ENOTURISMO ENPRIMERAPERSONAALSACLA(2)

En la segunda parte de nuestro viaje a Alsacia, seguimos visitando esos paisajes idílicos, que aportan tranquilidad y un ritmo más lento que el de la gran ciudad cosmopolita. Más bodegas, más poblaciones, más restaurantes, …, más de todo… y a disfrutar de Alsacia!

@selectuswines

Our last stop had been Riquewihr, where we enjoyed a lovely Alsatian lunch at La Grappe d’Or restaurant. The next visit was a new winery in Wettolsheim recommended by our contributor and sommelier Guillermo Cruz.

It was a rainy afternoon with the perfect type of rain for a vineyard. The rain fell steadily, but it wasn’t pouring down, ideal for wetting the ground so the soil could gradually absorb the water. We were welcomed by Pauline, the daughter of Maurice Barthelme, the winery’s oenologist. She opened a few of their wines for us to taste and told us about the different vineyard plots owned by the winery. Both she and her mother had visits after ours, and since we wanted to learn more about the winery, she suggested we speak to Maurice. We couldn't have come up with a better idea. We were going to learn all about the winery first-hand and get to meet the oenologist in person.

Inside the large warehouse used as the winery, we toured the barrel room, bottling line, tools and vehicles for working in the field. Maurice, a big, tall guy (and former basketball player), seemed slightly reserved at first but warmed up as our conversation progressed. He explained how he ended up at the winery and the ups and downs of the business (family matters...). A “self-made” man within the wine industry, he has a clear objective: to make the best wines in Alsace. He told us a story about a typical wine producers’ dinner where each person brought wine with certain characteristics (type of grape, vintage, etc.), and he decided to bring one of his own. Everyone tasted the wines blind, and