Alsace grand cru Sporen

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The soils are clay-marl derived from decalcified Liassic formations, incorporating an ideal proportion of sandy sandstone and particularly rich in phosphoric acid.
• The named site forms a natural amphitheatre of gentle slope, where deep, heavy soils retain water and promote slow, steady, and relatively late ripening of the grapes.
• The Vosges massif shields the vineyard from cool, humid north-westerly winds, allowing establishment on well-exposed slopes facing from east to south-west, with steep gradients.
• To the west, the Vosges massif provides some protection to the hillside from wind and rain, the prevailing westerly winds reaching Alsace in the form of foehn, drier and warmer in character. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• The appellation presents soils belonging to a single geo-pedological unit, associated with a particularly favourable mesoclimate.

• The controlled designation of origin 'Alsace grand cru Sporen' was recognised in 1992, the Sporen cru having not been included among the crus recognised in 1975 or 1983.
• The only permitted grape varieties are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris, Muscat à petits grains blancs, Muscat à petits grains roses, and Muscat ottonel.
• The vineyard is trained on a tall trellis system to maximise leaf surface area, with a minimum planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare and mandatory hand-harvesting of the grapes.
• Wines bearing the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles designations are produced from over-ripe and fragile grapes harvested by hand, with a minimum ageing period of 18 months.

• The age-worthy white wines are characterised by a pronounced freshness underpinned by dominant tartaric acidity, coupled with good grape ripeness.
• The mineral dry wines and the aromatic, fruity, full-bodied, and rich wines display a sustained depth of colour extending through 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.
• Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are sweet wines of very long ageing potential, displaying remarkable concentration and great aromatic persistence.

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