Past Events – 2007

Trip: Alsace - Strasbourg and the Route du Vin

1-5 July

After flying out from London to Basle, a group of Bailliage de Wessex members really started this trip with lunch by the Cathedral in Strasbourg.

Over the next 5 days the group travelled down the extremely pretty Route du Vin, stopping overnight first in Obernai to dine in the Michelin-starred Bistro des Saveurs with Chef Thierry Schwartz.

During the following days we were welcomed by the owners of the seven "Grandes Maisons d'Alsace", family-owned and considered by many to be the best wineries in Alsace: Trimbach, Dopff, Mure, Schlumberger, Josmeyer, Hegel and Leon Beyer. We enjoyed wonderful trips through old underground cellars, followed by structured tastings.

The week before, Alsace suffered a very rare hail storm which badly damaged vines in the central vineyards. Happily, the key Grand Cru's escaped. We, however, had our sightseeing curtailed by the rain.

At subsequent evenings, we dined at The Clos St Vincent in Ribeauville, a rising star in the Guide Michelin, Le Maximillien in Zellenberg, with a great meal prepared by Michelin Starred Chef Jean-Michel Eblin, and finally our closing dinner at the justly famous Auberge de l'Ill in Illhaeusern. This last restaurant, run by Paul and Jean-Pierre Haeberlin, has held Three Michelin Stars for over 40 years - what a record !!!!

The restaurant, which sits in delightful gardens running down to the River Ill, had been re-modelled since our last visit and provided a most relaxed ambiance. The menu created by Paul was matched, course for course, with wines from the personal cellars of the Grandes Maisons.

The service, as always was impecable, to the point that when we were joined unexpectedly by octogenarian Jean "Johnny" Hugel, the staff immediately created a new place - just as if people often dropped in for dinner, despite the normal three month waiting list!

A thoroughly enjoyable trip meeting great people who were aiming for the highest quality in their foods and wines. Bravo Alsace.

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