Alsace
Alsace
The pretty chocolate-box villages of Alsace, tucked away in the north-east corner of France, are home to some of the world's great white wines. Close to the German border south-west of the city of Strasbourg, the Franco-Germanic heritage of Alsace is evident in its wines, food and people. Alsace is one of the driest wine regions in France thanks to its position in the rain shadow of the Vosges Mountains to the west, which protect the vineyards and provide excellent conditions for ripening grapes. With a hat-tip to its history, Alsace specialises in the traditional German varieties Riesling and Gewurztraminer and is also known for Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Muscat. Unlike other French regions, the label states the wine variety, which helps consumers know what they are getting. Alsace wines are typically aromatic with a clean, pure, fruit character and steely citrus and floral flavours.
