Production
| White wine | 89% (2019) |
| Consumed in France | 75% |
| Exported | 25% |
| Crémant | 33M bottles/yr |
| Varietal bottlings | 80% |
Industry Structure
Co-ops: ~40% of production
Growers: 3,734 (declining)
50% sell to co-ops; 31% to négociants; 19% vinify own
Key Grapes
| Variety | % |
|---|---|
| Riesling | 21% |
| Pinot Blanc/Auxerrois | 21% |
| Gewurztraminer | 20% |
| Pinot Gris | 16% |
| Pinot Noir | 11% |
| Sylvaner | 6% |
| Muscat/Other | 5% |
Grape Notes
Riesling: Max R.S. 0.9% (9 g/l) since 2008; doesn't apply to GC/VT/SGN
Gewurztraminer: Aromatic mutation of Savagnin Rose; no umlaut in Alsace
Auxerrois: Native to Alsace-Lorraine; 2× more land than Pinot Blanc
Pinot Noir: Only red; plantings rising due to climate change
Klevner vs Klevener
Klevner: = Pinot Blanc
Klevener: = Savagnin Rose (Heiligenstein only); non-aromatic
The 53 AOCs
| Category | % | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alsace AOC | 64% | Regional; all styles; 13 communal DGCs (2011); lieu-dit designations |
| Crémant d'Alsace AOC | 25% | 1976; Gewurztraminer forbidden; 500 producers; <1M bottles (1977) → 33M today |
| Grand Cru AOCs (×51) | 6% | Own AOCs since 2011; vineyards ranked, not producers |
| Lieu-Dit Designation | 4% | White or red only (no rosé); higher standards |
| Communal Designation | 1% | 13 DGCs since 2011 |
Grand Cru Exceptions
| Zotzenberg | Only GC permitting Sylvaner; NO Muscat |
| Altenberg de Bergheim | Can make blends |
| Kaefferkopf | Can make blends |
| Hengst | Added Pinot Noir |
| Kirchberg de Barr | Added Pinot Noir |
Trimbach's Clos Sainte Hune (monopole within Rosacker) does not display Grand Cru on label.
Blending Terms
| Pinot Blanc/Klevner | 100% PB, 100% Auxerrois, or blend |
| Pinot d'Alsace | Any Pinot variety or blend |
| Edelzwicker | Any white grapes; vintage optional |
| Gentil | Min 50% noble grapes; tasting panel |
Gentil and Edelzwicker are NOT independent AOCs — categories within Alsace AOC.
VT & SGN
| VT Sugar | VT Pot. Alc. | SGN Sugar | SGN Pot. Alc. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris | 270 g/l | 16% | 306 g/l | 18.2% |
| Riesling, Muscat | 244 g/l | 14.5% | 276 g/l | 16.4% |
VT: Noble rot NOT mandatory | SGN: Noble rot IS required; picked berry by berry | Sugar measured BEFORE fermentation (German tradition) | Only Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat permitted
History Timeline
| 2 CE | Documented wine shipments |
| 842 | Charlemagne's empire dissolved |
| 1648 | Annexed by France (30 Years War) |
| 1871 | Returned to Germany |
| 1918 | Returned to France (WWI) |
| 1945 | Returned to France (WWII) |
| 1949 | All hybrids mandated for removal |
| 1962 | AOC officially implemented |
| 2011 | Each GC given own AOC |
Geology & Soils
Rhine Graben
300 million years of geological formations from Paleozoic to Quaternary present.
13 Major Soil Types
Vosges slopes: Granite, schist, volcanic, sandstone
Foothills: Limestone, marly soils (most GCs)
Rhine Plain: Alluvium, loess — for crémant
Top GC Terroirs (Ancient Rock)
Schlossberg, Rangen, Brand
Sweetness (2021 Harvest)
| Term | R.S. Level |
|---|---|
| Sec (Dry) | <4 g/l |
| Demi-Sec | 4–12 g/l |
| Moelleux | 12–45 g/l |
| Doux (Sweet) | >45 g/l |
Mandatory sweetness indication on every bottle from 2021.
Viticulture
Organic/biodynamic: ~16% of vineyards
Eugène Meyer: First vigneron in France to convert to biodynamics
Harvest: September–November
Training: Guyot (single or double)
Plain vines: Trained high (frost)
Slope vines: Trained low (heat reflection)
Foudres: Large, old (100 yr); no oak flavor
Top Exam Points — Memorize These!
Only French region varietally labeledLike Germany; slender flute bottles; 100% varietal if named (except Pinot Blanc/d'Alsace)
4 times between France & Germany1648, 1871, WWI, WWII — shaped dual identity, grape choices, traditions
Rain Shadow of Vosges394–495 mm rainfall (lowest in France); west side gets 2,286 mm
51 Grand CrusOwn AOCs since 2011; only 6% production; vineyards ranked, not producers
Zotzenberg = SylvanerOnly GC allowing Sylvaner; Muscat NOT permitted there
VT vs SGNVT: noble rot optional | SGN: noble rot required, berry by berry
Gewurztraminer forbidden in Crémant<1M bottles (1977) → 33M today; 500 producers
Riesling 0.9% R.S. max (2008)Doesn't apply to Grand Cru, lieu-dit, VT, or SGN wines