Alsace wines have always enjoyed worldwide recognition for their finesse and elegance. Their iconic AOCs are sought for their crispness, finesse and their fine and intense aromas of fruit, flowers, spices and mineral nuances. Alsace wines come from seven main grape varieties: Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir. Always presented in the slender Alsace flute, they must be bottled where they have been produced. Inaugurated in 1953, the Alsace Wine Route is one of the oldest Wine Routes in France, open year-round and offering visitors numerous wine-related activities. It extends over a staggering 170km, from the north to the south of the region and crosses 70 wine-growing villages. From April to October, the villages take turns organizing wine and grape harvest festivals.