Alsace is in the northeastern section of France, up against the German border. It is separated from the rest of France by the Vosges mountains. Because of its location, Alsacian wines have many German traits. One of the similarities is in the the way the wines are named. Alcase is one of the only French areas to name their wines after the grape used, for example Gewurztraminer or Riesling, instead of by a region.

Indeed, the main wines of Alsace are ones often found in German wineries - Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. The land tends to create a spicy wine, so even the Gewurztraimner in Alsace is spicier than in its native Germany. The land is also best for white wines, although a very few red are grown here.

Alsace produces some fine "Vendange Tardive," or late harvest wines. These wines are sweeter than normal and are lovely for dessert.

The two main areas of Alsace are Bas Rhin, to the north, and Haut Rhin, to the south. The wineries themselves form a line down the very center of the area, at the eastern base of the Vosges moutains. There is an Alsace Grand Cru AOC as well as a lesser Alsace AOC. The glass shown here works well with riesling wines. Since Alsacian wines can be made from a variety of grapes, use the Main Wine Listing to learn more about the details of a given wine type.

Wine Types Main Listing



All content on the WineIntro website is personally written by author and wine enthusiast Lisa Shea. WineIntro explores the delicious variety and beautiful history which makes up our world of wine! Lisa loves supporting local wineries and encouraging people to drink whatever they like. We all have different taste buds, and that makes our world wonderful. Always drink responsibly.