Thann, Alsace
Thann is a small village, which marks the southern point of Alsace’s route des vin (wine route). Its particular beauty comes from the river Thur which runs through the middle of the town, and the Vosges mountains which climb up sharply from the other side of the river.
The centre of the old town is dominated by a wonderful Gothic church, known as the La Collégiale Saint-Thiébaut. La Tour des Sorcières (The Witches’ Tower) is a tower in the old town walls, built in 1411, and houses a museum dedicated to winemaking. The ruins of the Engelbourg Castle, constructed in the 13th century, sit on a hill to the north of the old town.
This wine walker was pleasantly surprised to discover the Rangen vineyard, which is the only one in the region to be fully recognised as a Grand Cru. The vineyard climbs very sharply up the hillside, which attracts lots of sunshine.
The vineyard is planted with four exceptional grape varieties: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Muscat. Both dry and sweet wines, the latter being known as “vendange tardive” (late harvest).
On the day of my visit, end-March, the wine workers were ploughing the vineyards (see photo). They stopped me from climbing up because of the risk of falling rocks. That suited me fine, as I was a little tired due to jet lag and a very early start to the day. I will make a return visit when the leaves appear on the vines.