Acting as a natural barrier against bad weather, the Vosges Mountains have a starring role in the success story of Alsatian wines. The east facing slopes are sunny warm and perfect for grape growing. The Kuehn family, based in the village of Ammerschwihr just north of Colmar, have been taking advantage of this microclimate for over 300 years and were instrumental in the creation of the Alsace Appellation in 1962.

A rich history and heritage sit well with oenologist Francis Klee who manages to combine traditional practices, such as the making wines in 100 year old oak casks, with a state of the art bottling facility which can clear 9000 bottles per hour. To the uninitiated, expecting wines both light in alcohol and body, a tasting comes as something of a surprise. The Kuehn wines are rich and racy, with weighty fruit and plenty of structure to stand up to the equally weighty local cuisine.