Alsace wines a guide to French winePart 6 of our guide to French wines heads to North East France to a region that has popped in and out of Germany several times in its history. Alsace has a colourful past of division as rival French and German forces fought to claim the land. The region’s now firmly part of France, but its busy history creeps into all aspects of life in the region. This includes the vin and as a result, Alsace wines are quite unlike any other French wines.

In this piece, we take a look at the history behind the unique wines of Alsace, their grapes and the regions where they’re grown. We sample the unusual Alsace aromas and bouquets before pairing the wines with their perfect partner, local cuisine.

The history behind Alsace wines

Like most French wines, those in this part of France trace their roots back to the Romans who discovered that the area’s low rainfall lends itself to perfect grape production. But it was under the Merovingian dynasty between the fifth and eighth centuries, and the Carolingians in the ninth that Alsace wines came into their own. By the year 1,000, some 160 different locations in the region were producing wine and in the Middle Ages, Alsace ranked as one of the best wine growers in Europe.

The region’s later troubles, particularly between 1879 and 1945 when Alsace passed between France and Germany, made tough times for wine production. However, since the middle of the last century, local vineyards have worked hard on producing quality wines and with some success. While the wines of Alsace don’t feature as often in international wine guides, they’re often as good as their Burgundy and Bordeaux counterparts and usually considerably cheaper. As a result, more and more wine experts are classing them as the unsung heroes of the French wine scene.

Did you know? Unlike the rest of French wines, those in Alsace are called by the name of the grape, not by the region they’re produced in.   

13 terroirs

It might be unlucky for some, but the 13 terroirs in Alsace come blessed with the dual combination of excellent climatic conditions and terrain. The region lies landlocked between the Vosges mountains in the west and the Black Forest and the Rhine to the east. Protected from strong rain from the sea by the mountains, the Alsace landscape is sheltered with low annual rainfall. Add the autumnal hot days and cool nights that are ideal for the slow ripening of grapes and wine-producing conditions don’t get much better.

The ground in Alsace also conspires in favour of grapes. Something of a geologist’s dream, the soil types are varied and lie like a mosaic so that each vineyard may lie on top of several different types of soil. The hilly terrain in the south where some vineyards are terraced to cope with the incline also does its bit to help produce prime grapes.

The 13 terroirs form part of the Haut-Rhin region. In the south on higher ground and generally home to the best wines of Alsace, and the Bas-Rhin, to the north near Strasbourg. There are five main areas producing wines, listed here from south to north:

  1. Southern Alsace – this region lies between Soultzmatt and Tharin, in the highest part of the region. Some vineyards here are so steep that harvesters rope themselves together when picking the grapes.
  2. Colmar Region – based around the capital of Alsace wine, Colmar, this area covers Saint Hippolyte to Westhalten. It’s home to the region’s most famous medieval towns such as Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr, all picture-perfect.
  3. Heart of Alsace – set between Rosenwiller and Orschwiller, this is a land of vineyards and forests plus the region’s famous castles.
  4. Strasbourg – much further north, this smaller region lies just outside the famous city of Strasbourg. Grapes grow alongside orchards, which give many Alsace wines their characteristic fruity flavour.
  5. Wissembourg – the furthest north of all, this wine-growing area centres around Cleebourg in the most rural part of Alsace. Most vineyards are part of the Cleebourg Wine-making Cooperative.

Did you know? Most grapes in Alsace are harvested by hand and it takes 30 people to pick the grapes on 1 hectare of land in a day.  

Main types of Alsace grapes

The wines of Alsace are overwhelmingly white – around 70% of production and 90% of all grapes. Between them, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Blanc make up over 60% of wines.

  • Riesling is the king of the vines in Alsace. Unlike the German variety that produces mostly sweet wine, Riesling grapes go dry in Alsace. They produce full-bodied wines with a fruity aftertaste (mostly peaches and apricots) but the soil makes them acidic too. Also, unlike their German counterparts, Alsace Rieslings need to age. The most famous is the Schlossberg Grand Cru, which was also the first label in the region to gain Grand Cru status.
  • Gewürztraminer, known usually as just Gewürzt, produces more complex wines. Again, there’s a definite fruit bouquet, but this time they’re sweeter fruits such as plums and mango. And like Rieslings, these wines are dry and come with a mineral aftertaste.
  • Pinot Gris produces white wine with a difference. It has a tannin structure, similar to red wines and many experts say that Pinot Gris wines are the white-wine drinker’s red. Mushroom and moss come into the bouquet where you can also discern dried fruits.
  • Pinot Blanc grapes make pale yellow wines that are sometimes so acidic they’re almost green. Their freshness makes perfect aperitif wines and they too have a fruity bouquet, but this time it’s apples and pears.
  • Muscat d’Alsace produces dry whites, perhaps surprising since it comes from the same family of very sweet grapes grown in southern France and Italy.
  • Pinot Noir is the only red grape grown in Alsace and makes up the region’s small production of reds and rosés. Red Alsace wines are fresh, although they age well, and have a distinct cherry flavour.

Did you know? All Alsace wines must be bottled where they are produced and always in the thin, green bottle. Known as the ‘flute of Alsace’, this is the region’s hallmark.

Best Alsace vintages

2016 was a good year for Alsace white wines, but not as good as 2015 when all grape varieties excelled. 2015 is generally classed as the best vintage in the region since 1990. 1971, 2007, 2009 and 2010 were also good years for the region’s wines.

Did you know? The Alsace Wine Route, one of the oldest in France, runs over 160 km in the region through 100 villages, including some of the most picturesque in France. Wine-related events take place along the route between April and October.  

Pairing Alsation wines with food

Wine producers are unanimous when it comes to pairing Alsace wines with food: stay local. Traditional Alsatian dishes go perfectly with native wines. But if you don’t happen to be in the region or fancy trying something different, here’s what to eat and drink together.

Riesling wines are a match made in heaven for pork and goat’s cheese. Those made with Gewürztraminer grapes pair to perfection with rich, heavy foods such as foie gras and game (e.g. wild boar or venison). You can even drink a Gewürztraminer wine with an Indian or Asian dish; it balances beautifully with the spices and heat.

Pinot Gris wines lend themselves well to salty and spicy foods – they make surprisingly good companions for a Thai curry, for example. And Pinot Blanc wines make a good match for fish and poultry or canapés at the beginning of a meal.

Did you know? Alsace has the highest organic wine production in France – around 15% of vineyards produce their vines organically. Biodynamic agriculture is also popular in the region where 15% of vineyards grow grapes using this natural method based on the phases of the moon.  

In the words of Nick Passmore, a wine writer for Forbes, Alsace wines are “the best, and best value, white wines you’ve never drunk.”

9 Alsace wine facts

Not only are there 53 Appellations d’Origine Contrôlées waiting to be discovered in Alsace; all your senses will be rewarded, particularly your taste buds. Here are 9 facts about Alsace wine that your palate will thank you for.

  1. Perfectly located

Discovering Alsace wine takes you on a voyage providing a feast for all the senses. Visually, the scenery is stunning with Alsatian vineyards and wineries flank the River Rhine as it meanders northwards along France’s border with Germany. The 170km/106 mile Route des Vins d’Alsace (Alsace Wine Route) is a land of rolling hills, scenic mountains and over 100 wine villages.

While your eyes take in the spectacular surroundings, you can treat your taste-buds to the wines themselves. Alsatian wines are almost all white (around 90 per cent of the harvest) and some 150 million bottles are produced a year. And to go with the fine wining, the Route des Vins d’Alsace takes in no less than 26 Michelin-starred restaurants.

  1. Perfectly perfumed

One of the defining characteristics of Alsatian wines is their bouquet. These fruity whites offer delicious aromas, reminiscent of peaches and floral blends that give the wines their unique flavour. And along with the rich fragrances go the colours that cover all shades from light cream to golden yellow.

  1. Perfectly paired

Alsace wine pairs wonderfully with a wide range of dishes and provides the perfect drink for every menu. For a match made in foodie heaven, here are our suggestions:

  • Aperitifs – For nibbles or starters go for an Alsatian wine that isn’t too sweet or too alcoholic. Try one made from Muscat or Gewurztraminer grapes.
  • Seafood – Whatever the seafood or fish on your menu there’s an Alsatian wine that goes perfectly. For example, if you’re feasting on oysters, drink Sylvaner and if salmon’s on the menu go for a Riesling, dry or medium, as you prefer.
  • Desserts – Sweet Alsatian wines come into their own with a dessert. Try wine made from over-ripe grapes known as Vendanges Tardives for that perfect taste combination.
  • Cheeses – Almost all cheeses have a perfect Alsatian wine partner. For instance, Pinot Blanc goes a treat with fresh and mild cheeses.
  • Spices – Sweeter Rieslings are the perfect match for spicy foods and match surprisingly well with Thai and Malaysian dishes.
  1. Perfectly over-ripened

For maximum bouquet and taste, try a famous late harvest Alsace wine. These sweet whites are made from grapes picked as late as possible and almost at the end of the autumn harvest. Known as Vendanges Tardives and Selection de Grains Nobles, their sugar content is high and their fragrance and taste as good as they get.

The latter of these two harvests selects only Gewurtztraminer grapes that show signs of botrytis fungus and they must be handpicked. If you like Bordeaux’s Barsac or know Hungary’s Tokaji, you’ll be in for a pleasant palate surprise.

  1. Perfectly celebrated

The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Crémant d’Alsace makes the most popular sparkling wine in France and it’s the only one allowing the use of Chardonnay grapes. Produced using a similar method to champagne, this bubbly is reputedly just as good but with a smaller price tag.

The rose bubbly is made, rather uniquely, from 100% Pinot Noir.

  1. Perfectly chilled

To ensure your Alsace wine hits the spot, serve it chilled but never ice-cold. Alsatian sommeliers recommend a temperature between 8 and 10 degrees for all whites and a slightly cooler range of 5 to 7 degrees for the sparkling Crémant d’Alsace.

  1. Perfectly served

Alsatian whites are best served in long-stemmed tulip glasses. They make the most of the wines’ bouquet and taste.

  1. Perfectly vintage

Weather conditions vary from year to year in any wine region and so do vintages. Alsace wine had an exceptional year in 2010 (classed as Année Exceptionelle and awarded 5 stars) and both 2009 and 2012 achieved Grande Année status (4 stars). Wine produced during these years are worth sourcing.

To find out how good a particular year has been for Alsatian wines, check out this official website, which also recommends specific wine labels from each year. http://www.vinsalsace.com/fr/gouts-et-couleurs/millesimes/

  1. Perfectly prized

With so many AOCs and a good collection of Grand Crus it’s no surprise to discover that the wines of Alsace regularly win awards. The Sigille seal of quality, one of the most unusual prizes, rewards exceptional quality.

To decide which wines are worthy of the Sigille, the Brotherhood Saint-Etienne holds three blind tasting sessions a year. The vineyards that produce the winners must provide 12 bottles of the Sigille-seal wine to be kept in the Brotherhood’s wine cellar, home to over 60,000 award-winning wines that go back to the 1834 vintage year.

Taste the wines of Alsace for yourself

Taste the unique wines of Alsace for yourself and from the comfort of your very own hotel barge. Join one of our luxury cruises and discover the family vineyards, picture-postcard villages and wine culture as you glide along the stunning Canal Marne au Rhin

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Alsace wines are like no other French wine. Influenced by the border battles of this pretty land, the influence of French and German cultures in the wine making process and preferences ensures that Alsace wines are some of the most unique and fascinating in the world. As a Forbes contributor once said: Alsace wines are probably the best wines you've never drunk.