For a friends and family get-together in Alsace, The “Riesling-region” of France, we had a reservation at Antje and Patrick Schneider‘s Wistub du Sommelier in the pittoresque village Bergeim. I stumbled upon this restaurant when looking for an interesting place in the surroundings of Ribeauvillé and coincidently found a recommendation on someone’s facebook status, I think it was Panos Kakaviatos who was posting about a meal there – again, the blogosphere proves to be very useful.
We arrived in the region in the afternoon of a beautiful September day, and after checking in to our hotel, we were all set for a joyful dinner at the Wistub.
Wines are omnipresent
The interior is an aesthetic balancing act of traditional Alsace Wistub furniture within newly renovated rooms featuring modern lightning. With that much love to detail and in particular for wine – chalkboard menus and empty trophy bottles are to be seen – someone like me instantly feels at ease.
The food menu contains a panoply of homemade Alsacian specialties, mixed with a couple of French classics. A 5 course evening menu comes at a friendly 42 Euro. The wine list is exhaustive in the best that Alsace has to offer, with many bottles that are matured to perfection.
Refresher
2008 Altenberg de Bergbieten, Domaine Roland Schmitt – A good first wine. Lean, mineral with a steel-like freshness.
Starter-platter – a mix of the house’s starter specialties with a delicious Foie Gras, a great, spicy tartare that is very finely chopped. As well as a great Presskopf Terrine – that’s pig’s head..
2004 Geisberg Riesling, Domaine André Kientzler, Ribeauvillé – Superb first “serious” bottle, from a domaine that honestly I haven’t heard much about before. The nose develops intense petrol, in a way I haven’t had it in German Rieslings before, reminding the Diesel pump of a gas station. Loving it! On the palate this one shows opulent with a hint of residual sugar. An interesting discovery and I’ll have this estate on the back of my mind from now on (blogpost from Wine Terroirs here)
Risotto with crémant d’Alsace and Chanterelles and Parmesan Cheese.
2004 Schoffweg Riesling, Domaine Marcel Deiss – Encounters with Deiss wines are always to remember. The coplantation method (a post about an estate visit is about to come) often makes these wine intriguing in taste. Intensity and balance are somehow always given. This one had a smoky and seductive nose. On the palate I felt an analogy to the Greek natural gum Mastixa.
Suckling pig on Sauerkraut – tender, juicy and with a nice crust.
2004 Grand Cru Hengst, Domaine Josmeyer – another vineyard of repuation, another famous winemaker. Unfortunately I didn’t memorize my appreciation of it.
Cheese Course
2005 Gruenspiel, Domaine Marcel Deiss – Again, loss of detailed memory here. It was big, showed a big basket of fruit and lots of depth.
2008 Cuvée Ste Catherine, Domaine Weinbach – This one was supposed to be our bone dry reparatory wine. And it was indeed bone dry. Way too much for my taste actually. A Riesling with electric acidity (in a high voltage kind of way).
Beer – A Meteor Pils was then required for soothing my palate – it is a very tasty refresher with a complex hop nose and without a doubt among the better beers of this planet.
A great meal between rustic and refined, with great wines to match. Service by Antje Schneider was very dedicated – she’ll activate every last cell of her brain to find you the perfect wine match and is quite good at it. A wine restaurant to remember!
Wistub Du Sommelier
Antje et Patrick Schneider
51, Grand’Rue
68750 Bergheim
Tél : +33(0)3 89 73 69 99
Fax : +33(0)3 89 73 36 58
info@wistub-du-sommelier.com
Closed on wednesdays and thursdays
PS: If you’re looking for hotel accomodation, a superb recommendation is Hotel Du Haut-Koenigsbourg in Thannenkirch, just a 10 min cab ride away.
Steve and Regine John-Fetsch are running this lovely hotel on their own (they literally do everything on their own) and the rooms are just newly renovated, each one with a different beautiful decor and all with great comfort. Prices are extremly welcoming as well.
More impressions from Wistub du Sommelier:
Trophies
Housedog “Pinot” is watching
Some “Terroir”
