Alsace grand cru Frankstein

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The soil of the grand cru Frankstein consists of two-mica granite, light, stony, and sandy.
• This granitic soil stores heat and allows water to drain freely, forcing the vine to drive its roots through fissures in the rock in search of water and minerals.
• The Vosges massif shields the vineyard from cool, humid north-westerly winds, allowing establishment on well-exposed east- to south-east-facing slopes with steep gradients.
• The appellation is characterised by soils belonging to a single geo-pedological unit, combined with a particularly favourable mesoclimate.
• At Dambach-la-Ville, this granite is composed of four principal minerals: quartz, white mica (muscovite), black mica (biotite), and feldspar. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• The fissured nature of the granite allows roots to establish themselves at depth, where they can access nutrients, minerals, and water, despite the low water-holding capacity of these light soils. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The appellation d'origine contrôlée Alsace grand cru Frankstein was recognised in 1992.
• Only white grape varieties are permitted for this appellation: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris, Muscat à petits grains blancs, Muscat à petits grains roses, and Muscat ottonel.
• The vineyard is trained using a tall trellis system to achieve an optimal leaf surface area, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and mandatory hand-harvesting.
• Wines carrying the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations, made from over-ripe and fragile grapes harvested by hand, must undergo a minimum of 18 months' ageing.

• The white wines are age-worthy wines characterised by a pronounced freshness rooted in a dominant tartaric acidity, underpinned by good grape ripeness.
• The dry, mineral wines as well as the aromatic, fruit-forward, full-bodied, and rich styles display a sustained depth of colour ranging up to deep golden yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often show highly exotic and candied-fruit aromas with a fresh finish, while Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are more concentrated and powerful, often with fruit-paste aromas.

• The minerals drawn from the depths of the granite lend the wines of Frankstein a fine, mouth-watering minerality; these wines also express a very straight, vertical acidity.

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