Alsace is broken up by AOC law (aka Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). These laws dictate everything from grape variety allowed to vineyard density (ie how far apart vines are from one another). So to understand Alsace, it helps to understand the 3 major AOCs Alsace AOC (92% white still wines) Crémant d’Alsace AOC (Sparkling white and rosé wines) Alsace Grand Cru AOC (Limited special vineyard wines)