Best Wineries: Domaine Weinbach, Alsace, France
France does not kid around with wine. The French and wine have a long, historic relationship so much so that it has become and integral piece of French food culture. A visitor to France cannot miss a visit to one of it’s many (MANY) wineries that span the regions of the country – from North to South, East to West, France is one of the world’s biggest producers. It’s almost impossible to pick one winery to visit as they are all so diverse, but Domaine Weinbach in the Alsace region of the country is a very special stop for a number of reasons.
Alsace itself is known worldwide for it’s white wine production, and wine lovers flock to the region for it’s unique varietal wines, a mixture of French and German grapes that mimic the history of the region, passed back and forth from France to Germany and back again throughout the years. Domaine Weinbach is particularly interesting as it merges a centuries old production with interesting techniques – the domaine was established in the early 1600’s, before falling into state ownership after the French Revolution. It was purchased by a family at the turn of the 20th century that still owns it today, but since 1998 has started producing these typical Alsatian wines following biodynamic farming principles. Biodynamic farming puts an emphasis on natural wines that have no chemical intervention, and a technique of planting and harvesting that follows the lunar cycle (among many other procedures), and Domaine Weinbach has been officially certified since 2010.
Still to this day family run, the winery does require reservations for tastings (though even without one, they seem to always be able to accommodate), but it’s worth it – they include at least 8 samples of some of their spectacular wines, including different years of the same wine for you to get a better understanding of how the aging affects the grape.
In a country beyond packed with wonderful wineries, it is challenging to stand out, but Domaine Weinbach manages to do so with just the right mix of old and new, and the wines to back it up.
