Domaine des Vins d'Obernai

Obernai is one of the best-preserved small towns on the Alsace Wine Route, lying at the foot of the Vosges about thirty kilometres south of Strasbourg. Wine estates in and around the town offer tastings, and the wine culture of Obernai and the region is the setting for a visit.

Alsace is one of the few French wine regions that labels its wines by grape variety rather than by village. The leading varieties are Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris, which produce dry to rich white wines, together with Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Muscat and a small amount of Pinot Noir, the only red grape of the region. The sparkling Crémant d'Alsace is another speciality. The vineyards of the Obernai area lie on the slopes at the base of the Vosges, which shelter the vines from rain and give the region one of the driest climates in France. A tasting here is a good way to see how the same grape can express different soils.

Obernai's wine trade has deep roots. In the Middle Ages the town was a member of the Décapole, a league of ten free imperial cities in Alsace, and its merchants traded wine along the Rhine. The old centre keeps the marks of that prosperity. The Place du Marché is the centre of the town, with the Puits à Six Seaux, the six-bucket well, in front of the Hôtel de Ville, the Halle aux Blés, a former grain hall, and the Kapellturm, a medieval tower. Half-timbered houses line the narrow streets, and the Rue des Tonneliers, named for the coopers who made barrels, is a reminder of the wine trade.

Obernai also has a link to Saint Odile, the patron saint of Alsace, who is said to have been born near here and who gave her name to the Mont Sainte-Odile, the hilltop convent and the ancient Pagan Wall to the west. The Musée Historique d'Obernai and the Église Saint-Maurice are other points of interest.

If you plan a tasting, check the opening times and whether an appointment is needed, since small estates often have limited hours. The visit suits wine lovers, those following the Wine Route and anyone who likes to combine a tasting with an afternoon in a historic town. Drive responsibly or arrange a designated driver.