Wines of Alsace

Taste Alsace

written by:Lynne Sullivan

Inhale deeply, before you sip, and discover the unique aroma of Alsatian wines. Each variety has the rich fragrance of the fertile soil in which the grapes are grown.

The seven Alsatian grape varieties:

Sylvaner, dry & fruity
Pinot Blanc (aka Kleiner), dry & full-bodied
Riesling, dry & fruity
Muscat d’Alsace, dry, delicate & fruity
Pinot Gris (aka Tokay) rich scent of fruit
Gewûrztraminer, aromatic & spicy
Pinot Noir, light red or white & fragrant

The name of the grape is usually on the label of an Alsatian wine, while other regions name their wines after the vineyard or village that makes them.

When the name of the grape isn’t on the bottle, you can expect the wine to be a blend of grape varietals. If you see the words Gentil or Edelzwicher, you’ll know the wine is a blend.

More than 90% of all Alsatian wine is white, and all are sold in the slender green bottle known as Flûte d’Alsace.

Alsace has three AOCs (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlées), a system meant to control the quality of products produced in France:

AOC Alsace
AOC Alsace Grand Cru (reserved uniquely for the wines from the best vineyards)
AOC Crémant d’Alsace (for sparkling wines made by méthode champenoise)

Alsatian Rieslings are among the best in the world, according to many experts. However, the region is more commonly known internationally for its high-quality Gewürtztraminer.

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