Alsace
Alsace is one of the most beautiful and charming of all fine wine regions, situated on the border of France and Germany with the Rhine and the crest of the Vosges mountains running parallel. You will discover enchanting vineyards (especially if you are walking) surrounded by small villages with timber-framed houses, making Alsace a unique place to visit on a wine tour.
Alsace is divided in two ‘departments’, the Bas Rhin close to the official capital of the region, Strasbourg. The wines here are lighter and drier than the ones from the South due to a higher rainfall. However, the wines remain elegant and express a very complex terroir. The Haut Rhin lies near Colmar the heart of the wine region. Sheltered by the mountains the vineyards are positioned under wooden slops to the North and South of Colmar. This protected climate allows the production of rich and vibrant wines (all the better for Arblaster & Clarke vineyard walking holidays too).
The wines are often looked as German wines made in a French way. The main grapes varieties are Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Tokay – Pinot Gris, Riesling and many others. Gewurztraminer has bought fame to the region with its distinctive spicy taste. Most importantly this grape is used to produce the famous Vendange Tardive. Tastings at cellars are particularly generous as each wine estate will produce anything up to 20 different wines!
Towns to visit are Colmar, with its fascinating museum, the Unterlinden for its wealth of religious art; its attractive canals which you can take a leisurely trip on or for its many excellent shops, brasseries and gourmet restaurants. The villages that you must not miss include Riquewihr (best visited early in the morning ahead of the crowds) and Turkheim which is best included on an evening itinerary to see the town cryer who starts his daily rounds at 2200 each night, and the delightful village of Eguisheim. You should also take a trip up into the Vosges, particularly if you are keen on walking and stop off in one of the ferme-auberges for a hearty lunch. For the car enthusiast a trip to Mulhouse to the car museum is also definitely worth the detour.
To get to the region, you can fly either to Strasbourg or Basle, drive out via Dover-Calais, perhaps stopping overnight in one direction in Trier and on the way back in Champagne, or take the train.
Along with the great wines, you will enjoy discovering many Alsatien specialities often served in brightly coloured, patterned traditional pottery. Dishes include river fish, including “sander” which translates as pike-perch, ample platters piled high with genuine choucroute (a truly delicious dish when in the hands of an expert), tarte-flambée – which is a kind of thin local pizza and cheeses which include Munster, which is always served with cumin and many local goats cheeses.
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Alsace Vineyard Walk
9 - 15 September 2012
Mosel, Pfalz, Alsace & Champagne by coach
27 October - 2 November 2012
Alsace by Train
11 - 15 October 2010
Alsace and Mosel by Train
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Walking in the Vineyards of Central Loire
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