Zotzenberg is a Grand Cru vineyard in Alsace , north-eastern France. It is located in the commune of Mittelbergheim, in the Bas-Rhin departement.
The gently curving Zotzenberg slopes cover 90 acres (36.5ha) of land, rising steadily from 705 to 1033ft (215–315m) immediately above Mittelbergheim town. The soils here are mostly composed of marlstone and limestone, the lower strata of which retain water reasonably well; this helps the vines to survive in Alsace's famously dry climate.
The Zotzenberg site faces south-west, meaning that its vines are fully exposed to the strongest rays of afternoon sunshine – a significant benefit in cooler years when grapes from other sites may struggle to ripen. In warmer years, Zotzenberg's southerly aspect and steep slopes result in a rich, ripe style of wine. A small easterly section of the vineyard is located on the other side of the D362 road between Mittelbergheim and Barr; here, the aspect is south-easterly, producing wines of a subtly different style from the rest of the vineyard.
The climate throughout Alsace is of continental type with particularly low rainfall – a result of the rain shadow cast by the Vosges. The mountains also provide protection from the prevailing westerly winds, making the Alsatian summer one of the driest and warmest in the northern half of France. At the other end of the temperature scale, the winters here are cold; it is not uncommon to see Alsace vineyards lined with snow.
Nearly all Alsace Grand Cru wines are varietals and may be produced from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. Zotzenberg, however, specializes in one of Alsace's less-prestigious varieties: Sylvaner. Its wines are the only Alsace Grand Crus permitted to contain Sylvaner, and a Zotzenberg Grand Cru wine may be made entirely from this otherwise-marginalized grape. The original Alsace Grand Cru appellation laws were modified in January 2001 to allow for this. The same revision permitted blended wines to be produced under the appellation – a change which is also put into practice in the Kaefferkopf and Altenberg de Bergheim vineyards.
