Alsace is a long way away… unless, that is, you happen to be reading this blog while relaxing in a WiFi-friendly café in northeastern France.
The region sits on the west bank of the Rhine River, bordering Switzerland and Germany. If you like historic architecture and multi-cultural experiences, you’ll embrace Alsace. And if you enjoy white wine, you’ll fall in love with Alsace.
But if a trip to this picturesque corner of France isn’t on your radar anytime soon, there’s another way to learn more about Alsatian wines: Attend the 7th annual Alsace Varietals Festival, which is set for February 18-19 in northern California’s bucolic Anderson Valley.
There, you’ll be able to taste the varietals that have made Alsace famous, including Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Muscat.
The festival schedule features a technical conference, a winemakers’ dinner and a grand tasting, each ticketed separately.
Check out the list of wineries and wine groups participating — you may recognize some of the names, as Vinesse has featured wines from several of them through the years…
- Bink
- Breggo Cellars
- Brooks
- Claudia Springs Winery
- Cutruzzola Vineyards
- Esterlina
- Foris
- Greenwood Ridge Vineyards
- Handley Cellars
- Husch Vineyards
- Lazy Creek Vineyards
- Londer Vineyards
- Navarro Vineyards
- Finger Lakes (New York) Wine Alliance
- New Zealand Winegrowers
- Philo Ridge Vineyards
- Toulouse Vineyards
- Valkenberg
- Robert Sinskey Vineyards
- Tatomer
- Thomas Fogarty Winery
A full list of events, including ticket prices, is available here (http://www.avwines.com/alsace-festival/).
If you can’t get to Alsace, the Anderson Valley isn’t a bad second choice.
