The Wine Road

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Apr 26th, 2001, 11:44 AM

scurry

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The Wine Road

My wife, in-laws & I are planning on renting a car next month and driving the Wine Road in Alsace-Lorraine. Any suggestions of places to see, stay, wine-taste (& eat!) along the way? Any other tips? We were planning on two days & a night and ending up in Strausburg (sp?). Does this sound about right? Thanks Fellow Fodors!

Apr 26th, 2001, 12:34 PM

StCirq

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Your trip is just about the right length to explore the Route du Vin at an unhurried pace, but I hope you'll leave yourself some time to explore Strasbourg itself. If you really want to splurge on a great meal there, make a reservation at the Restaurant au Crocodile, 10 rue de l'Outre. For something at the opposite end of the price scale, try the wine-cellar cum restaurant Zum Strissel at 5, place de la Grande Boucherie. It would almost be superfluous to suggest places to taste wines - you can hardly turn around on the Route du Vin without bumping into one. Be sure to try the Crémant d'Alsace, though, in addition to the pervasive Rieslings and Gewürztraminers and Tokays - it's Alsace's answer to Champagne. The well-known towns along the route, including Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé, are a bit over the top for my taste (girls in "native" costume posing by wishing wells and that sort of thing), but you'll want to stop and see them if only briefly. I like some of the less-traveled towns like Eguisheim, Moslheim, Obernai, an Guebwiller. But the theme is wine and storks and half-timbered houses all around. You may want to take time to visit the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg as a relief from the wine scene and because it's just such an imposing site. There's a lovely hotel in Eguisheim called Hostellerie du Pape, 10 Grand rue. It's been a number of years since we've been there, but I remember it was charming as can be and centrally located.

Apr 26th, 2001, 12:46 PM

Ariel

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I visited my parents there back in October; they live just outside Strasbourg. I hope I can help a little bit. First - it is a really amazing place to visit. The restaurants and wine are very affordable and the people are incredibily friendly. For wine we drank Tokay-Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and "new wine" (which is the wine befroe it is fully fermented). We loved the wine; it is really the best white I have ever had. Alsace is known for its white wines. They also do very good Rieslings. For food: You must have tart flambe. It is a starter. It is a very thin crust with local soft cheese and onion spread over the crust and then baked over an open flame. You will also want to try Coq-aux-Vin (Chicken in wine), Foie Gras (Duck pate; I had an unbelievable lunch of Foie Gras and smoked duck on a patio with wine!), they also do a nice job of fish (Breem, Perch, Pike) and venison. There are just tons of small towns and at least one restaurant in every town. Check out these sites for some more info: http://www.visit-alsace.com/home_ang.html http://www.strasbourg.com/ Take LOTS of film - you won't believe the colours of all the houses and will want to take a tons of pictures - it is a very beautiful place. Also, watch for a sign at the entrance to each village for the flower ranking of that town. Most towns have been awarded a certain number of flowers depending on the beauty of the town. Are oyu only go to this area for 2 days and 1 night? Doesn't seem like enough time!

Apr 26th, 2001, 12:56 PM

wes fowler

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There is a hotel/restuarant just off the ring road 4km west of Colmar called Auberge du Pere Floranc. Rooms ranged from 200F to 520F a couple of years ago. Its listed in "Les Cuisiniers et Hoteliers de Metier" a guidebook of restaurants that feature high quality meals based on local dishes. It is at 9 rue Herzog - 68920 Wettolsheim. Telephone: 89.80.79.14: Fax: 89.79.77.00. It does close for two weeks in the summer (July or August?); you might want to call if interested. In Colombey les deux Eglises, a small historical town just west of Chaumont on Route 19 there's another charming country inn, Auberge de la Montagne Rooms are 190F to 280F as of a couple of years ago. It's at Rue d'Argentolles - 52330 Colombey-les-deux-Eglises. telephone: 25.01.51.69 Fax: 25.01.53.20. It, too, has a gourmet regional restuarant. You've selected the ideal area for wine tasting! You'll see many signs for wine tasting and tours on the roads as you drive south of Dijon. Look for the word "degustation" and you'll find wine tasting opportunities. Many of the wineries require advance reservations. Below is a list of a number of them that I don't think require advanced reservations. They are all located in Dijon or in towns just south of Dijon. It's rare to find a wine bargain in Burgundy; expect to pay 40 to 50 francs for a bottle. (Perhaps you can settle for a jar or two of pate.) Here's the list: Dijon: Caves de l'Espace Grevin, 13 Avenue Albert 1er. Open daily. Tastings in the cellar beneath the city's new waxworks museum. Dijon: Caveau de la Port Guillaume, Place Darcy. Open every afternoon. Beaune: Cave des Hautes-Cotes, Route de Pommard. Open Monday - Saturday. Beaune: Cave des Cordeliers, 6 Rue de l'Hotel-Dieu. Open daily. Tastings in a Franciscan friars abbey. Beaune: Marche aux Vins, Rue Nicolas Rollin. Open daily. Wine-tasting cellar in front of the Hospices. Beaune: Patriarche Pere et Fils, 7 Rue du College. The largest cellars in Burgundy. Nuit-St-Georges: Morin Pere et Fils, 9 Quai Fleury. Open daily. An 18th century cellar. Nuit-St-Georges: Cave Moillard-Grivot, Route RN74. Open Monday to Friday. Santenay: Domain de la Buissiere Vougeot: La Grande Cave, Route RN 74. Open daily. Tasting of "grands vins" in ancient cellars. France has 14 secondary schools that train young people how to plant, grow, ferment, age and bottle wine. There is such a school in Beaune, just south of Dijon. It is the Lycee Viticole, 16 Avenue Charles Jaffelin. From 8 AM to noon and 2PM to 5:30 (closed on Saturday afternoon and Sunday) you can taste and purchase the excellent, relatively inexpensive wines made by the students as part of their studies. Cellar visits are also possible. There are free 2 1/2 hour guided tours (in French) on certain Saturday mornings at 9:30 AM. Telephone 03 80 26 35 81 for details.

Apr 26th, 2001, 02:22 PM

scurry

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Wow -- this is great. Thank you so much for the very helpful information.

Apr 26th, 2001, 05:46 PM

Rex

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This is information I have posted before, but just as true on a recentrip (Sep 2000) as in 92 when I first visited there. I love the little town of St. Hippolyte - - and just as much - - the Chateau de Haut Koenigsbourg which sits above the town. Best wishes, Rex

Apr 26th, 2001, 08:43 PM

Le Chocolatier

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When you've had enough wine & your sweet tooth kicks in, head for one of the finest pasty shops in France: "Sitter Prestige" , 16-18 rue des Clefs in Colmar.