ALSACE - France 2014 - page 1431

Muscat is best as a before-dinner wine. Compared with other French muscat wines,
the Alsatian version is very dry, usually with a strong floral taste.
Gewürztraminer is “the lady's wine”—its bouquet is like a rosebush, its taste is
fruity, and its aftertaste is spicy—as its name implies ( gewürtz means “spice” in German).
Drink this with pâtés and local cheeses.
Pinot noir, the local red wine, is very light and fruity—if you want a red wine with
body, look beyond Alsace. Pinot noir is generally served chilled.
Crémant d'Alsace, the Alsatian sparkling wine, is very good—and much cheaper
than Champagne.
You'll also see eaux-de-vie, powerful fruit-flavored brandies—try the framboise
(raspberry) flavor.
In case you really get “Alsauced,” the French term for headache is mal à la tête .
Sights Along the Route du Vin
These sights are listed from south to north, in the order you'll encounter them if you're
headingnorthoutofColmar.TheexceptionistheVieil-ArmandWWIMemorial,whichis
to the south of Colmar.
Eguisheim
This is the most charming village of the region (described on here ) .
Turckheim
With a picturesque square and a garden-filled moat, this quiet town is refreshingly un-
touristy, just enough off the beaten path to be overlooked. Its 13th-century walls are some
of the oldest in the region. Once upon a time, all foreign commerce entered Turckheim
through its France Gate, which faces the train station. Today “foreign commerce” entering
the gate includes tourists. Just inside the wall you'll see the TI, offering a helpful town
map with a suggested stroll (Rue Wickram, tel. [phone], www.turckheim.com ) .
Turckheim has a rich history and has long been famous for its wines. It gained town
status in 1312, became a member of the Decapolis league of cities in 1354, and was dev-
astated in the Thirty Years' War. In the 18th century it was rebuilt, thanks to the energy of
Swiss immigrants. Reviving an old tradition, from May to October there's a town crier's
tour each evening at 22:00 (in German).
Turckheim's “Colmar Pocket” museum, chronicling the American push to take
Alsace from the Nazis, is a hit with WWII buffs (€3, minimal English information;
mid-April-mid-Oct Wed-Sat 14:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Mon-