Cheers…

When you think of France many things come to mind including chateaux, cathedrals, snow-capped mountains, fields of lavender, and wine. Alsace is a region known for its colorful buildings, charming towns nestled in between the Vogues Mountains and Rhine River, but this region is known most popularly for its impeccable wine.  The Alsace Wine Route which stretches 170 km north to south with over 50 Grand Cru appellations is one of the most enjoyable places to cycle through in France. Grab your bike and get acquainted with the different classification of appellations and types of wine.

Alsace wines, which have a heavy German influence since the region is located on the France and Germany boarder, are produced under three different Appellation d’Origine Contrôlées (AOC) including AOC Alsace, AOC Alsace Grand Cru, and AOC Crémant d’Alsace. AOC Alsace represents 74% of the regions wine production. AOC Grand Cru has to meet many certain criteria’s including a vineyard location with altitudes between 200 m an

d 300 m, the wine has to come from a single named vineyard and the name of the vineyard must be listed on the label. Grand Crus of Alsace, because of all the specific qualifications, represent only 4% of the regions total wine production. The AOC Crémant d’Alsace is developed from secondary fermentation and considered the most desirable of sparkling wines. It makes up 22% of Alsace wine production.

Alsace produces primarily white wines. There are a handful of grape varieties to try but the most noteworthy are Tokay-Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Muscat. The Tokay-Pinot Gris has a lovely golden-yellow color to it and tastes slightly sweet with a spicy richness. Similar is the full-bodied Gewurztraminer with its intense yellow color. Gewurztraminers possess exceptional richness and extraordinary aromatic complexity. The Muscat, on the other hand, is dry and is said to feel like you are biting into a grape. There are a handful of other wines with distinct tastes being produced in Alsace.

What is great wine without great food? Alsace offers delectable meals to accompany the different tastes of their wines. The Riesling wine goes perfect with Alsace’s traditional Choucroute or with fish and shellfish. The special Baeckeoffe would not be complete without a nice glass of Pinot Gris. The Pinot Noir, one of the few rose wines produced in Alsace, goes superbly with fruits such as berries or less sweet chocolate desserts. Your mouth will be pleased with every meal.

Discover France’s Alsace Biking Tour gives you the chance to test out the different Alsatian wines. Ride your bike along the Rhine River visiting the different appellations. The flat terrain is perfect for novist riders. Travelers will not be disappointed with the gastronomy, wines and scenery of Alsace.

Win bottles

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 at 1:45 pm and is filed under Alsace, Wine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.