Alsace grand cru Praelatenberg

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The subsoil of this grand cru is composed of gneiss, a metamorphic rock described as unique within the Alsace vineyard.
• The gneiss gives rise to a light, deep siliceous soil that allows rapid and very deep root penetration by the vine.
• In the shallow valleys, the friable crystalline material is weathered into a sandy-clayey silt, a light, stony substrate that encourages rooting. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• The Vosges massif shields the vineyard from the cool, humid north-westerly winds, allowing establishment on well-exposed slopes facing east to south-west with steep gradients.
• The Vosges massif provides some protection to the hillside from wind and rain, with the prevailing westerly winds reaching Alsace as a drier, warmer foehn, resulting in lower rainfall and slightly higher temperatures than would be expected at this latitude. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The controlled designation of origin 'Alsace grand cru Praelatenberg' was recognised in 1992, as confirmed by the decree of 17 December 1992 referred to elsewhere.
• Only white grape varieties are permitted: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris, Muscat à petits grains blancs, Muscat à petits grains roses, and Muscat ottonel.
• The vineyard is trained using tall trellising in order to achieve an optimal leaf canopy, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and manual harvesting of the grapes.
• Wines bearing the designations Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles are produced from overripe and fragile grapes harvested by hand, with a minimum ageing period of 18 months.

• These age-worthy white wines are distinguished by a pronounced freshness underpinned by dominant tartaric acidity, allied to good grape ripeness.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often display highly exotic aromas and candied fruit with a fresh finish, while Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are more concentrated and powerful, with fruit paste aromas.

• The predominantly gneiss-based subsoil lends the wines their crystalline minerality and freshness.
• 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 harvests.

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