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Alsace is located in Northeastern France along the border of Germany, whose proximity has shaped its character and history and set it apart from the rest of France. Though determined to remain part of the French nation, the Alsace was occupied for decades by the Germans in the late 1800's and town names as well as the cuisine and lifestyle were taken from the German model during this period. The end of the First World War marked the end of German occupation, however their imprint remained clearly embossed on the wine industry. German influence is evidenced by the tall, slender green bottles of Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer-German varietals grown in towns with German names. Perhaps in an effort to distinguish their wines from those of Germany given all the commonalities, the Alsatian winemakers ferment their wines to dryness, leaving no perceptible sugar. Alsace labeling laws stand apart not only from Germany, but France as well. The Alsace appellation was the first in France to implement the straightforward and immediately comprehensible approach of varietal labeling, used in the United States as well.
The Alsace Appellation Contrôlée encompasses 14,500 hectares (35,300 acres) divided amongst 6,800 wine growers, making it nearly as fragmented Burgundy. The majority of Alsatian vineyards lie along the eastern foothills of the Vosges mountains and flow into the plains to the east until the natural border of the Rhein river and the historic division between France and Germany. The Vosges act as a shield, collecting the rain clouds as they move in from the west, leaving Alsace sunny and dry. In fact, Alsace boasts the second driest climate in France, with 500 millimeters or 20 inches per year. Because the Vosges mountain range is so ancient and weathered, its elevations and plateaux are numerous and varied creating a plethora of microclimates.
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