Alsace: Alsatian Wine Tasting Tour and Alsatian Lunch

At Au Péché Vigneron, wine comes with a meal, a family story, and a look at the working cellar. You’ll visit a winery run by the same family since 1778, see huge oak barrels dating from 1850, and follow the local winemaking process from grape to bottle. I like the old cellar and the fact that the winery now uses organic production. I also like the full Alsatian lunch, since it turns a tasting into a proper regional meal.

The main consideration is time. The entire visit lasts about 2.5 hours, and the cellar tour takes roughly one hour before lunch begins. That is a good pace for a relaxed outing, but it may feel slow if you want only a quick tasting or are trying to fit several villages into one day.

Key details at a glance

• A family winery dating to 1778: You’ll hear about several generations of winemaking at Au Péché Vigneron.
• Oak barrels from 1850: The cellar gives the visit a physical link to older Alsatian wine traditions.
• Organic production today: The winery combines long-used cellar methods with current organic practices.
• A full regional meal: Soup, Alsatian meat pie, cheeses, kougelhopf, and Bibeleskaes make this more than a snack with wine.
• Wine served with the meal: Each dish is accompanied by an Alsatian wine, followed by coffee or tea.
• English and French tours: A live guide leads the cellar visit in either language.

Why this Gertwiller winery visit is different

Alsace is known for white wines, half-timbered villages, and food with a strong Germanic influence. This visit brings those threads together in one small-scale family winery. You are not simply sitting at a tasting counter and moving on. The tour explains how wine is made, shows you the cellar, and then lets you taste the wines alongside local dishes.

The family history is unusually long. Au Péché Vigneron traces its winemaking tradition to 1778, while the cellar you visit dates to 1850. Those dates matter because they give the tour a real sense of place. You are learning about Alsatian wine inside a building connected to the local trade, not in a generic tasting room designed only for short visits.

The winery is now in organic production. The available information does not specify every farming method or certification detail, so you should not expect a technical presentation on organic viticulture unless you ask your guide. Still, it is useful context for anyone who wants to understand how an old family operation works today.

I especially like the pairing of the tour with lunch. A wine tasting can seem abstract if you only taste small pours one after another. Here, the meal gives you a practical sense of how Alsatian wine fits the regional table.

Finding Au Péché Vigneron in Gertwiller

The winery is at 156 Route de Strasbourg in Gertwiller. The directions are worth reading carefully because the entrance is not presented as a large, obvious winery gate. Stay on the main road, avoid turning onto the small street on the left, and look for the large parking lot.

The shop entrance is across the street from the parking area. It is a wooden cube between a purple house and a blue house. That is the visual clue to remember. If you arrive by car, this setup should make more sense once you know what to look for, but do not rely on spotting a grand vineyard entrance from the road.

The tour begins and ends at the same meeting point. That makes the outing easy to combine with your own plans in Alsace. You will not need to arrange a separate transfer after lunch, and the visit works well as a stop while touring the villages around Gertwiller.

The supplied details do not include transport from Strasbourg, Colmar, or another town. Plan on making your own way to the winery, and allow time to locate the wooden entrance before the scheduled start.

Inside the cellar with barrels from 1850

The guided cellar visit lasts about one hour. Your guide explains the traditional Alsatian winemaking process step by step, from the grapes through to the finished bottle. This is the part of the activity that gives the later tasting some meaning.

You should expect the tour to focus on the winery’s own process rather than on a broad lecture about every wine region in France. The cellar is the main setting, and the large oak barrels from 1850 are one of its most memorable features. They help you picture how wine was stored before modern tanks and equipment became common.

The age of the barrels does not mean that every bottle is aged in those barrels, and the available details do not promise that. Instead, think of them as part of the cellar’s working and historic character. Your guide can explain how they relate to the process used today.

The tour is led in French or English. That makes the visit accessible to English-speaking visitors, though the exact amount of technical detail can depend on the group and the questions you ask. If a particular part of winemaking interests you, this is a good setting to speak up.

I would pay attention to the transitions in the process. The value here is not just seeing old wood. It is understanding what happens between harvest and bottle, and then tasting the result a short time later.

Tasting Alsatian wines after the tour

The wine tasting follows the cellar visit. You taste wines made at the family winery, with the guide providing information about Alsace and its specialties. The supplied details do not list the exact varieties or number of wines, so you should not book this expecting a fixed menu of named bottles.

That lack of a detailed wine list is not necessarily a problem. It simply means the tasting can vary, and you should ask questions if you want to remember a particular bottle. Bottles are available for purchase at the end, giving you a chance to take home a wine you enjoyed.

The tasting is for adults aged 18 and over. Children can attend the wider meal activity, but they cannot participate in the wine tasting. This distinction matters for families, since the visit has a separate children’s menu.

Alsace wine is often associated with food, and this tasting makes that connection clear. Instead of treating wine as an isolated product, the visit leads naturally into lunch. You get a chance to compare the flavors in the glass with the salty, creamy, savory, and sweet foods on the table.

Do not expect the tasting to be the entire focus of the outing. The cellar tour and meal take up much of the 2.5-hour schedule. That balance is ideal if you want a cultural food stop, but less suitable if your main goal is a long, detailed tasting session.

The Alsatian lunch, course by course

The lunch takes place in the winery’s new themed dining space. Projected images appear on the walls, lounge music plays, and the room connects wine with the wider Alsace region. This is not a plain restaurant meal, but the available information does not suggest a formal fine-dining setting. Think of it as a relaxed regional meal built around the winery.

The menu begins with a soup. The specific soup is not stated, so it may vary. Soup is a simple opening, but it gives the meal a warm local start and lets the wine take a supporting role rather than overwhelming your palate immediately.

Next comes an Alsatian meat pie. This is one of the more substantial parts of the meal and a good introduction to the region’s hearty cooking. The description does not identify the exact filling or pastry style, so anyone with dietary restrictions should ask before eating.

A plate of different cheeses follows. Cheese is an especially useful course with Alsatian wine because it gives you a chance to notice how the same wine changes with food. Take your time here instead of treating it as a quick pause between courses.

Dessert includes two local specialties: a slice of kougelhopf and Bibeleskaes. Kougelhopf is a ring-shaped Alsatian cake, while Bibeleskaes is a creamy fromage blanc preparation. The pairing gives you two different endings, one baked and sweet, the other cool and dairy-based.

Coffee or tea finishes the meal. Wine accompanies each dish, and the combination of food, drinks, wall projections, and music makes lunch an important part of the visit rather than an afterthought.

What the meal means for the price

At $74 per person, this is not priced like a quick cellar tasting. You are paying for a guided tour, wine tasting, a full regional lunch, coffee or tea, and the setting of a family winery. The value improves if you would otherwise pay separately for a meal and a tasting during your day in Alsace.

The price is easier to justify for someone who wants an organized introduction to both wine and food. You do not need to research a winery, choose a restaurant, or figure out which Alsatian specialties to order. The experience gives you a ready-made sequence from cellar to table.

It may be less appealing if you are traveling on a tight budget, do not drink wine, or prefer to choose every course yourself. There is no indication that the price changes for someone who skips wine, and the meal is designed around wine pairings. Non-drinkers should confirm the arrangements before booking.

The 2.5-hour duration also affects the value. You are committing a meaningful part of your day, but you receive more than a brief tasting. If you enjoy slow meals and local food, the length works in your favor. If you are rushing between Gertwiller and nearby villages, schedule carefully.

Options for vegetarians and children

Vegetarian options are available, but you need to specify this in advance. Do not assume that the standard soup, meat pie, and cheese sequence will automatically be adjusted at the table. Send the request when booking so the winery can prepare the right meal.

Children have their own menu with knacks, vegetable chips, a drink, and dessert. The details also say you can choose not to register children in advance and let them select a menu on the spot. If you are traveling with a family, confirm how you want to handle the children’s meal before arrival.

Children cannot join the wine tasting, since participation in that part requires guests to be at least 18. The information does not say that children are excluded from the cellar tour or lunch, so the family setup appears designed to include them in the non-wine portions.

This makes the visit more flexible than a standard adult tasting. Still, the tour and meal together last 2.5 hours, so consider your child’s patience before booking. The children’s menu helps, but it does not shorten the cellar visit.

Who will enjoy this visit most

I would choose this experience if you want an introduction to Alsace that combines several subjects at once. It suits you especially well if you enjoy:

• Family-run wineries with a long local connection
• Traditional cellar methods and old winemaking equipment
• Regional food served in a set meal
• A relaxed pace rather than a quick tasting
• Learning in English or French
• Buying a bottle directly from the winery

It is also a good fit if you are visiting Gertwiller and want a planned midday stop. The visit begins and ends at the winery, so you can continue exploring afterward without changing meeting points.

You may want another type of activity if you are a serious wine collector looking for a detailed technical tasting. The provided details do not list individual grape varieties, vintages, or the number of tasting pours. This outing places equal weight on food, family history, and cellar tradition.

It may also be less suitable if you want a very private or highly customized visit. The price and schedule describe a set activity, and the meal follows a planned sequence. You can request a vegetarian option, but other changes are not specified.

Practical planning for your day

The visit is listed as 2.5 hours, with starting times available when you check the schedule. Build a little extra time around it for parking, finding the wooden entrance, and browsing bottles after coffee.

Wear something comfortable for the cellar. No special clothing is listed, and the activity is not described as strenuous. The main demand is simply giving yourself enough time to listen, taste, and eat without rushing.

You should also plan your drinking responsibly. Wine is served during the tasting and with each dish, so this is not a good activity to place before a long drive. The information does not provide a transport service, so arrange your return plans in advance if you will not have a designated driver.

The winery accepts bookings with payment later, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. That flexibility is useful in Alsace, where weather and changing day plans can affect village visits. Check the available start times before building the rest of your itinerary.

Should you book Au Péché Vigneron?

Book it if you want one well-organized stop that explains Alsatian wine, shows you a historic cellar, and feeds you a generous regional meal. The strongest reasons are the family tradition dating to 1778, the 1850 oak barrels, the organic production, and the chance to taste wine with dishes such as meat pie, local cheeses, kougelhopf, and Bibeleskaes.

At $74, the experience makes the most sense when you value the lunch as much as the tasting. I would recommend it to couples, food-focused visitors, and families who want a winery visit with a child-friendly meal option. I would hesitate only if you want a short tasting, a technical wine seminar, or a fully flexible restaurant menu.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour takes place at Au Péché Vigneron in Gertwiller, at 156 Route de Strasbourg.

How long does the activity last?

The full activity lasts 2.5 hours. The guided cellar tour takes about one hour, followed by approximately one hour focused on regional food.

What languages are available?

The live guide speaks French and English.

What is included in the price?

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

Are visitors allowed to taste wine at any age?

No. Participants must be at least 18 years old to take part in the wine tasting.

What food is served at lunch?

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

Are vegetarian meals available?

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

Is there a menu for children?

Yes. The children’s menu includes knacks, vegetable chips, a drink, and dessert.

Can I buy wine after the tour?

Yes. Bottles are available for purchase as a souvenir of the visit.

Where should I park and find the entrance?

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

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.