Easter in Alsace
Over the Easter weekend we traveled to Holtzheim, a small village 15 min west of Strasbourg, France. LOTS of outdoor activities were planned, including easter egg hunts and family fun in the vineyards of Alsace....Unfortunately, the family time in the vineyards was not to be as the weather turned cold and it snowed. Dad DID get a chance to take a day with another wine lover along the wine route, however...

Holtzheim is in the Bas-Rhin, or lower Rhine. Lower, because it’s near the end of the river, not because it’s the northern part of the river. As for wine growing the Bas-Rhin has been the underachieving part of Alsace but because of this reputation you can find some good bargain in the great Reislings, Gewurtztraminers and Pinot Blancs of Alsace.

Almost due west of Holtzheim is Molsheim, the first town we checked out for producers. Molshiem, is famous for cars as well. It’s the home of Bugatti, and you can tour the factory that today make the world’s fastest and most expensive production car, the Veyron....

My friend tried to find Domaine Klingenfus, as he had had good luck with this small domain and their 2005 Gewurtz grand cru bruderthal received one star in the 2008 Guide Hachette. But no luck. We instead knocked on the door of Dom. G. Neumeyer. A lovely surprise as his 2007 riesling was alive and fresh with good ripeness (€7). The grand cru brunderthal Riesling and gewurtz were also lovely (€15).

It was a luck guess, because not only were his wines the best we tasted all day but he gave us free passes to the Wine expo in Paris this weekend; and it just so happened that I planned on going. See you in Paris Mr Neumeyer!