3 Unique Wineries that Capture the Charm of Alsace
- Marla
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
As we’ve reported, France’s Alsace wine region, the smallest but one of the oldest in France, is a unique mix of German/French traditions, specializing in particular wines and styles. The villages that dot the Alsace Wine Route are some of the prettiest in Europe. Most wineries are family-owned and have produced wine for generations.
So how do you maximize your experience? Say, if you only have one day?
We greatly enjoyed every winery we visited along the Alsace Wine Route. But to best capture the charm of Alsace, try going to wineries that differ from each other yet are typical, authentic, quintessential Alsace and together provide visitors with the essence of the region.
Here are three unique premier wineries that fit that bill. Together, they capture the charm of Alsace. All three are small, family-owned wineries. An added bonus: all three produce great wines at reasonable prices, including several Grand Cru Alsace wines.
We had a wonderful time with Jean of Alsace Wine Tours, who escorted us on a private day tour to these three standout wineries. He also provided extra touches such as pillows, blankets, and homemade treats for the ride.
What’s Different About Alsace’s Grand Cru Wines?
Grand Cru wines, grown on particular parcels of land recognized for their superiority, are the pinnacle of wine production throughout France. Only five percent of the wine produced in Alsace is Grand Cru. There are 51 Grand Cru vineyards in the region, which is a lot considering the region’s small size.
Only the four most prestigious wine varietals in Alsace - Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat - can be cultivated in a Grand Cru vineyard (there is one exception for Sylvaner in the Zotzenberg Grand Cru site near Strasbourg). Some of Alsace's Grand Cru sites have been identified and famous for more than 1,000 years.
Domaine Wach
The first winery we visited was Domaine Wach near the village of Andlau. The family was originally cooperers in the 1600s, diversified into winemaking in the 1780s, and decided to concentrate on wine in 1888. It's an elegant winery, with distinctive windows and artwork and intricate woodwork. The winery produces a variety of wines, including three Grand Cru Rieslings.
After a tour of the historic cellar, we enjoyed a private tasting in a beautiful tasting room, accompanied by local pretzels (called “bretzels” in Alsace).
We sampled:
Sylvaner Lieu de Kritt😊😊
Riesling Andlaw 😊++
Riesling Grand Cru Wiebelsberg 😊😊
Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg 😊😊
Spleen Orange Gewürztraminer 😊😊
Crémant d’Alsace Brut Chardonnay, 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Blanc 😊😊
We then stopped in the village of Barr for lunch. As we’ve been eating all week in winstubs, the wonderful dark paneled, traditional homey bistros Alsace is known for, this time we opted to indulge in Michelin Guide contemporary restaurant La Table du 5 overlooking the village’s Renaissance-era town hall. Yum!
Domaine Koch Pierre et Fils
The second winery we visited, Domaine Koch Pierre et Fils near the village of Nothalten, was more rustic and homespun (yes, that is a live cat on the roof). The winemaking heritage here also goes back several generations, and for the past 20 years the winery has been committed to biodiversity. This winery also produces three Riesling Grand Cru wines.
The winemaker’s mother, who spoke no English, opened the winery for us from her home next door and gave us a tour of the cellar, which also contains an eclectic collection of old winemaking tools that still work.
We then enjoyed our private tasting in the kitchen overlooking the vineyards, again with local pretzels. We sampled:
Crémant d’Alsace Tradition Brut Bio, a white blend 😊😊
Crémant d’Alsace Rosé Bio, 100% Pinot Noir 😊😊
Crémant d’Alsace Millenium, 100% Chardonnay 😊😊
Sylvaner Zellberg Bio 😊++
Riesling Bio 😊 ++
Reisling Zellberg 😊😊
Riesling Wiebelsberg Grand Cru 😊😊
Riesling Muenchberg Grand Cru 😊😊
Vin Orange, 100% Gewürztraminer 😊
Domaine Celine Metz
Our third winery, Domaine Celine Metz, near the village of Blienschwiller, is a meld of the traditional and the new generation. Originally known as Domaine Hubert Metz, the family has been making wine here for 11 generations, and the family cellar dates back to 1728.
But the current winemaker, Celine, is the family’s first female winemaker. While continuing the family name, she has added her name to the winery and is adding her own first name to the wine labels. She is also the current president of the local women’s winemaking association. Her winery produces four Grand Cru wines.
This time we had our private tasting in the cellar, where we also met Celine’s husband and young daughter Chloe. We sampled:
Crémant Rosé Brut Nature 😊😊
Pinot Noir vieilles vignes (old vines) Bio 😊 ++
Pinot Noir élevé en barriques (aged in barrels) Bio 😊😊
Sylvner S vieilles vignes Bio 😊😊
Riesling Reserve de la Dime Bio 😊😊
Riesling Grand Cru Winzenberg 😊😊
Muscat Reserve de la Dime Bio 😊++
W Grand Cru Winzenberg Bio 😊😊
Le Baiser de Chloe (Chloe’s Kiss), 100% Pinot Noir 😊😊
Gewürztraminer Grand Cru Winzenberg 😊😊
I hope that this intel on these three unique wineries that capture the charm of Alsace inspires you to put them on your must-visit list. Sàlü besamme! (Hello everyone, literally “hello together” in Alsatian).
What other wine regions do you recommend we visit? Let us know! We’re at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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