‘We are not good at selling Alsace,’ says Marc Wucher of Le Parc Hôtel in Obernai – a 30-minute drive from the Alsatian capital, Strasbourg. ‘Our history is complicated,’ he explains, pointing to a photo of his mother, who helped Alsatian men escape conscription into the Germany army during World War II. The Third Reich annexed Alsace, suppressing the French language, books, funerary inscriptions, posters and other symbols. Even so, some Alsace natives willingly fought on the German side.
In southern Alsace, as she inspects Riesling grapes at 12th-century Château Ollwiller, French oenologist Marie Bordy points to an adjacent mountain, where her great grandfather died while fighting for the German army in World War I. During the battle, French bombs damaged the estate which, along with the rest of Alsace, was part of Imperial Germany between 1871 and 1918.
Both establishments have been renovated over the years, reflecting Alsace’s complex architectural history – from medieval timber-framed buildings of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire to 18th-century French Baroque. The region’s impressive range of soils is just as varied as its architectural tapestry: from sandstone and slate to limestone and clay.
A flavour of history
Alsace’s history is complex, but it provides a fascinating backdrop for the region’s wine and cuisine. Germanic influences loom large, from grand cru vineyard names such as Schlossberg and Rosacker to local food staples pork, potatoes and cabbage. Flute-shaped wine bottles bear the names of non-French varieties such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
However, in common with many compatriots, Alsace wine council representative Foulques Aulagnon insists: ‘We are thoroughly French.’ Climate change may have led to recent oscillations between heavy rain and heatwaves and drought, but ‘the fact remains that on the other side of the Rhine, it still rains more than in Alsace’, Aulagnon says. Alsace is one of France’s driest and sunniest wine regions, where cool summer nights and warm days permit grapes to ripen evenly.
Spring and autumn are ideal seasons for a visit, as Alsace’s semi-continental climate often brings cold, if dry, winters and sometimes stiflingly hot and stormy summers. But any time is a treat for wine lovers, given Alsace’s impressive variety of wines and food options – with 33 Michelin-starred restaurants, Alsace is a region that’s strongly represented in the famed gastronomic guide’s 2024 edition. Its scenic, Instagrammable wine route is also dotted with centuries-old villages home to half-timbered houses and ever-present flowers nestling in sloped vineyards, each with its own fascinating history.
Alsace wine: The facts
Area planted (2023): About 15,500ha
Producers: 3,030, including 710 wineries and wine-growers
Appellation: Alsace AP officially instituted in 1962 and today accounts for about 70% of production; Alsace Grand Cru AP introduced in 1975, progressively expanding to 51 sites classified as such, accounting for about 5% of vineyard area and 3.5% of total production in 2022
Authorised grand cru grapes: Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Riesling, but also more recently Sylvaner in Zotzenberg and Pinot Noir in Hengst, Kirchberg de Barr and Vorbourg, with blends allowed in Altenberg de Bergheim and Kaefferkopf
Crémant d’Alsace: Sparkling wine made using the traditional method; accounts for 33% of production
Vendanges Tardives: Sweet wines made from grapes picked when overripe (literally ‘late harvest’)
Sub-regions: The southern Haut-Rhin, which counts 37 grands crus, and the northern Bas-Rhin with 14
Must-visit-wineries
Any trip to Alsace should include a visit to 17th-century Domaine Gresser in the charming town of Andlau. The domaine, which has been certified organic since 2010, obtained biodynamic certification in 2022. Owner Rémy Gresser shows visitors rocks to illustrate how single-varietal wines taste different according to terroir. Try his Grand Cru Kastelberg Riesling, the only grand cru on slate in Alsace, Gresser says. The 2020 bursts with mid-palate juiciness, framed by racy, saline wet stone. His late-harvest Gewurztraminer from 1983 illustrates how well such wines can age, with complex flavours of confected fruit, wet earth, spices and truffle: ideal for roast chicken or pasta with champignons (and truffle shavings).
A 30-minute drive from Andlau, Maison Trimbach in Ribeauvillé – also established in the 17th century – has long been recognised as a top producer. Its wines are better than ever, from entry-level offerings to the only Alsace wine that’s appreciated just as much for investment on international markets as for drinking – the Clos Ste Hune Riesling. The superlative 2019 vintage, not yet released, marks its centennial and it clearly outshines the 2018, which is marked by the heat of the vintage. Try the Cuvée Frédéric Emile Riesling, crafted from two grand cru vineyards – an excellent-value dry wine. Although it initially established its fame through strong brands, Trimbach also boasts four single-vineyard grand cru wines.
In Eguisheim, a picturesque village of 1,700 people packed with about 20 restaurants, you must sample the superb wines at Léon Beyer. Marc Beyer, along with children Yann-Léon and Anne-Sophie, continues a wine lineage that spans 14 generations. Top restaurants worldwide serve Léon Beyer wines. Be sure to try the Les Ecaillers Grand Cru Pfersigberg Riesling 2015, which combines wet stone freshness derived from the limestone soil with vintage opulence. The youthful colour of the Comtes d’Eguisheim Gewurztraminer 2011 – bottled at a relatively low 5g/L residual sugar – entices, with a taut yet vivacious palate that offers white pepper, ginger spice and shaved almond.
Further south, visit the splendidly renovated18th-century castle and gardens of Château Ollwiller, which has crafted excellent wines since Mathieu Kauffmann became cellar master in 2021, not long after the renovation of the vat room. An Alsatian oenologist with more than 12 years’ experience at Champagne Bollinger (he left in mid-2013), Kauffmann is already crafting good sparkling Crémant d’Alsace (which will improve), as well as nuanced grand cru Riesling, from sloped plots that include century-old vines.
Take in a stunning view of the historic monopole Clos St Landelin vineyard in Rouffach at Domaine Muré, where brother and sister team Véronique and Thomas Muré are making excellent wines at different price points. Try their superb Pinot Noirs, such as the bright and precise 2022 ‘V’ Grand Cru Vorbourg. Their Crémants d’Alsace range from a delicious non-vintage to the seamlessly smooth and opulent 2016 Grand Millésime.
Your Alsace address book
Accommodation
Le Parc Hôtel, Obernai
To enjoy Alsace’s charming villages, wineries, restaurants and other landmarks, you need a car. A good departure point is Le Parc Hôtel, which marked its 70th anniversary in 2024 and combines elegant tradition with thrilling modernity. Its impressive Yonaguni spa is a recent addition that Alsatians would rather keep secret – Decanter readers, you heard it here first…
Léonor Hôtel, Strasbourg
Opened in 2021, the Léonor features casually chic (and comfortable) rooms in what was once a police station. The elegant 19th-century façade is now a historical monument. Dine at the hotel restaurant, managed by the team from the exceptional Michelin two-star La Fourchette des Ducs in Obernai.
Restaurants
Amitié, Hartmannswiller
Opened in May 2024, Amitié has a large outdoor terrace. Reserve the private table in front of the open kitchen, where chef Holger Strütt uses garden produce to craft regional and international dishes. Don’t miss the lobster soup – some restaurants skimp on the lobster, but not this one.
La Pompette, Strasbourg
Ticks all the boxes, with superb food and a relaxed yet elegant style. The menu changes monthly and the pricing, in our inflation-plagued era, is also friendly.
Le Buerehiesel, Strasbourg
Set in Strasbourg’s gorgeous Orangerie park, this restaurant, with chef Eric Westermann at the helm, has a deserved reputation as a top dining destination in Alsace. An absolute must: frog’s legs in chervil and butter sauce, crafted from a 45-year-old recipe, balanced by an Alsace Melfor vinegar. Sommelier Maxime Petit has 1,000 wines from which to choose the right pairings.
Le Restaurant, Le Parc Hôtel, Obernai
Marie Wucher and her husband Cyril Bonnard have worked at top restaurants in Paris, Tokyo, Las Vegas and Dubai. The refined cuisine here deserves a Michelin star. If available, don’t miss the Wagyu beef carpaccio with chanterelles starter, or the opulent and copious Noix St Jacques with mushrooms and Parmesan sauce. Sommelier Jean-Noël Graff offers optimal pairings from a long wine list.
What to drink in Alsace
The region is famous for grapes such as Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and especially Riesling, for which – since 2021 – non-late harvest Alsace Riesling must be ‘dry’, as defined by EU regulations. But higher Burgundy and Champagne prices and better quality in recent years have made both Alsace Pinot Noir and traditional-method sparkling Crémant d’Alsace increasingly popular. From 2013 to 2023, Crémant production leapt from about 240,000hl to nearly 325,000hl, accounting for 33% of Alsace wine production. Pinot Noir has increased from 85,000hl in 1989 to close to 130,000hl last year: its highest-ever production percentage at 13%.
While in Strasbourg: Suggested stops
• After marvelling at its beautiful interior, climb the 330 steps up the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, said to be the sixth-tallest church in the world.
• Wine shopping? Visit the 200m² Comptoir des Vignerons Alsaciens, housed in a 16th-century building on Place Gutenberg – choose among nearly 400 wines from 75 independent winemakers.
• Long lunch? Opened in August 2024, 3.14 bistro and wine bar lists 100 wines by the glass, served with charcuterie and cheese. The ground level offers a 1960s-style bistro ambience, contrasting with the 1920s speakeasy decor on the lower level, complete with a hidden passage to a cigar lounge. A wide choice of spirits includes fine whiskies and Cognacs to go with your cigar.
• Walk it off: After dining at Le Buerehiesel, pay a visit to the beautiful gardens and lake at the Parc de l’Orangerie, which surrounds the Pavillon Joséphine, a spectacular example of early 19th-century neoclassical architecture.