Alsace

Riquewihr

Alsace by Train

11 - 15 October 2010

Alsace must rank as one of the most beautiful and charming of all fine wine regions, it must also be the single most misunderstood! With its location on the German border and Germanic sounding grape varieties, it is easy to see where the confusion arises. “Germanic” as Hugel always says, “with the emphasis on ic”. The delightful, half-timbered villages seem to be straight out of the pages of Grimm’s fairytales and in their medieval streets are some of the most hospitable and distinguished wine producers in France.

Our hotel is in the beautiful village of Riquewihr (photo top left). Over the next few days we will visit our long-time wine-making friends in the region who will all spoil us with generous tastings, covering the full panoply of grapes that make Alsace such a fascinating place to visit. Everyone thinks that they have their favourite and less favoured varieties be they Riesling, Gewurztramminer or Pinot Gris but prepare to be surprised! You’ll meet Pinot Blanc with strength and personality, Pinot Gris with a mineral tang, Riesling ranging from dry and racy to rich and opulent, to minor grapes such as Auxerrois and Klevener de Heiligenstein. Then the real surprise is the stunning red wines from Pinot Noir. Our visits are to a roll call of the great Alsace firms. They include: Hugel who are absolutely fundamental to Alsace; Rolly Gassmann, those who know the old style will be surprised by the precision and minerality of the new ‘bio-dynamic’ wines but pleased that the welcome remains amongst the best in the world; Paul Blanck where we have a very studied and informative vineyard visit and interactive tasting; and Josmeyer whose aim is to produce delicate, carefully crafted and above all food-friendly wines that reflect their terroir.

We will have time to explore our base, the pretty village of Riquewihr, and you can also join a guided walking tour of Colmar, which includes a tour of the Old Town and offers the opportunity to visit the Unterlinden Museum (home to the famous Triptych by Grünewald). Alternatively, why not take non-challenging float down the river on a flat-bottomed boat! We also drop in on Turckheim one evening to see the time-hallowed tradition of the town cryer. We will also experience a traditional hearty ferme-auberge lunch in the Vosges.

This will be a truly delightful autumn break, with wonderful wines, delicious cuisine and easy travel to the destination.