Alsace Grand Cru AOC Florimont is one of the Grand Cru AOC sites in the Alsace region of north-eastern France. Florimont is located in the communes of Ingersheim and Katzenthal in the Haut-Rhin department.

Background:  In the Middle Ages, Ingersheim was already a prosperous winegrowing town, belonging to the seigneury of Hohlandsbourg, vassal of the House of Austria. Florimont wines were appreciated and praised by famous notables of the period, such as the Earls of Lupfen and Baron Schwendi, great benefactors of winegrowing in Alsace. Despite this, says Tom Stevenson, Florimont has not yet really established a name for itself (Tom Stevenson, 1993, p167). Florimont was one of two growths (the other being Bruderthal) singled out for grand cru status in March 1988, which, with the second tranche of 23 sites from the year before, brought Alsace’s total number of grands crus to 50 (Tom Stevenson, 1993, p.167).

The name: Florimont means ‘hill of flowers’ and refers to the Mediterranean flora such as anemones, orchids, thyme, and oregano found on its sun-blessed slopes. Warm, dry conditions arise due to Florimont’s location in the so-called Colmar ellipse.

Size: Approximately 15 hectares (37 acres) (Tom Stevenson, 1993, p.167). 

Main grapes: Gewurztraminer dominates. Riesling, Muscat and Pinot Gris are also found.

Terroir: Florimont dominates the main slope above the town of Ingersheim, jutting out from the foothills of the Vosges, its fairly steep south and east-facing slopes lying at between 250-280 metres (820-918 feet), a pre-Vosgien limestone butte with a relatively stony, calcareous-marl topsoil (Tom Stevenson, 1993, p.167). Geologically the terroir consists of a calcareous substratum from the Bathonian and Bajocian periods which covers at its base some conglomerates and marl from the Oligocene.

History: See Tom Stevenson (1993).

Wines

Gewurztraminer:

Gewürztraminer Vendanges Tardives:

Gewurztraminer Grains Nobles:

Pinot Gris:

Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives:

Pinot Gris Grains Nobles:

Riesling:

Riesling Vendanges Tardives:

Riesling Grains Nobles:

Bibliography

Tom Stevenson, The Wines of Alsace, Faber & Faber, 1993, p.167.