Historic Barr house, founded in 1824, with Grand Cru holdings on Kirchberg de Barr, Kastelberg, Wiebelsberg and Zotzenberg, and one of the few outside the five-village pocket to bottle Klevener de Heiligenstein.
Signature wines: kirchberg-de-barr-riesling, kastelberg-riesling, klevener-de-heiligenstein
Address: 1 Rue Rotland, 67140 Barr, France, Alsace
Kientzheim-based estate (formerly Ammerschwihr) certified Demeter biodynamic since the 1990s, with parcels in four Grands Crus including a small Rangen de Thann holding.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings at the Kientzheim winery; appointments preferred.
Signature wines: schlossberg-riesling, kaefferkopf-gewurztraminer, rangen-de-thann-pinot-gris
Blienschwiller family domaine certified organic, working the granite Winzenberg slope at the southern end of the Dambach-la-Ville cluster.
Tasting: Daily cellar visits and tastings at the Blienschwiller winery.
Signature wines: winzenberg-riesling, pinot-gris-blienschwiller, gewurztraminer-cuvee-celine
Thirteen-generation Ribeauville house founded in 1626, source of Clos Sainte-Hune Riesling from the Rosacker Grand Cru and a long-standing reference for bone-dry Alsace Riesling.
Tasting: Cellar visits and seated tastings by appointment at the Ribeauville maison; reservations through the family website.
Signature wines: clos-sainte-hune, frederic-emile, reserve-personnelle
Tip: Tastings are by appointment; allow time to walk up to the Rosacker hill above Hunawihr where Clos Sainte-Hune sits.
Founded in 1639, the 13th-generation Riquewihr house that led the 1984 reform giving Alsace its Vendanges Tardives and Selection de Grains Nobles laws.
Tasting: Cellar tours and seated tastings at the Riquewihr house; appointments preferred.
Signature wines: schoenenbourg, vendanges-tardives-gewurztraminer, gentil
Tip: The Hugel Schoenenbourg Riesling sits below the family's cellars; the village walking route passes the foot of the Grand Cru.
Eguisheim winegrowers since 1580, the house that built the dry-style reputation of Alsace Gewurztraminer and Riesling and supplies many French three-star tables.
Tasting: Tastings by appointment at the Eguisheim house, central to the village ring.
Signature wines: comtes-d-eguisheim-gewurztraminer, comtes-d-eguisheim-riesling, cuvee-particuliere
Guebwiller estate spanning 130 hectares including 70 hectares of Grand Cru terraces on Kitterle, Kessler, Saering and Spiegel, a substantial Grand Cru holding under single ownership.
Tasting: Daily cellar visits and tastings at the Guebwiller estate; bookings via the website.
Signature wines: kitterle-riesling, kessler-gewurztraminer, saering-riesling
Tip: The Kitterle terraces above the cellar climb at angles up to 50 percent; the cellar visit walks part of the slope before tasting.
