Alsace

The region is well-known to wine lovers and tourists as being the warmest part of France in the summertime after the Languedoc-Roussillon. This is because of the protection of the Vosges mountains which run alongside the region, creating a unique climate including some of the lowest rainfall in France. The climate here is ideally suited to extended ripening which results in wines offering elegant, complex aromas.

Around 14,000 hectares (ha) produce about 150 million bottles per year, two-thirds of which are sold on the domestic market. There are several quality levels found:

• Alsace AOC are usually mono-varietals except Cremant d'Alsace and Edelzwicker, the name given to any still blend from the region.
• Grand Cru wines - only the four noble varieties from any of the Grand Cru sites and then only after meeting certain other criteria (natural ripeness levels, tasting test etc). See below.
• Vendanges Tardives are often from Grand Cru sites and always from noble grapes harvested weeks after the official ban des vendanges (the official start of the harvest). The wines are concentrated, usually (although certainly not always) sweet and have some Botrytis character.
• Selections des Grains Nobles are often Grands Crus and always from noble grapes affected by noble rot (Botrytis Cinerea). These are wines which can age for decades because of their extremely high sugar levels and good acidity and, indeed, often need to for the grape's varietal characteristics to show.

Like their red coutnerparts from the Rhône, Alsace wines are very good with a wide variety of foods.

There are 50 Grand Cru vineyards in the region. We are concerned with four in particular:

Froehn (Zellenberg). South-south-east facing at an altitude of 270-300 metres, the vineyard of Froehn covers 14.6ha of marl-clay soil with some small white calcareous layers and some carbonated and iron rich nodules. The four noble varieties are well suited to this Grand Cru, producing fruity and full-flavoured wines well suited to ageing. The vineyard was cited by Médard Barth (Alsatian historian) as one of the finest vineyards of the period. The Becker family produce several wines from this Grand Cru, including both organic and non-organic Riesling: the difference is striking. Their Vendange Tardive Tokay-Pinot Gris is quite remarkable.

Praelatenberg (between Orschwiller and Kintzheim, overlooked by Haut-Koenigsbourg castle). The 18.7ha Pralatenberg GC is at 250-350 metres altitude and faces east-south-east. The soil is siliceous embedded with iron-rich stones and cemented with quartz. This help with drainage and with keeping the soil well drained. It is said to favour all the noble varieties of Alsace which are said to develop finesse and elegance in time. Jean Becker's Praelatenberg Gewurztraminer has a slightly late harvest character but is certainly a wine which promises to live up to this billing.

Schoenenberg (between Riquewihr and Zellenberg). At 53.4ha, Schoenenberg is one of the larger Grand Cru sites. It faces south and south-east and lies at 265-380 metres. It has a water-retaining sub-soil of keuper, marl, dolomite and gypsum, rich in fertilising agents. Riesling is best suited to this site but the other noble varieties also do well here. Voltaire owned vineyards here and in 1663, the Swiss cartographer Meriandescribed it as "The Schoenenberg which produces the most noble wine of this country." In particular, its micro-climate makes it suitable for Vendange Tardive and SGN wines; certainly the Beckers' SGN Gewurztraminer has great potential.