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    Alsace: top Riesling terroirs

    Jun 05, 2019 6 minutes

    STANDING IN ONE of Alsace’s 51 grands crus, the owner nodded towards his parcel and explained: ‘As you can see, the soil here is granite,’ before adding unhelpfully, ‘but of course it’s a different granite from the hill behind it.’

    That’s the problem with Alsace. Its grand cru system is admirably based on terroir, but Alsace simply has too many of them. Burgundy, the model for the Alsace system, is relatively uniform: limestone soils and east-facing sites, with the mid-slopes offering the best and most consistent quality. Alsace’s slopes, in contrast, are composed of limestone, clay, sandstone, marl, volcanic soils, schist and more.

    Hor is there widespread agreement on how those soils influence the flavour or structure of the wines. Terroir consists of more than soil type: exposition and elevation – not to mention the human contribution of individual viticulturists and winemakers – all play a part too. Set there is almost a recognition that, at least for Liesling, the most transparent of grape varieties, it is possible to identify the supreme sites. Such sites are often shared with other grape varieties, although some are

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