Alsace Wine

Alsace sits on France's eastern border with Germany, and its wines reflect that dual heritage more than any other French region, labelled by grape variety rather than village in the German tradition while remaining unmistakably French in style. The Vosges Mountains shield the region from Atlantic rain, giving it one of France's driest, sunniest climates and allowing grapes like Gewurztraminer and Riesling to ripen fully while keeping their aromatic intensity. Alsace also produces Cremant d'Alsace, a traditional-method sparkling wine that offers real quality at a fraction of Champagne's price. For Gewurztraminer specifically, Gewurztraminer covers examples from beyond Alsace, and Riesling is worth a look for the region's other aromatic mainstay.