Wine, Cheese and Culture in Alsace

 October 2-6, 2019

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Not just another wine tour  but a privately guided experience. An  intimate program (6 persons max) featuring visits to wineries and off the beaten path cultural institutions, lunches and dinners accompanied by wines from local vines and overnights at four-star hotels.

Alsace seems to have it all : 2 of the country’s most gorgeous cities, linked by one of France’s most evocative drives, The Alsace Wine Route. From Strasbourg and its monumental cathedral featuring carvings as delicate as any piece of lacework, to Colmar "capital of Alsatian wine", both of them offering twisting alleys lined with crooked half-timbered houses à la Grimm by delightfull bridge-laced canals

. And both old towns looking as though they have been plucked from the pages of a medieval folk tale. And in between those 2 jewels, the splendid Alsace Wine Route, 170 km of scenic landscapes and gently rolling countryside, striped with vines at the foot of the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains, from medieval villages and half-timbered houses decorated with flowers, to fortified castles and Roman churches.... 

  Thirteen distinct terroirs make Alsace a mosaic unlike anywhere else. Here, minerality and freshness aren’t just concepts, they are the story of the wines. 

Among Alsace’s noble varieties, Riesling is the indisputable king. But be sure that Alsace wine will change your perception of a traditionally sweet Riesling. Here, it gives an elegant and dry wine, with aromas ranging from delicate fruit such as lemon, grapefruit, peach and pear to richer expressions such as stewed fruits, flowers and spices. Rieslings from Alsace have abundant freshness, opulence and a rich mid-palate, yet, their racy acidity keeps them exceptionally well-balanced. 

“Gewurz” has an intense and complex nose of exotic fruits, flowers, citrus and spices. Layers of honey and ripe fruit also give these wines an incomparably rich and expressive nose. Full-bodied and well-structured, Gewurztraminer has a subtle freshness that makes it an ideal partner with many aromatic and intense cuisines. A wine that’s complex by nature, and exuberant in expression. 

The pretigious Alsace Grand Cru vineyards are just 4% of production. A total of 51 grand cru plots that are only allowed to use a single variety or blend only the four « Noble Grapes » : Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat and Gewurztraminer. Those best plots are on the low southern and southeastern facing slopes where they get the most sun. The Grand Cru’s of Alsace are rich, honeyed (even if they are dry) and age-worthy. The 51 AOC Grands Crus of Alsace are made from a mosaic of different terroirs, and thus express the unique influence of the vineyard itself on the wine. 

Also only produced with the 4 Noble grapes of Alsace, the « Vendanges Tardives » which translates to “Harvest Late”. Among those, the « Sélection de Grains Nobles » coming from a much stricter selection of late harvest that are sweet in a style similar to a Hungarian Tokay or a Sauternes. These wines always have the honeyed character from a very strenuous hand-picking of only botrytis- affected grapes. 

Alsace itinerary – 5 days, 4 nights 

Day 1 

9:25 AM : TGV leaving from Paris.
11:11 AM : arrival in Strasbourg.

Hotel Check-in

  Lunch in Strasbourg. 

 Walking visit on the old part of the city, “La Petite France” and the Cathedral.

 Sightseeing boat trip along the old town canals.

 Dinner in Strasbourg.

  Night 1 in Strasbourg (Hôtel “Le Bouclier d’Or” 4****)

 Day 2 

Famed photographer and local resident will show us the Neustadt with stops, among others at the Ecole des Arts with its Art Deco stained glass, the Museum of Zoology, a stop for lunch, and we'll reassemble at the Galerie Neuestadt for an aperetif followed by an elegant, professionally prepared Alsatian dinner with appropriate wines at the apartment of Galerie owner, Walter Kiowir.

 Night 2 in Strasbourg (Hôtel “Le Bouclier d’Or” 4****)

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 Lunch.

14:00 : Train to Paris 

 All Inclusive except train

Car, driver/guide, tastings and all visits included

5 lunches, 4 dinners
2 nights in Strasbourg at “Le Bouclier d’Or” 4**** 

2 nights in Colmar at “La Maison des Têtes

Double Occupancy 295o

Single Occupancy 3460

Reservations: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Private tours for 4-6 persons on request