Alsace grand cru Brand

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The subsoil of the grand cru is composed almost everywhere of two-mica granite from Turckheim, reddened or yellowish with variable grain size, referred to as fractured granite in the specifications.
• The vines are planted on granitic, sandy, and acidic soil, and a layer of granitic sand (arène granitique) extends five to eight metres deep at the centre of the appellation area.
• The Vosges massif shields the vineyard from cool, humid north-westerly winds, enabling cultivation on the well-exposed east- to south-west-facing, steeply sloping hillsides of the sub-Vosges foothills.
• Located at the entrance of a valley, the grand cru is subject to the foehn wind, benefits from abundant sunshine, and constitutes a warm, early-ripening terroir.
• Alsace enjoys a temperate, semi-continental sheltered climate, with mild springs, hot, dry, and sunny summers, long autumns, and cold winters. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The appellation Alsace grand cru Brand was recognised in 1983, reflecting a tradition of lieu-dit delimitation dating back to the ordinance of 2 November 1945.
• Only six white varieties are permitted: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris, Muscat à petits grains blancs, Muscat à petits grains roses, and Muscat ottonel, each of which may be labelled under its own name.
• The vineyard is trained using tall trellising to achieve an optimal leaf canopy, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and mandatory hand-harvesting of the grapes.

• These are age-worthy white wines characterised by a pronounced freshness rooted in a dominant tartaric acidity combined with good grape ripeness.
• A distinction is drawn between dry, mineral wines and aromatic, fruity, rich, and full-bodied wines, both types displaying a sustained depth of colour ranging up to golden yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often show highly exotic and candied-fruit aromas with a fresh finish, reflecting the way that late harvesting intensifies aromatic concentration.
• Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are more concentrated and powerful, often displaying fruit-paste aromas, and present a sustained depth of colour ranging up to amber yellow.
• The terms Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designate sweet wines of very long keeping potential, remarkable concentration, and great aromatic persistence.

• The silica gives the wines an expression of fine, straight acidity, described by the term "steinglitz".
• Excellent late-season climatic conditions favour concentration on the vine and the development of noble rot, making overripe harvests possible.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF), JORF 29 juin 2016,
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVA