Separated from Germany by the Rhine river, Alsace is France’s most Eastern wine region, producing over 26 million gallons of wine per year, 90% of which is white. The collapse of the mountain range between the Vosges and the Black Forest transformed the Alsace region into a mosaic of numerous terroirs.
Most vineyards are at an elevation of between 575 and 1,800ft and the average annual rainfall is one of the lowest in France, due to the influence of the Vosges mountains. Autumn humidity allows for the production of late-picked “vendange tardive” and “sélection de grains nobles” wines in good vintages.
Alsace is a varietal-driven region, most wines are made from 4 noble grapes: Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. A few exceptions – Edelzwicker , the Grands Crus Kaefferkopf, and Altenberg-de-Bergheim are used as well.
