Alsace Wine & Food

Wines of Alsace

Over the past 50 years, the Alsace Wine Route has contributed to the success of Alsace wines. It has become famous the world over for its exceptional natural beauty, its simple course and for the instant connection its visitors feel with the region and its growers. The Alsace Wine Route winds its way from north to south, for more than 170 kilometers (106 miles) along the eastern foothills of the Vosges. This delightful itinerary leads visitors across rows of undulating, vine-covered hills, and through quaint villages with narrow streets and charming flower-decked houses clustered around the local church steeple.

Riesling is the Rhineland’s ultimate varietal and the Rhine Valley is recognized the world over as its birthplace. Some experts believe it was the argitis minor wine grape in Roman times, and its culture goes back to the Roman occupation. According to Stoltz, Riesling was introduced in the 9th Century in the vineyards of Rheinghau. In 843, just after the division of the empire of Charlemagne, Louis II le Germain planted gentil aromatique, along the Rhine. The grape variety soon adopted the name Riesling, originating from the word Reisen (fall, in German), for before it was acclimatized to Alsace, it was susceptible to colure (during difficult climatic conditions such as rain at the time of budburst, causing buds to fall to the ground. Under such circumstances, the grapes cannot grow). Different to its German cousin, Alsace Riesling was introduced to our region at the end of the 15th Century. It is widely cited during the next century, but its culture did not develop until the second half of the 19th Century. It was after the 1960’s that it reached the highest rank of production areas in Alsace. Like Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Muscat, it is among the four grape varieties authorized in the production of the entire range of Alsace AOC, as well as for Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles wines.  Renowned as one of the best white grape varieties in the world, Alsace Riesling is an excellent food wine. In addition to pairing naturally with traditional Alsace dishes such as Choucroute and pork-based dishes, it has a natural affinity with fish and shellfish, such as scallops, gracefully highlighting the salty, almost iodine flavors of the sea. It is also delicious with poultry, white meats and even goat’s cheese. As a late harvest wine, Alsace Riesling is an ideal partner for citrus-based desserts such as lemon tart.

Gewurztraminer is a particularly aromatic selection of an old grape variety that has always been recognized in Alsace as Traminer rose. In the past, it was known as Traminer, and was not as powerful a wine as Gewurztraminer. It is interesting to note that the Klevener de Heiligenstein, a varietal grown in a small area in the region of Barr, is a variant of this Traminer, still called Savagnin Rose. Etymologically, the name Gewurztraminer literally translates as “spicy Traminer”.  Typical of the wines of Alsace, Gewurztraminer pairs beautifully with spicy dishes and strong cheeses such as Munster, and equally well with foie gras and the most intensely flavored aromatic herbs and spices. In addition, it is the ideal partner for Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Thai and Indian.

Pinot Blanc is also called Klevner (not to be confused with the Klevener of Heiligenstein that corresponds to the Savagnin Rose grape variety), it is the white version of Pinot Noir. It was only as the result of a congressional decision at Chalons in 1896 that this varietal was distinguished from Chardonnay. It was first identified in 1895 as the white version of Pinot Noir by Pulliat in Chassagne-Montrachet, and then in 1896 by Durand at Nuits-Saint-Georges. Pinot Blanc and the varietal Auxerrois (also referred to as Auxerrois de Laquenexy) are frequently referred to under the same designation Pinot Blanc or Pinot. This varietal is often used in the production of base wines for Crémant d’Alsace.  Pinot Blanc can easily accompany starters or main courses. It pairs well with simple dishes such as fish, white meats, poultry and egg-based dishes (omelettes, eggs benedicte, quiches, etc.). It is also delicious with soft cheeses.