Alsace grand cru Spiegel

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The subsoil of the appellation consists of conglomerates with predominantly sandstone pebbles and interstratified marls of Latdorfian age, partially covered by colluvium and sandstone scree.
• The soils derived from this subsoil have a clay-sandy texture that ensures slow ripening of the grapes and the preservation of aromatic potential.
• The Vosges massif protects the vineyard from the humid, cool north-westerly winds, enabling it to be planted on well-exposed, steeply sloping hillsides of the sub-Vosges foothills.
• The appellation is characterised by soils belonging to a single geo-pedological unit, associated with a particularly favourable mesoclimate.
• The prevailing westerly winds lose their moisture on the western slopes of the Vosges and arrive in Alsace as a foehn, dry and warm. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The appellation d'origine contrôlée Alsace grand cru Spiegel was recognised in 1983, reflecting a long-standing practice of communicating the origin of wines by lieu-dit.
• The vineyard is trained on a tall trellis system to maximise the leaf canopy, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and hand-harvesting of the grapes.
• Wines bearing the Vendanges Tardives or Sélection de Grains Nobles designation are produced from overripe and delicate grapes harvested by hand, with a minimum ageing period of 18 months.

• The white wines are excellent candidates for cellaring and are characterised by a pronounced freshness underpinned by a dominant tartaric acidity resulting from good grape maturity.
• The dry, mineral wines and the aromatic, fruit-forward, rich and full-bodied wines display a sustained colour intensity ranging up to deep golden yellow.
• Vendanges Tardives wines often show highly exotic and candied fruit aromas with a fresh finish, while Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are more concentrated and powerful, often with fruit-paste aromas.
• Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are sweet wines of exceptional longevity, with remarkable concentration and great aromatic persistence.

• The marls contribute power and a structured character to the wine, while the sandstone brings vivacity, and the wines are characterised by an airy, fresh quality with a fine nervosity that preserves their attributes over time.
• Late-season climatic conditions favour concentration on the vine and the development of noble rot, allowing 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