Between the Vosges Mountain of France and the Black Forest of Germany.
How big is the Rhine River valley?
190 miles (300 km) long and 25 miles (40 km) wide
T or F? The Rhine plain is a part of the Rhine graben
True: The Rhine graben is a rift system that zigzags across Europe from the Mediterranean to the North Sea
Define a graben
A trench with two vertical uplifts
T or F? The Rhine river formed the Rhine graben
False: It is the result of plains falling along parallel fault lines; similar to how Bourgogne and the Jura form uplifts of the Saône graben.
Describe the formation of the Rhine graben
Paleozoic Era: 300 mya, a colossal uplift of igneous rock
Mesozoic Era: 150 mya, Alsace was covered by an inland sea resulting in sedimentary deposits
Cenozoic Era Phase 1: 50 mya, Afro-Arabian and Euro-Asian plates collided, resulting in a tremendous upheaval and fall along parallel fault lines
Cenozoic Era Phase 2: The western side of the graben (Alsace) fractured into multiple fault bundles that subsequently developed cross faults which eroded to form the Vosges foothills.
Describe the soil in the Vosges mountains
North: sandstone and some granite, schist, and volcanic soils
South: crystalline/granite (lifted higher and erosion is slower)
Describe the soil in the Vosges foothills
The soils are diverse but largely sedimentary
Most are calcareous with clay and/or marl
Some pockets of gneiss, granite, and schist
Describe the alluvial soil in the Rhine plain
Upper terraces: gravels
Lower terraces: highly fertile loess
Note: the land is better suited to crops other than vines
What is the elevation of vineyards in the Vosges mountains and those in the sub-Vosgian Hills?
Mountains (up to 60° gradient): 820-1,300 feet (250-400 m)
Foothills (up to 25° gradient): 660-1,200 feet (200-300 m)
T or F? Most Alsacian vineyards are planted on the slopes of the Vosges mountains
False: Most vineyards are planted on the sub-Vosgian hills ("foothills")
T or F? The Vosges foothills have the more complex terroirs
True: Erosion of the sedimentary formation created vineyard parcels with varying aspects and slopes, thus creating a myriad of meso-climates/terroirs
Grapes for sparkling wine production in Alsace are grown on:
B. gravel/slope wash found at the eastern base of the foothills
Name the major rivers in Alsace
North-South: Rhin, Ill
East-West, Cleebourg to Strasbourg: Lauter, Saver, Moder, Zorn, Bruche
East-West, Strasbourg to Colmar: Andlau, Giessen, Weiss, Fecht
East-West, Colmar to Mulhouse: Lauch, Thur, COller, Largue
