Alsace grand cru Gloeckelberg

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The soils are acidic, coarse sandy brown soils, naturally free-draining, sometimes more clayey, derived from the weathering of granite into grus (arène).
• The subsoil consists of a granite known as the 'porphyroblastic granite of Thannenkirch', recognisable by its large crystals of potassium feldspar interspersed with quartz and mica. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• The grand cru lies within a narrow, enclosed valley, a sheltered position that promotes rapid soil warming and early ripening.
• At the upper part of the vineyard site, schistose and sandy debris intermingle with the granite, giving soils with a low water-holding capacity that may suffer from drought in warm years. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The appellation was recognised in 1983, with a progressive reduction in yields (from 70 to 55 hl/ha in 2001, then to 50 hl/ha in 2022) and a mandatory bottling requirement within the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin départements, traditionally in the flute known as the 'Vin du Rhin'.
• Harvesting is exclusively by hand, the vineyard is trained on a tall trellis system with a minimum density of 4,500 vines per hectare, and wines bearing the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations must observe a minimum élevage of 18 months.

• The dry, aromatic wines display a colour intensity ranging up to golden yellow, while the Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles reach an amber yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often show highly exotic and candied-fruit aromas, while Sélections de Grains Nobles, being more concentrated, often present aromas of fruit paste.

• The early-ripening conditions of the terroir produce full-bodied, rich and complex wines from overripe, sometimes botrytised grapes.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Sources

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