The Land of the Landes

October 27, 2015 4 Comments

Maritime Pines in the Landes Forest

Maritime Pines in the Landes Forest

All good wine students know about the Landes Forest—that region of tall pines bordering the Bay of Biscay to the south and west of the Bordeaux wine region. The Landes—now the most extensive forest in France at 5,400 square miles (14,000 square km)—helps to somewhat moderate the Atlantic Ocean’s cold, maritime influence on the vineyards of Bordeaux.

However, even the sharpest wine student might not know the history of the region, including how local sheep-herders used to wear stilts to navigate the land, and the fact that the forest is largely man-made.

The area we now know as the Landes forest was once covered by moors and marshlands.  The area, basically a swamp surrounded by shifting sand dunes, was sometimes known as the “Moor of Bordeaux.” Not surprisingly, the area was sparsely populated. Another nickname given to the region was “the Sahara of France” due to the fact that it was notoriously difficult to travel across—as many pilgrims making their way from the north down to the Camino of Saint James needed to do.

Beginning in 1801, the marshes were drained via a vast system of canals, the land was cleared, and pine tree plantations were established. This stabilized the sand dunes and created arable land suitable for farming. The local economy benefited through farming (mainly corn) as well as new opportunities in the timber, pine resin, and paper industries.

Jean Louis Gintrac - Inhabitants of the Landes (circa 1808)

Jean Louis Gintrac –
Inhabitants of the Landes (circa 1808)

The benefits of the man-made Landes Forest went beyond the area’s new industrial prowess, as it was soon discovered that the near-by wine region of Bordeaux also benefited. This is due to the area of the Landes forest closest to the Médoc that shelters the vineyard regions from the bracing cold and howling breezes that blow in from the Atlantic. Thus, the vineyards of the Médoc are now able to fully ripen the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that form the basis of the region’s red wines.

The Landes forest is one of the largest man-made forests in all of Europe, as well as a unique example of a man-made landscape that continues to benefit its region and the surrounding areas. The timber, pine resin, and other related industries are still active in the area, although a good portion of the region is now given over to tourism.

The area is also home to a large protected area of forests and coastlines that includes the Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park (Parc Naturel Régional des Landes de Gascogne). The park provides ample opportunities for hiking, cycling, and picnicking, and contains a bird sanctuary and a museum. The museum, L’Écomusée de la Grande Lande, focuses on the history as well as the architectural and cultural heritage of the region including, of course, the vineyards and wines of Bordeaux.

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

References:

Map of the Landes de Gascogne by Cabaussel, via Wikimedia Commons

Map of the Landes de Gascogne by Cabaussel, via Wikimedia Commons

Filed under Context is queen, WineGeo

Misfits of Alsace

October 2, 2015 Leave a comment

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The wines of Alsace are a bit of an enigma. They are truly French, and yet certain aspects of their style, culture, and tradition are strongly Germanic. They are the only AOC-level French wine to have labeled their top-tier wines with the name of the grape variety for the last 40 years. They are also unique in that they have 51 Grand Cru vineyards, and yet not every producer or even every Grand Cru is thrilled about the fact.

Despite its long history of wine production, Alsace was one of the last of France’s major wine regions to be granted AOC status. The AOC was first created in 1962; the delightful sparkling wines of the region – Crémant d’Alsace – were awarded a separate AOC in 1976.

In 1975, Alsace awarded its first Grand Cru to Schlossberg, with more designated in 1983. Another 24 vineyards were promoted in 1992, and one more – Kaefferkopf, the 51st – in 2007. As of 2011, each of Alsace’s 51 Grand Cru Vineyards were awarded their own separate AOC.

With few exceptions – which we’ll discuss below – Alsace Grand Cru must be a white wine produced 100% from a single variety of the four “Noble” grapes of Alsace – Riesling,  Muscat, Gewurztraminer, or Pinot Gris. (Wines labeled as “Muscat” may be made with Muscat’s Ottonel, Blanc à Petits Grains, and/or Rosé à Petits Grains variations.) Alsace Grand Cru wines must be vintage dated, cannot be released until June 1 of the year following harvest, and must be bottled in a traditional, tall bottle – the Flûte d’Alsace. They are typically considered to be dry, although in some years a tickle of sugar can be detected; they may be produced in sweet styles as well. Vendage Tardive (late harvest) and Sélection de Grains Nobles (botrytis-affected) versions must be hand harvested and require an additional year of aging.

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Which leads me to the “misfits” of Alsace – meaning those Grands Crus that are delightfully unique and/or unusual.  With 51 Grands Crus, there is a lot of information to corral. (If you’d like to do just that, I suggest this link.) So here are a few of the outliers – the biggest, the smallest, and the three that have exceptions to the “noble grapes only and no blends” rule.

The First and the Biggest: Schlossberg – The Grand Cru of Schlossberg, located on the slopes above the communes of Kayserberg and Kientzheim in the Haut-Rhin, is the largest Alsace Grand Cru – clocking in at 197 acres (80 hectares). Schlossberg also happens to be the oldest of Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus – being the first vineyard to be so designated when the classification first began in 1975. The name “Schlossberg” comes from the 800-year-old castle (“Schloss” in German) located on the western edge of the vineyard.

The vineyard itself is comprised of two parcels, the majority of the area being one large plot of terraced vineyards on the south-facing slope of a large hillside; as well as a smaller parcel across the way. Riesling is the super-star here, with some excellent examples made by Domaine Weinbach, Albert Mann, and Paul Blanck.

The Smallest: Kanzlerberg – The Grand Cru of Kanzlerberg, at 7.5 acres (3 hectares), is the smallest of the Alsace Grands Crus. It also happens to be the most southerly, located in the commune of Bergheim in the Haut-Rhin Département. Kanzlerberg is located at an elevation of 820 feet (250 meters) with a due-south southern exposure, giving the vines wonderful, full sunshine and resulting in richly flavored, complex wines. Kanzlerberg is sometimes overlooked, being located just down the hill from the much larger – and very prestigious -Grand Cru of Altenberg de Bergheim. Tiny Kanzlerberg currently only has two producers – Sylvie Speilmann and Gustav Lorenz – both of whom also produce wines from Altenberg de Bergheim.

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Notable for Noir: Altenberg de Bergheim – Altenberg de Bergheim, located in the hills above the commune of Bergheim in the Haut-Rhin, produces typical Alsace Grand Cru wines from 100% Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. However, it is unique for two reasons: it is allowed to make Grand Cru blends, and it is the only Alsace Grand Cru wine allowed to contain red grapes (Pinot Noir).  Blends must be 50-70% Riesling, 10-25% Pinot Gris, 10-25% Gewurztraminer, and may contain up to 10% (combined) Chasselas, Muscat (à Petits Grains or Muscat Ottonel), Pinot Noir, and/or Pinot Blanc. Chasselas, either of the Muscats, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc may only be used in the blend if planted before 2005. The Altenberg vineyard has been known for its outstanding wines since the end of the 13th century.

The Latest, the Contentious, and the King of Cuvée: Kaefferkopf – The Kaefferkopf Grand Cru is located in the village of Ammerschwihr in the Haut-Rhin Département. It is the most recently promoted of the Alsace Grands Crus, having just been promoted in 2007. This promotion  was not without its own controversy – producers in the area had declined Grand Cru status when it was first offered to them in 1990, and many once again contested the decision in 2007. The contentious issue was a certain plot of land – 37 acres worth – that was part of the Kaefferkopf Title awarded in 1932, but that was specifically excluded from the Grand Cru. Producers using the grapes from this plot thus lost the right to use the name “Kaefferkopf” on their wines – and have since used the more generic Alsace AOC.

That’s a crazy story on its own, but Kaefferkopf is also unique in that it is (along with Altenberg de Bergheim) allowed to produce Grand Cru blends. The blends of Kaefferkopf must be made using 60-80% Gewurztraminer and 10-40% Riesling; they may also include up to 30% Pinot Gris and up to 10% Muscat.

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The Sylvaner Specialist: Zotzenberg – Zotzenberg, located on a series of gently rising hillside slopes above the commune of Mittelbergheim in the Bas-Rhin, produces typical Alsace Grand Cru wines of 100% Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. However, this 90-acre (36.5-hectare) vineyard is a traditional growing site for Sylvaner – an also-ran grape of Alsace if ever there was one. The laws of the AOC were revised in January of 2001 to allow Zotzenberg to produce a Grand Cru wine made using 100% Sylvaner. Excellent examples are produced by Domaine Haegi and Domaine Lucas & André Rieffel. Zotzenberg is the only Grand Cru in Alsace allowed to use Sylvaner in a Grand Cru wine.

For more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas – missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under The Misfits Series, Travels in Wine World