Wines of Alsace

Do you appreciate the authenticity and variety of Alsace wines? Check out our private sales of Alsace wines and enjoy top quality at the best prices. 

The vineyards of Alsace play an important role in the history of Alsace. Viticulture was first developed by the Romans, then revived by the Merovingians and the Carolingians. As early as the Middle Ages, Alsatian wines were among the most prestigious in Europe. The 16th century marked the heyday of Alsatian viticulture, a prosperous period that would come to an end with the Thirty Years’ War. 

At the end of World War I, the Alsace wine region regained its prestige. Winegrowers decided to focus on traditional grape varieties and committed to a policy of quality. Beginning in 1945, production had to comply with strict rules governing both cultivation and winemaking. The Alsace AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) was recognized in 1962. Today, it accounts for more than 70% of the region’s wines. 

In Alsace, it is the grape varieties that give the wines their names, not the region. The grape varieties used for Alsace white wines (90% of production) are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. Alsace red wines are made from Pinot Noir. Covering an area of 15,000 hectares, the Alsace wine region stretches 120 km in length, though it is often less than 1 km wide. The region enjoys a semi-continental climate, with cold winters and hot, dry summers. Thanks to the Vosges mountain range to the west, the region is sheltered from wind and rain.