The Communales (Villages) of Alsace

The communales of the regulated region, or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (A.O.C.), Alsace refer to specific villages or inter-communal areas that have more stringent regulations than the broader Alsace A.O.C. regulated region. 

There are 14 communal appellations that can be indicated on the label in addition to AOC Alsace. 

The 14 communales include Bergheim, Blienschwiller, Côtes de Barr, Côte de Rouffach, Coteaux du Haut-Koenigsbourg, Klevener de Heiligenstein, Ottrott, Rodern, Saint-Hippolyte, Scherwiller, Vallée Noble, Val Saint-Grégoire, Wolxheim.

These communal appellations have stricter rules in regard to aspects of the vineyards and winemaking process, such as which grape varieties are permitted, the allowed vine density, the allowed pruning methods, the required grape ripeness levels, and the maximum grape yields allowed. 

Higher vine density in a vineyard can  improve the quality of the wine produced because when vines are more closely spaced, they must compete more intensely for soil nutrients and water resources. This competitive environment encourages the vines to develop deeper, more extensive root systems to access those limited resources. The competition between densely planted vines restricts their vegetative growth, resulting in smaller grape bunches and berries. These smaller berries possess a higher ratio of skin surface area to juice volume. This increased skin-to-juice ratio allows for more concentrated extraction of flavor, aroma, and tannin compounds during winemaking. Consequently, wines produced from smaller, more densely planted vines often exhibit heightened intensity and superior quality characteristics.

Higher grape ripeness levels are valued for a number of reasons. In regard to flavor development, as grapes ripen they develop more complex and concentrated flavors and aromas. Underripe grapes often have undesirable green, vegetal, or herbaceous characteristics, while fully ripe grapes exhibit desirable fruity, floral, and spicy notes that translate into more expressive wines. 

In addition to sugar accumulation, ripening grapes undergo "phenolic ripeness" where tannins mature, becoming softer and more supple. Ripe tannins contribute to better structure, mouthfeel, and ageability in wines. Color Intensity: The accumulation of anthocyanins (pigments) in grape skins increases with ripening as well, which leads to deeper, more intense color in red wines made from fully ripe grapes. Many aroma compounds in wines are derived from flavor precursors that develop late in the ripening process as sugars accumulate. Riper grapes contain higher levels of these precursors, resulting in more aromatic wines. Finally, as grapes ripen, their acidity decreases to more desirable levels for winemaking. Overly high acidity from underripe grapes can make wines taste tart and unbalanced. It is important to note, however, that if grapes become overripe, this can also reduce the quality of wine by being more likely to produced unbalanced wines with lower acidity.

The goal of these stricter regulations is in part to highlight the specific terroir characteristics of these delimited village areas, as well as to ensure that production is carried out in ways which exclude production methods which reduce quality in the final wine.

Just like in real estate, with vineyards, it's all about location, location, location, and these 14 communales are important to explore when seeking to understand the Alsace region!