Alsace grand cru Altenberg de Bergbieten
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Gewurztraminer (Gewuerztraminer)Muscat À Petits Grains BlancsMuscat À Petits Grains RosesMuscat OttonelPinot GrisRiesling (Riesling Weiss)Pinot Noir
Accessory grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Very dense marly soils over a limestone bedrock, ensuring well-balanced drainage.
- South/south-east-facing slope of a sub-Vosges hill, benefiting from a favourable mesoclimate.
- Soils belonging to a single coherent geo-pedological unit across the entire delimited area.
Human factors
- AOC recognised in 1992; 4 authorised white varieties: riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, and sylvaner.
- Hand-harvesting is mandatory; 'vendanges tardives' and 'sélection de grains nobles' require a minimum of 18 months of ageing.
Product characteristics
- 4 styles: mineral dry wines; full, aromatic, and fruit-driven (golden yellow); vendanges tardives with exotic/candied-fruit aromas; sélection de grains nobles, concentrated, with a preserve-like character (amber yellow).
- Age-worthy wines: tartaric acidity dominant, great length on the palate; vendanges tardives and sélection de grains nobles are described as 'wines of very long keeping potential'.
Terroir / wine link
- The dense marls of the Zotzenberg yield substantial, rich wines with an elegant salinity and great aromatic finesse.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.