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Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, Alsace, France

Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg occupies a strategic position over the Alsace plains, the Vosges, the Black Forest and the Alps. It was originally constructed in the 12th century for the purpose of watching over the wine and wheat routes to the north and the silver and salt routes running east-west. The castle sits 700 meters high…

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Hunawihr, France

Hunawihr is a serene, walled hamlet set amidst endless stretches of vines. The 16th-century fortified church has served both the Catholic and Protestant communities since the 17th century. Hunawihr is where you’ll find the largest stork population: the Centre de Réintroduction Cigognes & Loutres houses 200 free-flying storks. When we visited, the center was closed…

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Katzenthal, France

There’s not a lot to Katzenthal except lots and lots of hills full of grand cru vines. The village consists of two streets that cross at the village fountain. Almost the entire town was rebuilt after World War II since 90% of it was destroyed during the Pocket of Colmar battle. Ruins of 13th-century Wineck…

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Église Sainte-Croix, Kaysersberg

Kaysersberg’s red sandstone church, Église Sainte-Croix, is right in the middle of town. It was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. The 13th-century west portal was built in Romanesque style, with arches and semicircular rows of columns. The 15th and 16th century construction resulted in a gothic style and features sweeping archways with decorated…

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Kaysersberg, France

Kaysersberg is another charming vineyard-enclosed medieval town with bright half-timbered 15th- and 16th-century houses and narrow pedestrian roads. The main industry is, of course, viticulture. The first vines were brought to Kaysersberg in the 16th century from Hungary. They originated from the Tokay vine, which now goes by the familiar name Pinot Gris. The ruins…

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Dopff au Moulin

The Dopff family has operated this winery for 13 generations. Today, three generations work side-by-side. Aside from award-winning wines, Dopff’s claim to fame was pioneering now-common Crémant d’Alsace. In the early 1900’s, Julien Dopff attended a seminar on Champagne-making and decided to give it a try with Alsatian wine. After training for two years in…