Sipping Through the Alsace Wine Route

The Ponts Couverts in La Petite France, Strasbourg

The Ponts Couverts in La Petite France, Strasbourg

When you think of Alsace, do visions of Christmas markets dance in your head? December high season certainly sees an influx of tourists to Alsace, a.k.a. “the Christmas capital.” Strasbourg’s annual Marché de Noël is the oldest in France, and myriad other markets—which pop up in the region’s fairytale villages—capture the essence of the season. But Alsace offers a lot more than yuletide merriment.

Travel Agent coincided an autumn visit with the 60th anniversary of the Alsace Wine Route. Easily accessible from Paris in just over two hours by high-speed train, Alsace was the object of a tug-of-war between France and Germany for centuries. Fiercely French today, the region is proud of its distinct culture and customs. Clinging to the hillsides beneath the Vosges Mountains, the vineyards produce some of the finest Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris wines on the planet. (Little wonder that Imperial Courts in the Middle Ages chose to impress dinner invités by pouring Alsace wines.)

The Route des Vins stretches 105 miles from Marlenheim to Thann. Winding through some of Europe’s most gorgeous scenery, it passes 100 pretty villages with colorful half-timbered façades spilling flowers from their window boxes. Medieval hilltop castles loom above the Black Forest; the 12th century Haut-Koenigsbourg has panoramic vistas to the Alps on a clear day. Voici, some tips for a memorable itinerary.

Start Your Trip in Strasbourg

Home to the European Parliament and a UNESCO-listed city center, Strasbourg is the seventh largest city in France. You could easily spend a weekend here exploring the sights: the landmark cathedral, dating from 1277, with incredible stained glass windows and a working Astronomical Clock; the picturesque ancient quarter called La Petite France; the Musée Alsacien, a folk art museum that showcases the region’s rural customs. Don’t miss the historic wine cellar at the Hospices Strasbourg, where you’ll see (and maybe even smell!) the world’s oldest wine preserved in a barrel (1472). Founded in 1395, the cave is today managed by Director Philippe Junger. His mission? To preserve a heritage site by creating partnerships with the region’s great vineyards, who age wine in enormous barrels that are built onsite.

A trip to Alsace isn’t complete without a meal at a winstub, or tavern, where specialties like choucroute (sauerkraut garnished with different meats) and flammekueche (a pizza-like tart topped with cream, caramelized onions, and bacon) are washed down with local libations. In Strasbourg, le Pfiff offers traditional dishes in a homey setting. (Try the baeckeoffe, a hot pot of meat and vegetables marinated overnight in white wine.) Packed every night, Le Tire Bouchon is a favorite address for locals.

Villages and Vineyards

There are more than 1,000 different producers along the Wine Route, including those who’ve been awarded the Vignobles et Decouvertes (“Exploring the Vineyards”) touristic label by Atout France. Check the website www.alsacewine.com when making reservations for tastings and tours. Keen to take part in the autumn harvest? Stop by the tourist office in the village of Barr, also known for its annual harvest festival.

Winegrowers like Jean-Luc Ostertag at Willm understand the importance of growing the vines with respect for the terroir; in his words: “a great wine is born from the soil.” (Note that the Willm estate’s wines were the first from Alsace to be exported to the U.S. in the early 1930s after Prohibition.)

In Mittelbergheim, classified as one of the “most beautiful villages in France,” Franco-American Albert Seltz is a 14th generation winemaker, and passionate champion of Silvaner wine. (He went to court to get it recognized as a Grand Cru).

First established by monks in 1612, the Domaine Weinbach produces some of the most exceptional wines in France. Today, the family-owned winery is run by women, with wine-maker Laurence racking up the accolades for her Grand Crus. All wines are 100 percent estate grown and bottled, following biodynamic methods.

Learn more about Alsace’s wines by attending a gregarious soirée staged by the Confrérie Saint-Etienne, a brotherhood devoted to promoting Alsace wines. Their chateau in Kientzheim hosts events like weddings and business seminars. Groups can be privy to dinners, wine tastings, and ceremonies where the knights—dressed in full brotherhood garb—discuss Alsace wines with pomp and circumstance (and often burst into song). For bookings, contact Eric Fargeas ([email protected], 011-33-3-8978-2384).

Visitors to Colmar tend to wax poetic about the beauty of the 1,000-year-old city: an open-air museum of canals (the “Little Venice” quarter) and stunning Renaissance houses. We highly recommend guide Stephane Reitter ([email protected], 011-33-3-89-0024), who is a wealth of information about Alsace and the artist Hansi, whose popular, idealized drawings of daily life enshrined Alsace myths in the French psyche.

The Alsace Route des Vins passes through some of the most gorgeous scenery in Europe.

The Alsace Route des Vins passes through some of the most gorgeous scenery in Europe.

Where to Stay

Our home base on the Wine Route was in the village of Rodern. With vineyard vistas from the upper floors, the Pêche de Vigne is a lovely guest house housed in a 16th century winemaker’s farmhouse. Designed with comfort in mind, each of the five super-sized suites is uniquely decorated. Note that there is no elevator. For bookings, contact Philippe Meyer ([email protected], 011-33-3-6906-4904). Kick off the day with a breakfast of Kougelhopf and home-made jam, and at dusk, relax with an aperitif by the pool in the garden. A small spa is in the works for this year.

In Obernai, its half-timbered houses festooned with geraniums, a four-star hotel called A La Cour D’Alsace is a favorite of American cycling groups.

Located almost halfway between Strasbourg and Mulhouse, the Barrière Hospitality Group’s Ribeauvillé resort debuted in 2012 with a sprawling wellness center and conference facilities. In fact, at the time of our visit, Peugeot had taken over the resort for the launch of a new car model. The 56 rooms overlook a park with the Vosges Mountains in the background. There’s also a casino, a brasserie, and the chic Belvedere restaurant, designed in timber and stone, with panoramic views framed through walls of glass. Quite popular with a local clientele, the spa focuses on balneotherapy with three enormous pools, including one with underground music and sensory lighting, all heated to a pleasant 93 degrees. This is where David Guetta stayed when appearing at a big music festival in Colmar. For VIP reservations, contact Celine Maginel ([email protected], 011-33-1-4286-1224).

In the must-visit town of Kaysersberg, you can pair exquisite dining with luxe lodgings at Chambard. Presided over by M.O.F. Chef Olivier Nasti, the gastronomic restaurant offers one of the best tables in Alsace. There is also an authentic winstub, where we enjoyed excellent traditional cuisine. Equipped with a small spa and 32 guest rooms, the hotel can arrange excursions with gourmet picnic baskets. Tip: Request a room with a balcony overlooking the vineyards.

There are a number of lovely accommodation options in Strasbourg. Our favorite is the Cour du Corbeau, which is also one of the oldest hotels in Europe. Part of the MGallery Collection, the property was first established in 1580 as a coaching inn, hosting European princes and a tzar.

A painstaking restoration of its Renaissance architecture has preserved historic details like timber beams, passageways, and sculptures, and as a result, the hotel exudes personality. The 57 rooms are done up in a chic, contemporary style.

Along with the Cour de Corbeau, SoGeHo (Societe de Gestion Hoteliere) manages four other hotels in Strasbourg, including the romantic Hotel Regent Petite France, located directly on the riverbank and boasting a spa by Cinq Mondes. For bookings: [email protected], 011-33-3-9041-7546.

Your clients can also get a taste of Strasbourg on a number of river cruise itineraries offered by AmaWaterways, A-Rosa Cruises, Avalon Waterways, European Waterways, Scenic Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection and Viking River Cruises.

Alsace by Bicycle

One of the best ways to experience Alsace is by cycling tour. In the words of Andy Levine, founder of the award-winning Duvine Cycling and Adventure Co.: “Alsace is a fascinating region that, after a history of territory disputes between France and Germany, has come to peace with its unique, blended culture. The Alsatians are equally as passionate about their French pride—being the birthplace of both the bistro and the French national anthem—as they are for their sauerkraut, Gewürztraminer, and beer production. For me, the best way to experience the region is by bike, particularly while cycling along Le Route des Vins, with its rolling, vine-covered hills and villages filled with half-timbered houses. Along the route, I recommend stopping for lunch at an authentic bistro in Bergholtzzell or Soultzmatt to chat with locals and enjoy a quintessentially Alsatian meal of coq au vin with choucroute and a glass of Riesling.”

The Deluxe rooms at the Cour du Corbeau in Strasbourg look over the hotel’s inner yard.

The Deluxe rooms at the Cour du Corbeau in Strasbourg look over the hotel’s inner yard.