Alsace = Awesome

Today we spent on the road, taking the quiet little backroads through Alsace's wine region. Every few minutes, as we'd enter or leave a little village or turn another corner on the road, I sighed and said, "Oh, that's so pretty." I've said that so many times today I've lost count.

These are charming little Germanic villages, buildings tightly huddled together, surrounded by hillsides of vines. The vin caves, or wineries, are all within the little towns, and there are a dizzying number of them. With only the most basic knowledge of the names to look for, we've been following a 'hit-or-miss' method of choosing stops (today's tally: two hits, one miss). In addition to the houses that can offer 'Grand Crus', there are many other small vintners, often making simple table wines. Prices are ridiculously low (wines are about 5 Euro per bottle; the 'good stuff' run around 12), and we must look a little silly leaving the winery with just one or two bottles as many visitors are rolling out multiple cases.

We stopped for lunch in Obernai, and found a suitable winstub, La Dime (it filled quicky with locals and families, which is always a good sign). Scott ordered a traditional stew and I, a meat pie: both were really  delicious, although super filling. We thought we were ordering a lot, but when we saw the giant platters of chocroute and meats going by for other tables, we realized we were still on the side of sanity. This is a region that takes it's meat (and duck, and goose) products seriously. (Foie gras. Oh. My. So. Good.)

We're now settled in Ribeauville, in a hotel room overlooking the town square and a nearby chateau-topped hill (one of those shadowy medieval-type chateaus, not a pretty shiny one.) Scott has popped open a bottle of the very well-reviewed local cremant. Apparently this area does pretty well with thier bubbly, along with the well-know whites like Gewurztraminer and Riesling. Incidentally, there are as many of seven or nine accepted grape varietals in the area, all white except Pinot Noir. We're slowly working our way through...