Alsace Grand Cru AOC

Geisberg, located just outside the village Ribeauvillé, is one of the 51 Grand Cru vineyards of Alsace.

Alsace Grand Cru (French pronunciation: [alzas ɡʁɑ̃ kʁy]) is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for wines made in specific parcels of the Alsace wine region of France. The Grand Cru AOC was recognized in 1975 by the INAO with subsequent expansion in 1983, 1992 and 2007.[1][2]

The wines come from selected sites in the Alsace AOC region,[3] located at altitudes between 200 m and 300 m. To qualify for Grand Cru status, a wine must first meet the Alsace AOC rules and then other strict requirements. For example, the yield of the vineyards has to be 55 hectoliters per hectare or less, the wine has to come from a single named vineyard (called a lieu-dit in Alsace) of Grand Cru status, and the name of the vineyard must be on the label.

As of 2018, 51 lieux-dits are listed as Grand Cru, the latest addition being Kaefferkopf of Ammerschwihr in January 2007.[4]

  1. ^ Larousse Encyclopedia of Wine, Ed. C. Foulkes, p. 226.
  2. ^ INAO: AOC Alsace Grand Cru regulations, updated until September 28, 2007 (in French), retrieved 2011-04-22.
  3. ^ INAO: AOC Alsace regulations, updated until January 14, 2007 (in French), retrieved 2011-04-19
  4. ^ CIVA English-language press announcement on February 6, 2007: A 51st named vineyard is awarded the AOC Alsace Grand Cru status