Wine Tours of the ALSACE Region of France Route des Vins d'Alsace - the most romantic wine route in the world?

Planning a wine tour in the ALSACE Want to experience Alsace wine? In my opinion you have two options. Firstly you can do the 170 kilometre Route du Vins by starting in the north at Marlenheim and progressively work your way down through the wine villages stopping along the way until you reach Thann - that was how we did our first Alsace wine trip. Or, as on a recent trip when we based ourselves in a central wine village and took in the local vineyards and wineries within a 20 kilometre drive. In fact about 15 wineries were within staggering distance of our accommodation. The village actually consisted of winemakers houses and the accommodation was an ex winery.

A tour through the ALSACE WINE ROUTE

	Obernai We started our Alsace wine route in Obernai. An attractive city with lovely parks and buildings. A side trip to Mont Sainte-Odile. A former monastery dedicated to the 720 AD Sainte-Odile, it sits on a rocky plateau high in the Vosges mountains at 763 metres above the plain of Alsace. A great view out over the foothills and plain to the Rhine River.
	Dambach-la Ville One of the 38 producers in the wine village of Dambach-la-Ville, the Dietrich winery is in the heart of the village. Their grapes come from small family owned parcels of land scattered round the village including Frankstein Grand Cru classification plots. Sophie is a delightful hostess and she offered a full range of excellent Alsace wines and our tastings included Sylvaner, Rieslings and Muscat.
	Riquewihr The "tourist capital" of the region, Riquewihr is surrounded by the grand Cru vineyards of Sporen and Schoenenbourg. This medieval city is famous for its wines and gastronomy - yes we tasted the wines and enjoyed lunch!
	Eguisheim A pleasant wine village, with a tourist aspect, situated 5 kms south of Colmar. The village is surrounded by vineyards including the Grand Cru vineyards of Eichberg and Pfersighereg. Wine has been made here since fourth century when Romans first planted vines here.
	Guebwiller Situated 20 kms north west of Mulhouse it was the most southern Alsace wine village we visited. Domaines Schlumberger is one of the most historic vineyards in the area. Tours of the cellars are offered upon request, but it is a good idea to call ahead and determine if a tour is feasible. Visitors may also view the vineyards and the tasting rooms.

A ONE DAY HUNAWIHR TOUR—Premier Cru vineyards, vineyard walk, lunch & award-winning Chateau visits The village,Hunawihr , had wineries producing excellent expressions of the whole A.O.C. Alsace and Grand Cru range - Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat; A.O.C. Alsace Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir plus Cremant and specifics by way of Vendanges Tardives (late harvest dessert wines) and Selection de Grains Nobles (botrytis wine). Add in the "tourist" wine villages of Riquewihr, Ribeauville and a bit further on Eguisheim, and other wine villages such as Zellenberg, Beblenheim, Bennwihr and Mitelwihr and you have more wineries than you could ever expect to sample in a month! Out of the 15 wineries available in Hunawihr I have chosen three that show a snapshot of the range. One small winery, Fernand Ziegler; a medium winery, Domaine Sipp Mack; and the local "gaint" wine cooperative, Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr.

Fernand Ziegler Vineyard walk This one day tour in the Hunawihr of the Alsace took in: Learning about the appellation system and about the vineyards Exploring the vineyard with the owner Visiting 3 award-winning Chateau with wine tasting Relaxing with our hosts & sampling cellared local wines Tasting outstanding grand Cru & Premieres Cru wines Host's cellar sample Fernand Ziegler Domaine Sipp Mack Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr

ALSACE WINE TOUR RECOMMENDED VINEYARDS

Domaine DIETRICH

Vineyard/winery description Details - in the wine village of Dambach-la-Ville, their winery is in the heart of the village. Their grapes come from small family owned parcels of land scattered round the village including Frankstein Grand Cru classification plots. Sophie is a delightful hostess and she offered a full range of excellent Alsace wines and our tastings included Sylvaner, Rieslings and Muscat. Comments -Reviewed: Riesling 2005 Grand Cru Frankstein - a true Grand Cru Riesling with delightful aromas of mineral and fruit, complexity and balance of a great Riesling. Gourmands will enjoy it with foie gras or rich creamy chicken or fish dishes. Muscat d'Alsace 2005 Grand Cru Frankstein - A great Muscat. Grapey on the nose with fresh fruit tastes and yet in balance with an elegance rarely found in muscats. A wine to be savoured as an aperitif. At 9.00€ it is a real bargain. Hachette 2008 also agree with my recommendation!

Contact: Michel DIETRICH - Vigneron Récoltant "Domaine Dietrich" 3, rue des Ours 67650 Dambach-la-Ville Tel: 03 88 92 41 31 Fax : 03 88 92 62 88 E-mail: dietrich.michel@wanadoo.fr Website: www.vins-dietrich.com

Cave Vincole de HUNAWIHR Vineyard/winery description Cave Vincole de Hunawihr is a co-operative of 110 growers from 200 ha of foothill-vineyards of the Muschelkalk and the Keuper. They produce a full range of wines from Alsacian grape varieties. Wines - Reviewed: Cave Vincole de Hunawihr Pinot Gris Sigille Confreie Saint-Etienne 2004 7.55€ We tasted the whole Pinot Gris range from the Reserve to the Grand Cru Rosacker. Each wine was distinctive with the Pinot Gris characteristics of peaches and almond fruit evident. At the top of the range they are more complex and carry more sugar. The Sigille Confreie Saint-Etienne 2004 is a great wine to enjoy either in a shady courtyard pre-dinner, or with a meal. Gently aromatic with tones of almonds and on the palate smooth and delightful. At 13% alcohol it has a well-balanced body and pleasant after taste. Cave Vincole de Hunawihr Pinot Gris selection de Grains Nobles 42.80€ No you don't have to go the Sauterne to taste a really classy botryised wine. This award-winning dessert wine is all class with delightful fruit aromas and a complex finish. All one needed was a serving of Foie Gras for perfection. Contact: Cave Vincole de Hunawihr 48, Route de Ribeauville B.P. 68150 HUNAWIHR France Tel: 03 89 73 61 67 Fax: 03 89 73 33 95 E-mail: info@cave-hunawihr.com Website: www.cave-hunwihr.com Domaine SIPP MACK Vineyard/winery description Jacques Sipp, the winemaker, while offering a full and varied range of AOC Alsace wines, specialises in quality Grand Cru Rieslings. Every wine reflects attention to detail and wine-making skill, however Jacques endorses the notion that the wine is "made" in the vineyard and "nurtured" in the winery. We tasted the Riesling range from the excellent 2006 Riesling Traditional (a delightful wine with fresh citrus tones and dry finish on the palate) through to the blockbuster 2005 Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker, plus a number of excellent yet to be bottled and released Rieslings. Wines Reviewed: Sipp Mack Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker 16.20€ A huge Riesling with aromas of almonds and mineral. The palate is long and complex with tones of ripe fruit and pepper. The finish is perfectly balanced. A great Riesling and the same has been acknowledged by leading wine writers such as Guide Hachette and Vin du Monde de Hugh Johnson Guide. Contact: Laura & Jacques Sipp Domaine Sipp Mack 1 rue des Vosges 68150 HUNAWIHR FRANCE Tel: +33 (0)3 89 73 61 88 Fax: +33 (0)3 89 73 36 70 E-mail: contact@sippmack.com Website: www.sippmack.com/ Alsace Wine Tours Would you like to discover the Alsace that most wine tourists miss? Explore vineyards and learn about the appellation system, taste exceptional Riesling & Pinot Gris visit the delightful caves of a grand cru classé... Alsace Wine Tours offers a personally guided tour of the wine villages of Alsace. This tour is available all year round. Reservation required. Alsace Wine Tours means: -Deep wine knowledge -Local knowledge and contacts -Fantastic French food -A guide fluent in English & French CONTACT: Alsace@winetour-france.com Home           About Us           Regions           Wine Tours           Accommodation           Cuisine           Driving in France           Contact Us