AOC Alsace Grand Cru pinot gris wines awarded at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge

A.O.C./A.O.P.

The Alsace Grand Cru appellation covers 51 classified vineyard sites spread across 47 communes of the Alsace wine region, on the hillsides bordering the Vosges mountains. Each site was delimited according to its own geological and climatic characteristics, ranging in size from a few hectares to more than eighty. Soils vary considerably from one site to another: limestone, marl, granite, schist, gneiss or sandstone, reflecting the geological diversity of the Vosges foothills. The climate is semi-continental, dry and sunny, sheltered from oceanic rainfall by the Vosges range, with long autumns favourable to grape ripening. Only four noble grape varieties may carry the Grand Cru designation: riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris and muscat, each vinified separately and attached to a single named site. This requirement of an individualised terroir and a single, unblended variety sets Grand Cru pinot gris apart from pinot gris produced under the broader regional Alsace appellation.

Grape varieties: Vins blancs : pinot gris

The wines of this appellation

Grand Cru pinot gris produces white wines with a deep golden-yellow colour, more pronounced than under the regional appellation. The nose, often reserved in youth, opens with aeration to reveal ripe orchard fruit, quince, apricot, beeswax, gingerbread spice and a smoky note typical of the finest sites. On the palate, these wines are full-bodied and fleshy, carried by a structuring freshness that balances their natural power, with a long finish. Mostly vinified dry, they can also, on certain sites and in favourable vintages, be harvested late as vendanges tardives, yielding more concentrated wines with greater ageing potential. Their richness and texture make them wines for the table: they pair with foie gras, poultry and white meats in sauce, sweet-savoury braised dishes such as tagine, mushroom dishes and risottos, as well as hard aged cheeses like comté or gruyère.