Part II · Terroir

Alsace

[al-ZAS]

Intensely aromatic dry whites from the Vosges rain shadow; world-class late harvest SGN.

The Region

Alsace, sheltered by the Vosges mountains in a rain shadow, produces intensely aromatic dry whites — Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat — from a cool, sunny climate. Its Grand Cru vineyards and late-harvest SGN wines rank among France's most distinctive whites.

History

Alsace's wine identity has swung between French and German rule for centuries, leaving a varietal-labeled tradition rare in France. The 1975 Grand Cru designation recognized fifty-one top sites after a century of debate.