Alsace Wine Region (France)

Aug 1, 2016 | LEARNING ABOUT WINE | 0 comments

Alsace wine region is easy  for beginners. The wines are 90% white wines and they serve well for learning about the varieties. The wines reflect the pure flavor and expression of the fruit character of the variety (blendings are unusual in Alsace). Appellations and labelling are simple. From dry to sweet wines and with a good quality/price ratio. Post index: Where in the world is Alsace? Grapes of Alsatian wines Understanding Appellations and Labelling of Alsatian wines Styles of Alsatian wines Aging Alsatian wines 1. Where in the world is Alsace? Alsace is nowadays a region in France, but this region is a strategic place disputed between France and Germany for centuries, so the culture, the landscape, the culinary traditions even the grapes they use for wine, are a mix of France and Germany. If you have the opportunity, it’s worth visiting for its fairy tale scenery, let alone its wines. Alsatian wines are aromatic, full-bodied and high in alcohol because of the sunny and dry but cool climate. The sun ripens the fruit, providing a good sugar level that lends to high alcohol wines. Also, the wines can be concentrated and aromatic, as the rainfall is low. A trick to pick a better wine is to discover where the vineyard is: if in a slope facing east or south east, awesome. This is known as Upper Rhine (Haut Rhine). That is because with a cool climate, placing the vineyard in a slope oriented towards the sun is critical to achieve a good ripeness level. The vineyards that lie in the plains do not received as much sun, so, they are used to...