Alsace grand cru Schlossberg

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The Vosges massif shields the vineyard from the cool, moist north-westerly winds, allowing the vines to find their ideal conditions on well-exposed slopes.
• The vines are planted on steeply sloping hillsides facing from east to south-west, forming the characteristic landscape of the sub-Vosges foothills on which the appellation's delimitation is based.
• The grand cru benefits from a specific airflow coming from the Kaysersberg valley, on a hillside described as sunny and warm.
• The acidic soils of the hillside derive from migmatites and granite, endowing them with a high mineral fertility.
• The vines grow on soils composed of granitic sand (arène granitique), slightly acidic sandy-silty earth, with the lower part of the slope covered by deep alluvial deposits. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The appellation d'origine contrôlée Alsace grand cru Schlossberg, recognised in 1975, results from a rigorous delimitation of parcels inspired by the historic cores of viticultural production.
• The vineyard is trained on tall trellis systems to maximise leaf-surface area, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and hand-harvesting of the grapes.
• Wines bearing the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations, made from over-ripe and delicate grapes harvested by hand, must undergo a minimum ageing period of 18 months.

• These are age-worthy white wines characterised by a pronounced freshness underpinned by a dominant tartaric acidity linked to good grape ripeness.
• The dry, mineral wines, as well as the aromatic, fruity, full-bodied, and richly textured wines, display a sustained depth of colour ranging through to golden yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often show highly exotic aromas and candied fruit, with a fresh finish, and a depth of colour ranging through to amber yellow.
• Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are more concentrated and powerful, often presenting aromas of fruit paste, and are sweet wines with very long ageing potential.

• The regular ventilation from the westerly airflow through the valley enhances the aromatic finesse of the wines, while the light soils are a determining factor in their finesse and aromatic complexity.
• The excellent late-season climatic conditions, which favour concentration on the vine and the development of noble rot, allow the production of wines from over-ripe 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