Alsace grand cru Mambourg

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The Vosges massif shields the vineyard from cold, humid north-westerly winds, allowing vines to be planted on well-exposed slopes orientated from east to south-west.
• The lieu-dit lies at the mouth of the Kaysersberg valley, on one of the hillsides that projects furthest onto the plain; this gives it a mesoclimate with low diurnal temperature variation, removed from the influence of the Vosges massif and enjoying maximum sunshine hours.
• This hillside is among the earliest-ripening in Alsace, and is notable for its low diurnal temperature range.
• The soils are calci-magnesian, derived from Oligocene calcareous conglomerates and marls, favouring deep rooting and not conducive to very high yields.
• Production in this appellation is consistent and relatively insensitive to vintage variation, and the risk of drought is extremely rare.

• The wines of Mambourg were already celebrated as early as 783, and by the tenth century seven abbeys — including three from outside Alsace — claimed holdings in this lieu-dit.
• The wines are produced from manually harvested grapes, and the authorised varieties are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris, and the Muscats, each of which may be vinified and labelled under its own variety name.
• The vineyard is trained on tall trellis systems in order to maximise leaf-surface area, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare.
• Wines bearing the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations are produced from over-ripe and delicate grapes harvested by hand, and must undergo a minimum of 18 months of ageing.

• The white wines are characterised by a pronounced freshness underpinned by dominant tartaric acidity, combined with good grape ripeness.
• The dry wines are described as mineral, while the aromatic wines are fruity, full-bodied, rich, and sometimes tannic, with a deep colour ranging through to golden yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often display exotic and candied-fruit aromas with a fresh finish, while Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are more concentrated and powerful, with aromas of fruit paste.
• The Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations are systematically followed by the variety names Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot gris, and Riesling, with mandatory indication of the vintage year.

• The sunny, warm character of the grand cru, the power imparted by the calcareous soils, and the regular water supply give the wines strength, great expressiveness, and a tannic dimension that requires several years of cellaring.
• The excellent late-season climatic conditions favour on-vine concentration and the development of noble rot, making possible the production of wines from over-ripe 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