The wines of Alsace go in and out of fashion, but they remain some of the world’s finest. Fans of German Riesling will find much to love here, and Gewürztraminer reaches its peak in Alsace. The region’s one red, Pinot Noir, also deserves attention. Alsace’s Pinots have become richer and more deeply colored over the years. In contrast to the almost voluptuous Pinots coming out of Oregon these days and the earthy, serious wines produced by Burgundy, Alsace’s Pinots tend to be brighter and more minerally.

I certainly recommend visiting a winery or three while in the region. Seeing the vineyards and tasting the wine where it’s made gives you a deeper connection to it, one that’s hard to achieve any other way. But it’s also great fun to learn about Alsatian wines in a wine bar, where it’s possible to compare bottlings from different producers.

While in the delightful small city of Colmar, I visited three wine bars. A fourth, Japadeunon (24 Rue Stanislas), was inexplicably closed, and I didn’t have a chance to try it.