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The grape varieties

The specificity of Alsace wines is partly due to the great diversity of the grape varieties used. The differences concern the shape of the leaves, the bunches, the colour of the grapes, the compositions and the aromas...  The winegrower can sublimate them thanks to the different soils and microclimates of the region. 

Distribution of grape varieties

Riesling 21%
Pinot Blanc 21%
Gewurz. 20%
Pinot Gris 16%
Pinot Noir 11%
Sylvaner 5%
Muscat 4%
Chasselas 1%
Klevener 1%

Sylvaner

Native of Austria and late ripening, it produces a light, fresh and fruity dry wine with citrus aromas combined with white flowers or vegetal aromas with a predominance of cut grass.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

to serve with cold cuts, oysters...

Pinot Blanc

It gives wines with a beautiful suppleness and freshness, aromas of ripe fruit (peach, pear, apple...) and floral touches. It can be vinified with Auxerrois to give Pinot, as the latter has less acidity.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

as a starter, with a quiche, a pie...

Riesling

A late grape variety which offers lively and typical wines with a fine aroma of citrus fruits and floral and mineral notes. The balance between acidity, fruitiness and structure make it the undisputed king of Alsace wines.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

to accompany a pan of Saint-Jacques scallops, sushis, a sauerkraut...

Muscat

The Muscat petits grains offers a dry and fruity wine with aromas of elderflower and blackcurrant buds. It also gives the impression of biting into a bunch of grapes.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

as an aperitif, to match with asparagus...

Pinot Gris

Grape with copper-coloured berries, it gives powerful and mellow wines with an aromatic complexity of undergrowth, sometimes slightly smoky.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

volailles, viandes blanches ou poissons en sauce…

Gewurztraminer

From the German word "Gewürz", which means "spice", this unique grape variety in Alsace offers expressive, full-bodied wines with a bouquet of great intensity and aromas of fruit, flowers and spices.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

spicy and Asian dishes, strong cheese or foie gras for a Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives.

Pinot Noir

Vinified as a rosé or as a red wine, it offers aromas of red fruits or slightly woody aromas with an evolution towards aromas of cooked pear and black cherry when it is aged in oak barrels.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

with your grilled meats, red meats or to accompany a piece of Roquefort cheese...

Chasselas

Less and less cultivated, it offers fresh and light wines and is often used for Edelzwicker or Crémant.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

river fish, cheese pie, aperitif...

Klevener de Heiligenstein

A grape variety planted only in the commune of Heiligenstein and some neighbouring areas, in reality the pink Savagnin, it offers wines at the crossroads of the acidity of Riesling, the aromatic power of a Gewurztraminer and the opulence of a Pinot Gris.

Ideas for food and wine pairing

with prawns with curry, a fruit tart...