Alsace
Alsace is a historic winegrowing region stretching along a narrow north-south strip of 170 km, from Strasbourg to Mulhouse, with a surface area of around 15,000 hectares. With its rich history and remarkable terroir, this region produces some of the best and most aromatic white wines in the world, as well as increasingly popular red wines –from Pinot Noir – that are beginning to rival those of Burgundy.
At the foot of the Vosges mountains, vineyards of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner tower over fairytale-like villages. The region boasts 51 Grands Crus, as well as sweet wine appellations which are one of its specialities. Alsace Vendanges Tardives (VT) are sweet wines made from over-ripe grapes and Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN) are wines made from botrytised grapes. Alsace also produces excellent sparkling wines known as Crémant d’Alsace.
Alsace is also home to France’s oldest Wine Route, inviting visitors to discover its sublime landscapes. Having long hesitated between France and Germany, the region has chosen its camp. It is also the only French wine region to name its wines after the grape varieties rather than the place of production – village names often have a German ring to them – although some estates are now breaking away from this tradition to put the terroir back at the focus of their approach. After some relatively difficult periods for the marketing of Alsace wines, they are now widely recognised for their quality and unique characteristics, and the complex food and wine pairings they allow. Many talented estates, like the historic and iconic Trimbach, Zind-Humbrecht, Weinbach, and Marcel Deiss, or those of more recent renown like Albert Mann, Vignoble du Rêveur, Bott-Geyl, Valentin Zusslin or Barmes-Buecher have managed to win back the hearts of wine lovers thanks to some very fine wines, often at particularly reasonable prices. Discover our selection of the best Alsace wines.
