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Wine region · France

Alsace wine

Alsace is the wine region of north-east France on the lower slopes of the Vosges, facing the Rhine. It makes mostly white wines labelled by grape, chiefly Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. Alsace has 51 grand cru appellations and covered about 15,500 hectares of AOC vineyard in 2022.

CountryFrance
Vineyard areaAbout 15,529 ha (2022)
ClimateSemi-continental, dry and sunny in the rain shadow of the Vosges
Main grapesRiesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sylvaner, Auxerrois
Key appellationsAlsace, Alsace Grand Cru, Crémant d'Alsace, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin
Wines on WineGuessr51

History

Alsace's modern appellation system is relatively recent. The Alsace AOC was created in 1962. The Alsace Grand Cru appellation followed in 1975, was expanded in 1983, and reached 51 named sites in 2007 when the Kaefferkopf was added. Sparkling Crémant d'Alsace gained AOC status in 1976. In 1983 the late-harvest terms Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles were also given legal rules. In October 2011 each of the 51 grand crus became its own appellation, so a label such as Alsace Grand Cru Rangen now names a protected site in the same way as a Burgundy grand cru.

Terroir and appellations

The vineyards form a long, narrow strip on the foothills of the Vosges, split between the Bas-Rhin in the north and the Haut-Rhin in the south. The mountains create a rain shadow, so the area is rather dry and sunny: Colmar receives around 600 mm of precipitation a year. Soils vary widely from one hillside to the next, which is reflected in the many small grand crus, such as the Brand at Turckheim. Three appellations cover all production: Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru and Crémant d'Alsace.

Grapes and wine styles

About 90% of Alsace wine is white. Unusually for France, the wines are labelled by grape. In 2008 the most planted varieties were Riesling (21.7%), Gewurztraminer (18.6%), Pinot Gris (15.2%) and Auxerrois (14.2%), alongside Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Muscat. Pinot Noir is used for red and rosé wines. Crémant d'Alsace is a major sparkling wine, and late-harvest Vendanges Tardives and botrytised Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are made in good years.

The 51 grands crus

The 51 Alsace grands crus were defined between 1975 and 2007 on the sub-Vosgian hills, at roughly 200 to 400 metres. Each site covers between about 3 and 80 hectares, and together they give about 5% of Alsace production. As a rule only Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat are allowed, with exceptions such as Sylvaner in the Zotzenberg and field blends in the Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf. Well-known sites include the Schlossberg, Hengst, Schoenenbourg and Geisberg.

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51 wines from Alsace on the map

Bas-Rhin

Haut-Rhin

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Alsace wine: questions and answers

How many grand crus are there in Alsace?

Alsace has 51 grand crus. They were defined between 1975 and 2007 and have each been a separate appellation since 2011.

What grapes are allowed in Alsace Grand Cru?

Alsace grands crus are mainly made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. A few sites allow exceptions, such as Sylvaner in the Zotzenberg.

Is Alsace wine sweet?

Most Alsace wine is dry or off-dry white. Sweet wines are labelled Vendanges Tardives (late harvest) or Sélection de Grains Nobles (from botrytised grapes).

Why are Alsace wines labelled by grape variety?

Alsace is the main French region whose AOC wines are traditionally labelled by grape, such as Riesling or Gewurztraminer, rather than by place alone.

What is Crémant d'Alsace?

Crémant d'Alsace is the region's traditional-method sparkling wine, an AOC since 1976.

Other wine regions of France

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Sources: en.wikipedia.org, vinsalsace.com, vins-rhone.com

Last reviewed October 2026.