Alsace Wine Route Wineries & Tasting Small Group Guided Tour from Strasbourg

Meet your knowledgeable guide at the tourist information office in the middle of Strasbourg, where you’ll climb into a comfortable minivan to start your tour. Head out along the Alsace Wine Route (Routes des Vins d’Alsace in French), which is a 105-mile (170-km) route winding through the rolling hills at the base of the Vosges Mountains. This area is home to hundreds of famous vineyards.

The first stop on your wine tour is the wine area called Mittelbergheim, where the grands crus of Kastelberg, Zotzenberg and Wiebelsberg are located. This area is known for its excellent Riesling wines, which are typically thought of as German. At the first winery of your tour, sample Riesling along with some sylvaner and pinot blanc.

Next, head for Dambach-la-Ville. This village produces more wine than any other in Alsace, including one of the finest Alsatian wines of all — frankstein grand cru. At the second winery stop of the tour, sample wines in a classic wine cellar (caveau in French) while learning how the region’s soil and climate combine to produce exceptional Riesling and gewürztraminer wines.

Take a break at midday for lunch (own expense), followed by a visit to the Ribeauvillé-Riquewihr wine area. There are five grands cru here — Kirchberg, Osterberg, Geisberg, Schoenenbourg and Sporen. Here again you’ll find the wine production is dominated by Riesling, although other wines of note include Muscat, gewürztraminer and pinot gris.

Spend some time in the charming villages of Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr, where you’ll have your last two wine tasting sessions at two of the best-loved wineries in the Alsace. Hear about how some of the chateaux making wine in the area — such as the Hugel and Trimbach families — have been making wine in the area for hundreds of years.

At the conclusion of a day-long wine tour through the Alsace, climb back into the minivan for the relaxing ride back to Strasbourg.