Marc d'Alsace is the appellation covering eaux-de-vie from the Alsace wine region of north-eastern France – specifically those produced from grape marc (pomace). This clear spirit must be made from the marc of grapes grown within the Alsace region, as defined in the Alsace appellation laws. The defined area covers about 120 communes, from Thann in the south to Marlenheim, 60 miles (96km) away to the north.
AOC status has been granted only to those eaux-de-vie produced from Gewurztraminer marc. The title is one of 30 appellations for French Eaux-de-Vie; other examples include Marc de Bourgogne and Marc de Champagne. Alsace eau-de-vie that is not produced from Gewurztraminer is covered only by its EDVR (Eau-de-Vie Reglementee) status, first introduced in 1966.
Marc is grape pomace – the residual skins and seeds left behind after pressing. Marc d'Alsace must be distilled purely from this dry residue, without any grape juice (Italian grappa is made in a very similar way). Because only dry skins and pips are used, the resulting spirit has less of a fruity character than an eau-de-vie distilled from wine, and is reliant more on mouthfeel than flavor to show its qualities. That said, Gewurztraminer retains more flavor in its marc than most other grapes – which is precisely why the Marc d'Alsace AOC covers only those eaux-de-vie produced from this aromatic variety.
