Alsace: Alsatian Wine Tasting Tour and Alsatian Lunch

Taste Alsace at its source. This 2.5-hour experience combines a family winery dating to 1778, a cellar with oak barrels from 1850, and a full Alsatian meal. I especially like the traditional cellar tour and the chance to taste wine alongside local food rather than treating the tasting as a stand-alone stop. I also like that the winery now uses organic production.

The main drawback is timing. Two and a half hours gives you a pleasant introduction, but not a long, leisurely winery visit. The tour is also based in Gertwiller, so you need to arrange your own way there and allow time to find the correct entrance.

Key points at a glance

• Barrels dating to 1850: See the older cellar and learn how wine moves from grape to bottle.
• Family winemaking since 1778: The visit connects present-day organic production with a long local tradition.
• A full Alsatian lunch: Expect soup, meat pie, cheeses, kougelhopf, Bibeleskaes, coffee or tea, and matching wines.
• A renovated cellar setting: The tasting takes place in a restored space rather than a plain shop counter.
• English and French guides: You can choose a tour in either language.
• Good value at $74: The price includes the tour, wine, lunch, dessert, coffee or tea, and regional information.

Arriving at Au Péché Vigneron in Gertwiller

The winery is called Au Péché Vigneron and sits at 156 Route de Strasbourg in Gertwiller. This is a practical stop if you have a car, with a large parking area near the winery.

Pay close attention to the directions. Stay on the main road and do not turn onto the small street on the left. Look for a wooden cube between a purple house and a blue house. The shop entrance is across the street from the parking area.

That description matters because the entrance may not look like a grand wine estate. You are looking for a compact wooden structure, not a dramatic château gate. Give yourself a few extra minutes before the start time, especially if you are driving through Gertwiller for the first time.

The tour begins and ends at the same location. There is no transport from another town, so this experience works best as part of a day exploring Gertwiller and the surrounding Alsace wine area.

A winery with roots reaching back to 1778

The family connection is one of the most appealing parts of the visit. The Zeyssolff family has been making wine since 1778, giving the tour a clear sense of place. This is not simply a tasting room presenting bottles from an anonymous producer.

You will hear how the winery operates today and how its work connects to older Alsatian methods. The production is now organic, which gives you useful context as you taste. The word organic can mean different things from one producer to another, so the guide’s explanation of the process helps make that detail more meaningful.

I like tours that explain how a local product is made before asking you to judge it in a glass. Here, the wine is tied to the family, the cellar, and the region. That makes the tasting easier to follow, even if you do not know much about Alsatian wine.

Inside the cellar with 1850 oak barrels

The guided cellar visit lasts about one hour. During that time, your guide explains the traditional winemaking process, following the path from grape to bottle.

The cellar itself is a major feature. It dates to 1850 and contains massive oak barrels from that period. These barrels provide a physical link to earlier generations of winemaking. You are not only hearing dates and family names. You are seeing the kind of equipment that helped shape the winery’s working life.

The guide explains each stage of production in the cellar. The exact amount of technical detail can depend on the questions you ask and the group, but the advertised focus is clear: you will learn how Alsatian wine is made and how the process continues today.

This is a good format for beginners. You do not need to arrive with a vocabulary list or a firm opinion about grape varieties. The tour builds a simple foundation first, then lets you taste the finished wine.

The restored cellar also gives the visit a more polished feel than a quick tasting at a counter. At the same time, this is still a working family winery, not a large commercial attraction with a long menu of add-on activities. If you prefer small-scale food and drink experiences, that balance should suit you.

The wine tasting after the cellar tour

After the cellar explanation, you taste the wines produced by the winery. The tasting is included in the price, along with information about Alsace and printed brochures.

The order is sensible: first see the cellar, then taste the results. You can pay attention to how the guide describes the wines and consider the connection between production and flavor. You also get a chance to ask questions in either French or English.

The available information does not specify the number of wines or the exact bottles served. That means you should not book this expecting a fixed, detailed tasting flight. The focus is on an introduction to Alsatian wine within the family winery rather than a formal lesson comparing every major appellation.

Wine tasting is limited to adults aged 18 and over. Children can attend the food portion with a children’s menu, but anyone joining the wine tasting must meet the age requirement.

Bottles are available for purchase at the end. That is useful if you find a wine you like and want a practical souvenir. You do not need to buy anything to complete the visit, but the option saves you from trying to track down the same bottle elsewhere.

A generous Alsatian meal in the winery

The second part lasts about one hour and centers on regional food. This is more than a plate of snacks with wine. You receive a series of Alsatian specialties, followed by coffee or tea.

The meal begins with a soup. Next comes an Alsatian meat pie, a filling local dish that gives the meal real substance. You then receive a plate of different cheeses, followed by two sweet and creamy specialties: a slice of kougelhopf and Bibeleskaes, a creamy Alsatian fromage blanc.

Kougelhopf is a ring-shaped Alsatian cake, often associated with the region’s baking traditions. Bibeleskaes is simpler and dairy-focused, with a fresh, creamy texture. Together, they give you a better sense of Alsatian food than a generic dessert would.

A wine accompanies each dish. This is one of the strongest parts of the experience because the food gives the tasting a clear purpose. You can see how wine fits into a local meal instead of tasting it in isolation.

Coffee or tea finishes the meal. It is a small detail, but it helps the lunch feel complete rather than rushed through as an extra added to the cellar visit.

The new room with projected images and lounge music

Lunch takes place in a new space designed around the winery’s connection to wine and tourism. Images are projected on the walls, and lounge music plays during the meal.

This setting will appeal to you if you enjoy a polished presentation along with traditional food. It creates a more theatrical dining room than the cellar alone. The room is designed to make the meal feel connected to the winery’s world.

The tradeoff is that the atmosphere may feel less old-fashioned than the historic cellar. If you want a silent meal in a centuries-old stone room, this may not be your ideal format. If you like some music and visual presentation while eating, it adds interest without changing the main focus: local food and wine.

Vegetarian and children’s choices

Vegetarian options are available, but you must request them in advance. Do not assume that the standard meal can be changed on the spot.

For children, the menu includes knacks, vegetable chips, a drink, and dessert. You can also choose not to register your children in advance and let them select a menu when you arrive. Since the wine tasting is restricted to adults, families should make their plans around the food portion and the age rule.

The standard meal includes meat pie and several dairy-based items, so advance notice is particularly important if you have dietary needs beyond the stated vegetarian option. The provided information does not list vegan, gluten-free, or allergy-specific menus.

Is $74 a fair price?

At $74 per person, the price is reasonable if you want both a cellar visit and a proper regional meal. You are paying for a one-hour guided tour, wine tasting, brochures, regional information, lunch, dessert, coffee or tea, and wines paired with the dishes.

A cheaper tasting may offer only a few pours and a short explanation. Here, the meal changes the value calculation. You are getting enough food to function as lunch, not just a small bite between samples.

The price is less attractive if your main goal is simply to buy a bottle or taste one or two wines. In that case, a full tour and meal may be more than you need. But if you want a compact introduction to Alsace in one stop, the combination is efficient.

The experience has a 4.9 rating from 46 reviews, with particular praise for the wines, food, and guide. That matches the structure of the visit: the tour gives you background, the tasting gives you wine, and the lunch makes the experience satisfying.

Who will enjoy this experience most?

I would recommend this tour to first-time visitors who want an easy introduction to Alsatian wine and food without spending a full day at a vineyard. The two-and-a-half-hour length fits neatly into a wider day in the region.

It also suits couples and small groups who enjoy sitting down for a regional meal after a cultural visit. The mix of historic cellar details and modern presentation gives the experience a broad appeal.

Food-focused visitors will appreciate the range of specialties. Wine beginners will like having the production process explained before tasting. Families can bring children for the food portion, provided they plan around the adult tasting rule.

You may want to skip it if you are seeking an extensive wine education, a long vineyard walk, or a highly technical tasting. None of those is the focus here. The experience stays compact, friendly, and centered on the winery, cellar, wine, and meal.

Practical advice before you book

Choose your language carefully when checking availability. Live guides are available in French and English, and the start times vary, so confirm the time that fits your day.

Plan your route to Gertwiller before leaving. The parking and entrance directions are specific, and the wooden cube between the purple and blue houses is the visual clue you need.

If you want a vegetarian meal, state that in advance. If you are bringing children, decide whether they will use the children’s menu or choose a meal when you arrive.

Wear something comfortable for the cellar visit. No special equipment is listed, but you will spend part of the experience walking through the winery before sitting down to eat.

The activity allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Alsace plans are still shifting.

Should you book Au Péché Vigneron?

Book this experience if you want a well-rounded Alsace introduction in a short block of time. The old oak barrels, family history since 1778, organic production, regional dishes, and wine pairings give you plenty for the $74 price.

The best reason to choose it is the combination. You are not only tasting wine, and you are not only eating lunch. You are learning how the wine is made, tasting it, then seeing how it works with local food.

Skip it if you want a long vineyard visit or a specialized tasting focused on technical comparison. For most visitors who want a friendly cellar tour, a filling Alsatian meal, and a clear sense of local tradition, this is a strong choice.

FAQ

Where does the Alsatian wine tour begin?

It begins at Au Péché Vigneron, located at 156 Route de Strasbourg in Gertwiller.

How do I find the winery entrance?

Stay on the main road and do not turn onto the small street on the left. Park in the large parking area, then look across the street for a wooden cube between a purple house and a blue house.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts about 2.5 hours. The guided cellar tour takes about one hour, and the regional food portion takes about one hour.

What languages are available?

Live guides are available in French and English.

What is included in the price?

The price includes Alsatian wine, a guided cellar tour, brochures, information about the Alsace region, lunch, dessert, and coffee or tea.

What food is served at lunch?

The meal includes soup, Alsatian meat pie, assorted cheeses, a slice of kougelhopf, Bibeleskaes, coffee or tea, and wine served with each dish.

Are vegetarian options available?

Yes. Vegetarian options are available, but you should request one in advance.

Can children join the experience?

Yes. Children can have a menu with knacks, vegetable chips, a drink, and dessert. They can also choose a menu on the spot if you do not register them in advance.

Is there an age limit for the wine tasting?

Yes. Participants must be at least 18 years old to take part in the wine tasting.