Alsace is famous for its high number of picturesque villages, churches and castles and for the various beauties of its two main towns (Strasbourg and Colmar). All villages with typical houses, usually decorated with abundance of colorful flowers, are surrounded by picturesque Vosges with their thick and green forests and romantic lakes.
The food and wine of Alsace has definite German influences, from the shape of its wine bottles to the prevalence of rustic sausage and pickled cabbage dishes. Popular Alsatian dishes include Quiche Lorraine (Lorraine is on the western side of the Vosges Mountains), foie gras (duck or goose liver pate), onion tarts (includes bacon as an ingredient), Baeckeoffe (a marinated meat and potato casserole or stew), Red cabbage and Choucroute (hearty sausage and pickled cabbage). Alsace is also home to Muenster cheese.
Alsatian wines
Alsace grows grapes that do best in cooler climates, like riesling and pinot noir. However, Alsace is best known for its white wines, making up about 90 percent of its production. Riesling, pinot gris, gewürztraminer and muscat are noble grapes and used in the highest quality whites. The Vosges Mountains provide terrain for grapevines to be planted on slopes as well as the valley floor. The best wineries have more land on the steep slopes than the valley floor and face a south or southwest exposure, allowing the vineyard to capture more warming sunlight (source: my chef)
It is belived to be the oldest site to cultivate vine in France (since over 3 000 years) and, certainly, one of the most beautiful.
The vineyards of Alsace are concentrated in a narrow strip on the lower eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains at altitudes of 175-420 metres. These provide a good balance between temperature, drainage and sun exposure, they are mostly located along 170 km long Route des Vins d'Alzace.
Not to forget about famous alzatian beer (
biére d'Alsace). One may easily find here local micro-breweries producing beers following centuries old recepies and traditions.
