The grape harvest and the Alsace Wine Route: just a stone’s throw from our home

2. 2. Alsace harvest: a moment apart

In Alsace, the official start of the harvest is fixed each year by the ‘ban des vendanges’. The grapes intended for crémant are harvested first (to ensure freshness), then the other cuvées, and much later the ‘vendanges tardives’ and ‘sélections de grains nobles’, which must be picked by hand. This progression in the calendar is typical of Alsace vineyards.

Although the precise dates vary according to the vintage, the scene remains the same: a very lively industry, driven by winegrowers who adapt their practices (hand-picking on certain plots, mechanical harvesting authorised elsewhere) and by a large public, curious to understand what goes on behind the bottle.

2. 2. The Alsace wine route: 170 km of icons, at the gateway to Kochersberg

The Alsace Wine Route winds its way for around 170 km, from the north(Marlenheim) to the south(Thann), at the foot of the Vosges mountains. Half-timbered villages, hillside landscapes, open cellars, festivals: this is the red thread running through the regional art of living. Marlenheim, the Route’s “northern gateway”, lies right next to our region – ideal for a getaway.

As well as the landscapes, the Route showcases the diversity of the villages and terroirs: narrow streets lined with flowers, timber-framed houses and the panoramic views for which the vineyards are famous.

2. 2. Wine in the Kochersberg: a discreet but very real vineyard

The Kochersberg is not the ‘big’ wine-growing area of Alsace – historically, it has been more cereal-growing – but it does have some well-exposed hillsides and a few estates that are keeping the tradition alive. At Gimbrett, in the heart of the Kochersberg, Domaine Bohr has been cultivating vines for over half a century: the winery was set up in the 1960s, obtained its AOC in 1976 and now makes the most of its south-facing clay-limestone slopes.

Just a few kilometres from the Route’s “northern gateway” (Marlenheim), Domaine Vierling cultivates vines in Nordheim and Kuttolsheim, with a strong attachment to the Wangenberg hillside – a house speciality that is a hallmark of the estate’s style.

2. 2. Key figures: Alsace’s vineyards at a glance

• Surface area: around 15,600 hectares in production (recent order of magnitude confirmed by the DRAAF Grand Est).
• Weight of crémant: 41 million bottles sold in 2024, i.e. 34% of Alsace wine sales (long-term upward trend).
• Total sales: 123 million bottles sold in 2023 for Alsace wines (all categories), according to the regional industry contract.
• Exports: around 27% of Alsace volumes are exported; export sales are estimated at €155 million.
• Organic and environmental: around 35% of Alsace’s vineyards are farmed organically – a national record for a wine-growing region – and more than half of Alsace’s vineyards have HVE (High Environmental Value) certification.

These orders of magnitude help to put the vineyards in perspective: an average-sized region in France… but very dynamic in terms of bubbles (crémant) and environmental initiatives.

2. 2. Grape varieties and styles: an “alphabet” that’s easy for the public to understand

Alsace is simply explained by its grape varieties (often mentioned on the label): riesling, pinot blanc/auxerrois, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, muscats, sylvaner and pinot noir for reds and rosés. With the AOC Alsace, the AOC Alsace Grand Cru and the AOC Crémant d’Alsace, the range is easy to read for visitors. This teaching by grape variety is part of the region’s wine tourism appeal.

2. 2. Living on the road during the grape harvest: practical ideas close to home

• Start at Marlenheim: it’s the official northern gateway to the Route, and from our region it’s the most logical way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the grape harvest. Typical villages, signposted wine cellars and vineyard landscapes are all there for the taking.
• Alternate cellar and village: the Route is dotted with villages of unspoilt charm – perfect for varying tastings, photos and cultural breaks.
• Target “educational” stops: at Domaine Bohr (Gimbrett), a visit to the winery with a view of the vatting house provides a concrete explanation of the winemaking stages for a family audience; at Vierling, a tour of an emblematic hillside (Wangenberg) provides keys to the notion of terroir.
• Remain factual about the harvest: remind people on our media that the harvest ban sets the dates and that the plots destined for crémant start the ball rolling – useful information for understanding why some vines ‘move’ before others.

2. 2. Le “plus” du Kochersberg

Telling the story ofAlsace by road is one thing, but highlighting what the Kochersberg has to offer is even better. Here, the vineyards are more confidential, set in a varied agricultural landscape of hills, fields and orchards. The result is family-run estates where you can talk calmly, understand the impact of the southern exposure and clay-limestone soils, and taste the ‘local’ cuvées. It’s a way of showcasing both the authenticity of the area and its proximity to the Great Wine Route.