Alsace grand cru Mandelberg

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The soil is marly-calcareous and overlies conglomerates from the edge of the Rhine Graben dating from the Tertiary era.
• The conglomerates contain pebbles of dolomite, which enriches the soil in magnesium.
• The soils are calcareous brown soils containing both rounded and angular pebbles, which encourages deep root penetration by the vine. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• The Vosges massif protects the vineyard from the cool, humid north-westerly winds, allowing planting on well-exposed east- to south-west-facing slopes with steep gradients.
• The prevailing westerly winds lose part of their moisture on the western slopes of the Vosges and arrive in Alsace in the form of foehn, drier and warmer. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The controlled appellation of origin Alsace grand cru Mandelberg was recognised in 1992, reflecting a long-standing tradition of communicating the origin of wines by named locality.
• The only authorised grape varieties are 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 maximise the leaf canopy, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and mandatory hand-harvesting.
• Wines bearing the designations Vendanges Tardives or Sélection de Grains Nobles are produced from overripe and delicate grapes harvested by hand, with a minimum ageing period of 18 months.

• These are age-worthy white wines characterised by a pronounced freshness rooted in a dominant tartaric acidity, linked to good grape maturity.
• Mineral dry wines and aromatic, fruity, full-bodied, rich wines display a sustained depth of colour ranging up to golden yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often show highly exotic aromas and candied fruit with a fresh finish, while Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are more concentrated and powerful, often with aromas of fruit paste.
• The designations Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles are invariably followed by the variety names Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot gris, and Riesling, with mandatory indication of the vintage.

• The excellent late-season climatic conditions, favourable to concentration on the vine and to the development of noble rot, allow 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