes infected with noble rot. These are heady and sweet wines that can age longer. The labels of Alsace wines are simpler than other French labels. They show the variety and the owner’s name, and often the name of the vineyard and the village, especially in the case of a Grand Cru.
In Alsace, the sale of wine in barrels is prohibited, only the marketing bottles are permitted.  They are tall and slender, and are referred to as flutes, because of their shape.

History

The wine is reflected in the time of the Celts. Around the year 58 BC, the Romans occupied the left bank of the Rhine. Wine production then experienced a golden age, ending around AD 500 with the Germanic invasions. The wine experienced a revival under the influence of the monastic orders.

A document from the 9th century attests to the existence of wine production in more than 160 locations. In the Middle Ages, the wines of Alsace “Wine Aussey” were considered. They were exported to the Nordic countries by the Rhine. In the 16th century, the production area extended over an area twice as large as the vineyard today. Many buildings remain today, dating from the early Renaissance examples of this flourishing period. An association of growers of Riquewihr then decided the official date of commencement of harvest, defines the vines to plant.

The Thirty Years’ War ended the good times, and brought the country into war, famine and pestilence. Virtually all the vineyards were destroyed. After the war ended, the wine was rebuilt and the planted area went up to 30,000 ha in 1828. From 1870 to 1918, Germany advocated a policy of quantity over quality.

Under the influence of phylloxera and vine diseases such as mildew, cheap rail transport, and increasing consumption of beer, wine shrinks to an area of 9,500 ha, of which 7,500 was in the current name. Now all efforts are directed towards the production of wine class. She was gradually reconstructed and in 1962, the vineyard was recognized by the INAO.  The influence of Germany over the centuries resulted in the establishment of a wine quite different from that of other French wine regions. It is still remarkable for the varietals used and production methods.

Production
Annual production
On average 1.2 million hectoliters (160 million bottles).  In 2004, according to the Interprofessional Committee of the wines of Alsace, the volume of the crop reached 1,263,564 hectoliters, up 7.4% compared to the average of the five previous harvests.