Maison du Vin

Riquewihr is a walled wine village in the foothills of the Vosges, on the Alsace Wine Route not far from Colmar, and the Maison du Vin belongs to a type of place found in nearly every wine town in the region: a point where visitors can learn about the local wines and taste or buy them. Detailed information about this particular house is limited, so it is best seen as a gateway to the village's wine culture rather than a museum with a fixed collection. What follows describes the setting, which is rich in its own right.

Riquewihr is often named among the most beautiful villages of France, and the nickname Pearl of the Vineyards suits it. Its main street, lined with half-timbered houses from the sixteenth century in pastel colours, runs between two gates and is full of carved doorways, oriel windows, wrought-iron signs and courtyards with wells and wooden balconies. The village escaped the worst of the wars that damaged much of Alsace, and so its old centre is unusually complete. For centuries it belonged to the counts of Württemberg, which explains its German-influenced architecture and its Protestant tradition, and it grew rich on wine.

The vineyards around the village produce some of the finest wines of Alsace. Riesling is the star, and the village has two grand cru slopes, Schoenenbourg and Sporen, where the grapes are grown on marl and gypsum soils that give wines of depth and structure. Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat grow here as well, and the area is also known for Crémant d'Alsace, the sparkling wine made by the traditional method. Several of the best-known family estates in Alsace have their cellars in Riquewihr, and tasting rooms are found along the main street and in the courtyards behind it, often in vaulted cellars cut into the hillside.

Besides wine, the village has other sights. The Tour des Voleurs, the Thieves' Tower, was used as a prison and holds a small display, and the Remparts de Riquewihr show how the village was defended. The Dolder tower rises over the main street and offers views from the top. The Église Saint-Nicolas and the Rue des Marchands add more to see. Beyond the walls, the Vignobles d'Alsace spread over the slopes, and the Wine Route links the village with Ribeauvillé, Kaysersberg and Colmar.

A visit usually takes two hours to half a day. It suits wine lovers, couples and anyone who enjoys picturesque places, though the village is crowded in summer and during the Christmas season, so go early or off-season.