Wines of Riquewihr, pearl of the Alsace Wine Route. Small guide to wineries & wine tasting. Good addresses of winemakers and other treasures to discover.
The wines of Riquewihr are exceptional. Here is a small guide to get to know them better.
A big fan of wines myself and companion of the Confrérie Saint-Etienne des Vins d’Alsace, I give you here a small summary of the essential information to better discover the wines of our village and enjoy them.
My page is aimed at all lovers of beautiful wines, as well as our visitors who stay in one of our cottages, at the Riquewihr Remparts, and more particularly in our old medieval and former wine house facing the vineyard.
Jean-Paul Krebs
Table of contents
- A favourable climate for the vine
- Riquewihr, wine jewel in the heart of the Alsace Wine Route
- Riquewihr, history of exceptional wines.
- The wines of Riquewihr
- Which wines to serve with which dishes?
- The “beautiful hill” of the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg.
- Discover our cottages facing the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg vineyard (drone)
- The Grand Cru Sporen, another mythical terroir.
- Good addresses of winemakers in Riquewihr.
- The Winegrower’s House in Riquewihr, museum. Fanny Méquillet.
- Walks & hikes on the wine paths around Riquewihr.
- In the harvest season in Riquewihr (video).
In the year 1553, a chronicler wrote:
“There is a city in Alsace, called Riquewihr, where the best wine in the country grows”.
A climate and terroir favourable to the vine…
Riquewihr is in the heart of Alsace, one of the most beautiful and original regions in France. It is famous for its great white wines and gastronomy.
Located on the foothills of the Vosges, between 200 and 400 m above sea level, the Alsatian vineyard takes full advantage of its exposure to the sun, especially since the vineyards are treveled along raised threads.
The average altitude of the Riquewihr vineyard is 300 metres.
Alsace is famous for its production of aromatic white wines.
Protected from oceanic influences by the Vosges, Alsace benefits from the lowest rainfall in France (with Perpignan) and Riquewihr is in the middle of the driest area. Riquewihr benefits from a semi-continental climate – sunny, hot and dry. This climate offers ideal conditions for the cultivation of the vine.
In summer, the mountain breeze that descends towards the vineyard during the night brings freshness that favours a slow and prolonged maturation of the grapes. This very particular climate gives elegant and complex aromas to the wines.
Riquewihr, a jewel in the heart of the Alsace wine route.
The Alsace Wine Route has become famous worldwide for its exceptional natural beauty and for the quality of the welcome by its winemakers.
The Wine Route winds from north to south of Alsace, along the eastern foothills of the Vosges.
The Alsace Wine Route is 170 kilometres of wonder, from Marlenheim west of Strasbourg to Thann in the south.
Alsace was a pioneer of wine tourism (a somewhat barbaric word that means “wine tourism”) in France with the development of the Alsace Wine Route, which has contributed, for 70 years, to the success of the region’s wines. Famous for its exceptional natural beauty, the Wine Route leads visitors through its vineyard-covered hills and through its picturesque villages with narrow streets and flowery houses.
Riquewihr is right in the middle, halfway between Marlenheim and Thann. This, regardless of the quality of its wines, makes it a perfect base to discover the entire Alsace vineyard.
Riquewihr wine through the centuries: the history of exceptional wines
Even if it is often believed that the vine in Alsace dates back to the times of the Romans, no writing is there to confirm it.
The first mentions of the wine trade and the city of Riquewihr appeared around 830. Then, the fame of his wine continued to assert itself to reach a golden age that will go until the Thirty Years’ War (17th century).
Already in 1553, a columnist wrote:
“There is a city in Alsace, called Riquewihr, where the best wine in the country grows“.
Wines created for eternity…
In the middle of the Middle Ages, Riquewihr wines were shipped to northern countries by river. The barrels were loaded on large flat-bottomed boats that went down the Ill River to Strasbourg. A few kilometres from Riquewihr, the village of Illhaeusern and the neighbouring city of Sélestat had small ports whose wine shipping was the main activity.
After Strasbourg, the barrels were often moored on the large rafts of tree trunks that floated down the Rhine to the Netherlands. There, the driftwood rafts were dismantled and intended for shipyards.
Upon their arrival at the mouth of the Rhine, on the North Sea, Alsace wine barrels were transhipped on ships that took them to Scandinavia, Russia and the British Isles.
After such a long and expensive shipment, the buyer of Alsace wine had to be sure to obtain a product in a good state of conservation. The wine of the hillside of Schoenenbourg in Riquewihr had this reputation for extreme longevity.
Even today, the Confrérie Saint-Etienne d’Alsace keeps in its wine shop Riquewihr wines that date back well before 1900 and remain a delight. Recently, while tasting (blindly) a Riquewihr wine from the 1895 vintage from this wine library, a great specialist had annotated his tasting sheet with these few words: “A wine cut for eternity…”
A great wine from the hillside of Schoenenbourg requires patience. If, young, he already has a lot of charm, it is only after five to seven years of custody that he will really express his potential, to then retain his qualities for many years.
So do not drink your great Riquewihr wines too young. They need at least a few years of bottle to express themselves!
Quality wines, a long-standing obsession with Riquewihr…
Since the Middle Ages, Riquewihr has drawn its resources from a monoculture: the vine. We understand that producing quality wines was an obsession. The archives of Riquewihr attest to this: at all times, only the cultivation of noble grape varieties was authorised there. And beware of those who were trying to see (see the image above)!
Every time the Magistrate (the City) agreed to relax his vigilance (after a war or an epidemic, thinking it would make life easier for winemakers), an economic disaster followed. From the French Revolution to the end of the 1914-1918 war, it was a period crettled with conflicts and difficult. Since the end of the First World War, the quality of Riquewihr and Alsace wines has returned to the forefront.
Want to stay in an emblematic place steeped in history, linked to Alsace and Riquewihr wine?
What wines will you find in Riquewihr?
The noble grape varieties of Alsace white wine are Riesling, Pinot Gris (called Tokay in the past), Muscat and Gewurztraminer.
All these grape varieties are grown in Riquewihr, you will find them on the labels of the bottles. There are also some other grape varieties, generally cheaper, such as Sylvaner and Pinot Blanc or Auxerrois. Edelzwicker is not a grape variety, but a mixture of several noble grape varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer or Muscat. Each winemaker has his own recipe that can change from year to year depending on the production of the moment.
There is also a red wine produced in Alsace and in particular in Riquewihr, based on Pinot Noir. Once neglected and often vinified as a rosé wine, Pinot Noir has finally become a real red wine whose quality increases year after year. Some are now comparable to very good Burgundy wines (it’s the same grape variety).
Good to know – Unfortunately, many Alsatian winstubs have kept the habit of serving ice-cold pinot noir as in the days when it was a small rosé wine. Don’t make the same mistake. If you choose a good pinot noir à la carte in a winstub, ask that it be served to you at cellar temperature. In good restaurants, the sommelier will of course know how to do it. And for the good Pinot Noir that you bought from the producer to enjoy it at home, especially do not serve it in an ice bucket!
The CRÉMANT D’ALSACE, flagship of Alsatian viticulture
From the early 1800s, interest in sparkling wine exploded throughout Europe. In Champagne, the method consists of 2 phases: normal vinification of quiet wine followed by bottling and foaming in the same bottle. This allowed Champagne houses to buy wines outside Champagne and then Champagne.
Until 1870, Champagne bought wine from Alsace to incorporate it into its “Champagne”. As Alsace had passed to Germany in 1870, the outlets for Champagne had become complicated. Since the Germans were fond of sparkling wines, why not produce these wines directly in Alsace? Some Alsatian winemakers have therefore decided to produce sparkling wines themselves.
It was then that a young man from Riquewihr, Julien Dopff, at the age of just 18, visited the Universal Exhibition in Paris with his father in 1900. A young heir to a family estate that dates back to 1574, he managed to convince his father and spent 2 years in Champagne to familiarise himself with the production of Champagne. Back in Riquewihr, he will develop and commercialise a “Champagne Dopff” made in Alsace. The musts were bought in Champagne and “imported” in Alsace (then in Germany) to be vinified there. Vinification, bottling and foaming was carried out in Riquewihr.
Even if the name “CRÉMANT D’ALSACE” has only existed since 1976, quality sparkling wines have been produced in Alsace and in particular in Riquewihr, for nearly 150 years.
The figures are there, irrefutable: from year to year, the Crémant d’Alsace is becoming increasingly successful. In Alsace but also in other French and European regions. So much so that Crémant d’Alsace has now become the first AOC sparkling wine consumed at home in France, after Champagne. More than one in 4 bottles of wine produced in Alsace is a crémant.
Riquewihr wines on your table and how to pair Alsace food and wines.
An Alsace wine can be adapted to all occasions. Delicious as an aperitif before the meal, the wines made in Alsace also combine perfectly with fish and seafood (this is why so many Alsatian villages have a partnership with villages in Brittany, on the west coast of France!).
But Alsace wines also go well with poultry, white meats, game, the famous duck or goose foie gras, exotic recipes (thai, Indian, Chinese or Creole cuisine deserves a dry Gewurztraminer!), dessert and what could surprise many: cheese!
Contrary to popular belief, in most cases, white wines are better suited to cheese than red wines. This is particularly true with strong cheeses such as Munster or Roquefort and all blue cheeses.
With soft and sweet cheeses, serve Sylvaner or Pinot Blanc. A goat cheese will be perfect with a Riesling. With strong cheeses, you must try a dry Gewurztraminer. Hard cheeses like Cheddar will go well with a Pinot Gris. Try it, you will be conquered!
Among grape variety wines, Riesling is king.
White meats naturally require white wines. Serve a Riesling with your roast chicken, a Pinot Gris with a veal roast. Opt for a Gewurztraminer for pork with pineapple…
Personally, I like that all these wines are dry. Many rich alliances are possible between Alsace wines and white meats. For Alsace wines, gastronomy knows no borders: thanks to the distinct personality of each Alsace wine, they adapt to all types of recipes, from Asian to Mediterranean cuisine, from Indian to Mexican. Sylvaner and sushi, Riesling and Chinese fondue, Gewurztraminer and tacos are just a few stages of a gastronomic world tour.
For desserts, personally, I prefer to associate them with dry wines. A lemon pie with a dry riesling for example. I find that a sweet dessert accompanied by a sweet wine… it makes a lot of sugar and it makes the mouth plugge. Late harvests or selections of noble grains, rare, sweet or even sweet, deserve to be tasted alone and appreciated for themselves.
Personally, I really like blending and complantation wines that deviate from the typicality of grapevine wines, which highlight the terroir and the “paw” of the winemaker.
Grape variety, blending or complantation wine?
Until the end of the 19th century, several different grape varieties were planted in the same plot of vines (complantation) and everything was harvested and vinified together. The result was original wines that were the result of the choices of the winemaker and the terroir.
Then, at the end of the 19th century, with the annexation of Alsace to Germany, we headed for wines of a single grape variety. In recent years, some winemakers have again created blend wines that have met with great success. Finally, some engineering free-drawn winemakers grow the vines again in complantation.
It’s up to you to go in search of these nuggets and hidden treasures!
At the Schoenenberg (the beautiful hill) grows “the most generous wine in this country”.
The entire wine terroir of Riquewihr produces very high quality wines but the wines from the hillside of Schoenenbourg are particularly remarkable.
Formerly also called “Sonnenberg” (sunny hill), the name “Schoenenberg” evolved into “Schoenenburg” (one of the places called the hill) and was then francised in the middle of the 20th century into “Schoenenburg”. It is under this name that this renowned vineyard is known today: Alsace Grand Cru Schoenenbourg.
The archives of Riquewihr attest to this: for all time, only the cultivation of noble grape varieties has been authorised there. Be careful, grape varieties have evolved over the centuries, those of today are not those of yesterday, except perhaps for riesling.
Want to stay in an emblematic place steeped in history, linked to Alsace and Riquewihr wine?
On the Schoenenbourg, the Riesling is king.
The hillside of Schoenenbourg is located immediately north of Riquewihr. It is oriented to the south. Its exceptional terroir where gypsum is found, gives it very special aromas and an almost indestructible character (see above).
This terroir classified as Alsace Grand Cru has an area of 53.40 ha. Great connoisseurs and geologists know that these are Keuper, marly, dolomite and gypsous lands, rich in fertilising elements and that retain water well. They are covered with thin quaternary layers of siliceous pebbles of Vosges sandstone and Muschelkalk, while outcrops at the eastern end (on the Zellenberg side) of the Lias limestone marls.
On the Schoenenbourg, nowadays, Riesling is king. Muscat and pinot gris also succeed. But in the past, it was complantation that was the rule.
The Grands Crus Schoenenbourg, excellent wines of the guard, develop powerful and rich aromas. The Schoenenbourg requires patience. If, young, he already has a lot of charm, it is only after five to seven years of custody that he will really express his potential, to then retain his qualities for many years.
VIDEO
Want to stay just at the foot of the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg, in an emblematic place linked to the history of Alsace and Riquewihr wine?
The SPOREN of Riquewihr, another exceptional terroir…
With an area of 23.70 ha, the Sporen is mainly planted in Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris with still a little Riesling.
The archives of the Dukes of Württemberg already cite the Sporen in 1432. In 1580, Fischart gave it the first place among the wines of Alsace. After comparison with other renowned vintages, he concludes: “Doch gegen den Reichenweier Sporen haben Sie alle das Spiel verloren”.
(But against the Sporen of Riquewihr, they all lost the game).
While the Alsace Grand Cru appellations have only a few decades of seniority, the Sporen has been marketed under the name of its vintage for centuries.
Sporen wines are characterised by finesse and race, richness combined with elegance. These are remarkable ware wines.
At 275 m above sea level, the Sporen is a gently sloping natural circus oriented to the southeast. It is formed by clay-marly soils of Lias decalcified on the surface, exceptionally rich in phosphoric acid, precocity factor, and sign of quality.
The deep lands of the Sporen, sheltered from drought in the years when rains are rare, let the roots of the vine explore the soil in search of trace elements, factors of the complexity of wines.
Where to taste (and buy) the good wines of Riquewihr? Some addresses of winemakers / wineries in Riquewihr…
In Riquewihr there are some important estates, but, as everywhere in Alsace, most of them are small winemakers who work as a family. The largest estates have points of sale in the village where you can savour and buy at any time during the day.
Unlike many wine regions where the doors of winegrowers are often closed, especially on Sundays, here in Alsace, the warm welcome of winegrowers is a tradition whose vigour is easily seen when crossing the villages. The cellars and tasting rooms (called cellars here) are open, decorated and posters invite the passer-by to enter, even on Sundays.
In the small family properties, the winemaker himself or a family member will make you taste their wines. Unless you are a very large buyer / customer, it is not necessary to book well in advance. In principle, you just have to call the day before. The weather and work of the vine come to the fore anyway. This means that even if you had an appointment made long in advance, it could be called into question by the weather or an urgent intervention to be made in the vineyard.
Here are some addresses of Riquewihr winemakers, sorted in alphabetical order. All of them are family wineries.
AGAPÉ
Agapé means “love” in Greek. “This is what nature offers us every year, and it is the very essence of the winemaker’s work to celebrate this present,” says Vincent Sipp. Trained in agronomy in Wädenswilen, Switzerland, he worked on the family farm for 12 years before wanting to fly on his own by creating the Agapé estate (2007). The wines are organic, almost exclusively dry (except for a few wines from overrite harvests) and benefit from a very careful vinification. They are regularly noticed by specialised magazines.
Domaine Agapé, 10 Rue des Tuileries, 68340 Riquewihr
DOPFF AU MOULIN
In 2024, the Dopff family celebrates 450 years of viticulture in Riquewihr! Historically located in the heart of the old town of Riquewihr, the DOPFF House had to find a location to grow and settled in 1925 on the Lieu-Dit “Au Moulin”, at the eastern entrance of the village, at the foot of the famous “Schoenenberg” hill. With 70 hectares of vineyards, it has become over time the most important estate in the heart of the Alsace Grand Cru appellation with vineyards in Riquewihr but also Hunawihr, Mittelwihr and even Colmar and Turckheim. Dopff au Moulin is also THE pioneer of the great sparkling wines, namely the Crémants of Alsace. Extra-gross, raw or semi-dry, from various grape varieties, these are ten different vintages that will tickle your taste buds with their fine and festive bubbles.
The Domain has been in organic conversion since 2021.
Domaine DOPFF au MOULIN, 2 Av. Jacques Preiss, 68340 Riquewihr
FRÉDÉRIC ENGEL & FILS
At the top of the old town, between the Dolder tower and the high door, a very small family estate with an experience of 8 generations and very high quality wines. Note: their grands crus, grande garde wines, Sporen and Schoenenbourg, including a plot of very old vines, ungrafted, as was the case before the phylloxera (late 19th century, early 1900s).
Frédéric Engel & Fils, 36 Rue des Remparts, 68340 Riquewihr
LAURENCE ET PHILIPPE GREINER
The Greiner have been winemakers in Riquewihr from father to son for several centuries. Certified organic wines and artisanal methods, respectful of the environment and the ecosystem, to promote the return of wine to the natural. Very beautiful wines, including the inevitable grand cru Schoenenbourg, but also red wines from Pinot Noir and a surprising blend wine – cuvée de l’Archer – that I like very much. The estate has a shop on the main street of Riquewihr, where you can taste the wines of the house.
Domaine Laurence et Philippe Greiner, boutique au 26 Rue du Général de Gaulle, 68340 Riquewihr
HUGEL & FILS
At the Hugel estate, wine has been a family story since 1639! The cellars of the Hugel estate, located under buildings dating from the 16th century in the heart of the mediaeval city of Riquewihr, contain large oak barrels more than a century old, the oldest of which dates from 1715, recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest barrel still in use. The Hugel Family owns 30 hectares of vineyards, located on the best terroirs of Riquewihr, mainly classified as Grand Cru. Hugel is also a trader and buys nearly 100 ha of grapes grown by contract winegrowers. Nearly 90% of production goes to export to nearly 100 different countries.
Famille Hugel, 3 Rue de la 1ère Armée, 68340 Riquewihr
GUSTAVE JUNG & FILS
Nice wines to discover, offered in their wine bar located at the corner of the magnificent “skyscraper”, one of the highest half-timbered houses in Alsace.
Domaine Jung Gustave & Fils, Bar à Vins, 14 Rue du Général de Gaulle, 68340 Riquewihr
ROGER JUNG & FILS
Well-hidden family estate near the Catholic Church. Roger Jung took over his grandfather’s farm in 1961 and began to wine and develop his production in bottles. At that time, Roger exploited only one and a half hectares of vineyards. Today, by dint of hard work, his son Jacques is at the head of 11 hectares divided into many different plots and terroirs, whose grapes are vinified separately. First-rate vinification. To discover.
Vins Roger Jung & Fils, 23 Rue de la 1ère Armée, 68340 Riquewihr
MITTNACHT-KLACK
Small family estate with a beautiful diversity of terroirs in Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé. The wines are marketed with a few years of bottle, which makes it possible to taste mature wines, including the Grands Crus Sporen and Schoenenbourg (rare opportunity).
Vins Mittnacht-Klack, 8 Rue des Tuileries, 68340 Riquewihr
LA TOUR BLANCHE (DOMAINE DE)
The estate was established in 1628. Today and 13 generations later, it is Daniel Klack and his wife Estelle who are the winemakers. Daniel summarises his wines as follows: “they are rustic at first and very tender at the end, in the image of the winemaker!” The estate exploits 8 hectares of vineyards and produces its wines in the old historic cellar of Le Bailly, in oak barrels dating from 100 to 130 years old.
Domaine de la Tour Blanche, 18 Rue de la 1ère Armée, 68340 Riquewihr
DOMAINE TRAPET
When a Burgundian winemaker meets an Alsatian winemaker, what happens? Very great wines are born! The Trapet family has had one foot in Gevrey-Chambertin in Burgundy since 1859, the other in Riquewihr in Alsace since 2003. In 2017, Pierre, then Louis Trapet in 2018, joined the field to make their weapons and experiments. They are committed to giving the Alsatian grands crus the letters of nobility that come naturally back to them. You will see this by walking on the hillside of Schoenenbourg: the vine is driven in high stakes, with a sharply increasing density of vines, for superbly concentrated wines. The entire field is in biodynamics.
Domaine Jean et Jean-Louis Trapet, 14 Rue des Prés, 68340 Riquewihr
Where to taste (and buy) the good wines of Riquewihr? (Continued)
Some addresses of winemakers in the surrounding villages…
From the Middle Ages, the monasteries and nobles of Alsace competed for the precious plots of the Schoenenberg, the “beautiful hill”, which became Schoenenbourg. Everyone wanted to own part of this exceptional terroir, so that the hillside had to be strongly fragmented. From the 18th century, the bourgeois, notable and wealthy families of Colmar invested in the vineyard in Riquewihr. These landowners do not live in Riquewihr. They pay wine workers to exploit their vineyards. Among these owners was the Prince of Württemberg. The latter was always short of money. He managed to persuade Voltaire to lend him a round sum for a life annuity and a mortgage on the vine. Contrary to what can be read frequently, Voltaire has never been a direct owner of vineyards in Riquewihr. He made income from it through the prince.
Even today, excellent winemakers living outside Riquewihr own vineyards and make remarkable wines from them. Here are some addresses…
JEAN BECKER
In 1610, when Galileo discovered the satellites of the planet Jupiter, there was the first mention of a winemaker Becker in Zellenberg. As early as 1999, the 18 ha of vines were converted to organic farming. Very well-known area where you will find in particular the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg.
Domaine Jean Becker, 2 Rte d’Ostheim, 68340 Zellenberg
BOTT-GEYL
The Bott-Geyl estate was born a hundred years ago from the meeting of two wine-growing families long established in the heart of the Alsatian vineyard. Jean-Christophe Bott was designated “Winemaker of the Year” by the famous Gault & Millau guide. A beautiful grand cru Schoenenbourg to discover among a multitude of great wines.
Domaine Bott-Geyl, 1 Rue du Petit Château, 68980 Beblenheim
MARCEL DEISS
The Deiss come from a long line of winemakers, ironworkers and bell founders, installed in Alsace after the Province’s attachment to France. Currently the estate is managed by Mathieu Deiss assisted by his father Jean-Michel, an emblematic figure in the world of Alsace wine. The estate has been of all the fights for quality wines that express the terroir rather than the grape variety, biodynamics, very low yields, agroforestry…
Very great wines to discover absolutely, including a resolutely magical Schoenenbourg grand cru.
Domaine Marcel Deiss, 15 Rte du Vin, 68750 Bergheim
CHARLES SPARR
The estate was born in 2017, consisting of the heritage of vineyards brought together by the couple formed by Amélie Buecher, from a long line of winemakers and Charles Sparr, a child of a family of winegrowers and traders owning vineyards in Riquewihr. Certified organic in 2017 and then in biodynamics in 2019, their vineyard has four grands crus.
His wines, including a grand cru Schoenenbourg, are regularly noticed by magazines and journalists specialising in the world of wine.
Domaine Amélie et Charles Sparr, 21 Rue Sainte Gertrude, 68920 Wettolsheim
La Maison de Vigneron (museum)
At the west corner of the mediaeval rampart of 1291 facing the Schoenenbourg hill, the Tower of the Thieves was once the city’s prison. Converted into a museum by the Riquewihr Society of History and Archeology, it visits a guard room and an authentic torture chamber.
The tower communicates with a house of a winegrower MAISON DE VIGNERON (1563), backed by the rampart that forms an extension of the museum. We will see a kitchen with its old utensils, a bedroom with its furniture and wall decor, the cellar and the cellar where various tools and objects recall the work of the cooper and the winemaker. Don’t miss the documentary film on barrel making.
The Tower of the Thiefs and the House of Vigneron is accessed by the Rue des Juifs, at the top of the village.
A summer at Fanny Méquillet’s
Miss Fanny Méquillet was born in Colmar in 1865 and died in Geneva in 1950. It comes from an illustrious family of landowners and wise investors, originally from the country of Montbéliard, settled in Riquewihr since Jacques Frédéric Méquillet (1732-1777). She was a famous patron and benefactor of our city. A cultured woman and steeped in humanism, she is at the origin of many legacies and gifts, such as the magnificent Méquillet residence and the famous collection of old Méquillet wines, owned by the City of Riquewihr.
The Maison Méquillet is composed of a set of buildings and commons that revolve around a magnificent courtyard and part of which is backed by the former mediaeval roundabout.
During the summer and in recent years, as part of the “Estivales de Riquewihr”, the magnificent courtyard of Fanny Méquillet’s historic residence serves as a backdrop for evenings during which a local winemaker, a craftsman or musicians come to present their know-how.
From Saturday, June 8, 2024 to Sunday, September 29, 2024, a rich summer program of events invites you to Riquewihr. There is something for everyone: gastronomy, wines, music, history, heritage…
Want to stay in an emblematic place steeped in history, linked to Alsace and Riquewihr wine?
Hiking on the wine paths of the grands crus around Riquewihr…
To walk the terroirs that give birth to our great wines is a good way to put water, uh… wine in your mouth or to prolong your tasting. An even better idea is to get a beautiful bottle of one of our grands crus from one of the winemakers listed above, to put your picnic in a basket in the company of beautiful glasses and to savour it all on the wine trail!
Good to know…
- Wine trails are accessible all year round, including during the harvest period, provided you stay on the paths!
- In the hot season, don’t forget the hat, sunscreen and gourd!
- Do not go in city shoes or tongues (yes, yes, it has been seen…)
- In winter, a thermos with a hot drink will be welcome.
- Have a charged phone in your pocket…
By staying in one of our cottages, you can easily discover on foot the heart of the Riquewihr vineyard and neighbouring villages such as Hunawihr, Zellenberg, Beblenheim, Mittelwihr or Kientzheim. The bravest will even continue to Ribeauvillé or Kaysersberg, on the old pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostela.
The paths that cross the vineyards are very old and, from time to time, they have been maintained by the inhabitants. Winegrowers and bourgeois of the city participated in this work of general interest.
In the communal archives of Riquewihr, mention is thus made of the notable Simon Kiener who participated, in 1562, in the chore to repair the path that leads to Kientzheim. For two days, he carries materials and when the work is completed, the municipality distributes bread and wine to each worker. Even today, the members of the Riquewihr wine union meet regularly to maintain the roads.
VIDEO
Riquewihr in the fall and harvest period
Beyond words, discover the video we made that shows you the beauty of Riquewihr in the fall and a harvest morning on the hillside of Schoenenbourg. To be in the front row, nothing could be easier: stay in one of our vacation rentals in the Riquewihr Ramparts.
Choose yours and welcome!