Alsace grand cru Gloeckelberg

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The bedrock consists of granite known as 'porphyroblastic granite of Thannenkirch', recognisable by its large crystals of potassium feldspar mixed with quartz and mica. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• The vines grow on acidic, coarse sandy brown soils that are naturally free-draining, sometimes more clayey, within a narrow, enclosed valley.
• The Vosges massif provides protection against cool, humid north-westerly winds, and the vineyard finds its ideal conditions on well-exposed slopes oriented from east to south-west, with steep gradients.
• Early ripening of the grapes is favoured by the rapid warming of the soils and by the sheltered position from the winds afforded by the narrow, enclosed valley.
• At the upper part of the named site, schistose and sandstone debris intermingle with the granite, forming soils with low available water capacity that may suffer from drought in warm years. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The controlled designation of origin 'Alsace grand cru Gloeckelberg' was recognised in 1983, reflecting a practice of enhancing the value of named sites enshrined in the ordinance of 2 November 1945.
• The grapes are harvested by hand, including for wines bearing the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations, which are produced from over-ripe and fragile grapes.

• These are age-worthy white wines characterised by a pronounced freshness underpinned by a dominant tartaric acidity linked to good grape ripeness.
• The mineral, dry wines and the aromatic, fruit-driven, full-bodied, rich wines both display a sustained depth of colour extending 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, with fruit-paste aromas, both ranging up to amber yellow.

• Late-season climatic conditions favour concentration on the vine and the development of noble rot, enabling the harvest of over-ripe grapes.
• Early ripening conditions yield full, rich, and complex wines from over-ripe grapes that are sometimes botrytised.

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