In Alsace, 2001 turned out to be a better vintage than most people had initially anticipated. The weather was very uneven throughout the year. The growing season began badly with varied weather in May and June causing late flowering.

Wine growers became optimistic when temperatures soared and the sun came out at the end of July and continued throughout August, but the weather dashed hopes when it took a turn for the worse in September. It was primarily thanks to the long Indian Summer, which began with and lasted throughout the October harvest, that the vintage was a successful one.

Despite the climatic merry-go-round 2001 saw good maturity and acidity levels in a large crop of grapes, leading in turn, to the production of some well-balanced wines. The Indian Summer meant that late-harvest and SDGN wines were made too.