Alsace grand cru Eichberg

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The subsoil of the grand cru consists essentially of calcareous conglomerates and marls, overlain at the foot of the slope by colluvium of the same nature.
• The colluvium may incorporate sandstone scree and pebbles, giving a soil that is sometimes siliceous, fairly clayey, and rich in gravel.
• The scree does not rest directly on the coastal conglomerate but is separated from it by a layer of yellow clay of variable thickness.
• The Vosges massif shelters the vineyard from the cool, moist north-westerly winds, allowing ideal establishment on the well-exposed, steeply sloping east- to south-west-facing hillsides of the sub-Vosges foothills.
• The appellation is characterised by soils belonging to a single geo-pedological unit, combined with a highly favourable mesoclimate.

• The appellation d'origine contrôlée Alsace grand cru Eichberg was recognised in 1983, on parcels delimited with rigour and precision, drawn from the historic production heartlands.
• Only six white grape 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 vinified and marketed under its own varietal name.
• The vineyard is trained on a tall trellis system to achieve an optimal leaf canopy, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and manual harvesting of the grapes.
• Wines carrying the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations are made from overripe, fragile grapes harvested by hand, with a minimum élevage of 18 months.

• The age-worthy white wines are characterised by a pronounced freshness grounded in predominantly tartaric acidity, underpinned by good fruit ripeness.
• Four wine styles are distinguished, ranging from mineral and dry to rich, full-bodied, and fruit-forward, both with a colour intensity extending to golden yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often display very exotic aromas and candied fruit with a fresh finish, while Sélection de Grains Nobles yields more concentrated wines with fruit-paste aromas.
• Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines show a deep colour intensity extending to amber-yellow and are sweet wines of very long ageing potential, with remarkable concentration and great aromatic persistence.
• Gewurztraminer has a deep golden robe that turns amber with age, with a pronounced fruitiness evoking rose, lychee, and bergamot, sometimes with notes of clove and pepper. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Pinot gris has a golden-yellow robe, with a pronounced fruitiness evoking apricot, honey, and candied fruit, and undergrowth notes such as mushroom that become more prominent with age. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Late-season climatic conditions favour on-vine concentration and the development of noble rot, enabling the production of wines from overripe harvested grapes.

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