Colmar recommendations

K

Ken Schramm

Ken Schramm
Jean and I are headed to Colmar for three nights, starting on Monday, February 18. Other than the fact that we're staying at the Hôtel Le Colombier Suites (12 Rue de la Poissonnerie, 68000 Colmar), we have made no other commitments. We're looking for restaurant, day activity/winery and wine shop recommendations, particularly those who will ship our purchases to us.

Thanks in advance. We're also trying to make up our mind about heading down to Burgundy (Gevrey-Chambertin?) or east into Germany to visit Regensburg and Bamberg. I have a feeling I know what I will hear back on that, but please, comment at will.
 
Colmar and around has lots of great things. Here are a few to start (I assume the Isenheimer Altar/Museum Unterlinden is on your list already) :

http://www.epicurien-colmar.com is a nice wine bar with a fun list and tasty food.

A few minutes away is the covered market. https://www.marche-couvert-colmar.fr

One of the best affineurs anywhere (go to the store, but they are also in the market) http://www.fromagerie-st-nicolas.fr

Super nice wine store http://www.lasommeliere.fr (owned by the Tempe family, but many other great producers from Alsace and France)

A must is a trip to Christine Ferber to buy the amazing jams, but also superbe pastries, Terrines and Foie Gras (the glass jars are extremely good and keep well). https://www.christineferber.com

5 minutes from Ferber by foot is Albert Boxler. Better to call or email ahead and make an appointment.
ALBERT BOXLER, 78 rue des Trois-Epis 68230 NIEDERMORSCHWIHR, Tél : 03 89 27 11 32
domaine@albertboxler.fr

The other branch of the family has a nice Wistub in the village. Good for a snack or rustic meal. https://www.caveaumorakopf.fr

Close by in Kaysersberg you have obviously Domaine Weinbach and also Paul Blanck. The latter has regular store hours and makes an easy impromptu visit. http://www.blanck.com

Just a few minutes into the mountains from Kaysersberg is http://www.lecellierdesmontagnes.fr
They sell all kinds ofd items from local organic farms. So if you are keen on herbal teas, jams, honey etc it is a great place when in the neighborhood.

http://www.tavernealsacienne-familleguggenbuhl.com has a strong wine list.

http://armesfrance.fr was the big Rival of the Haeberlins in my youth. Now less ambitious but I am planning to go back myself. They still cook some of the classics like the dad's famous sole and noodles.

And I might repeat myself, but going 40 mins east into Germany to the Kaiserstuhl is very worthwhile.
https://www.weingut-holger-koch.de is one of my absolutely favorite wineries. And there are several other very good within 2o minutes.
https://www.franz-keller.de/en/ also make really good wines, but even more important have three restaurants. The Schwarze Adler has an epic wine list at very fair prices and you can eat classics like truffled chicken in salt (if you want it poached in a pigs bladder you need to order ahead).

I stop here, but there is much more...
 
Make sure to view some works by Martin Schongauer, Colmar's most accomplished resident. I know there are some of his works in places listed by Georg above but pardon my vagueness. As a reference point: it is known that both Durer and Michelangelo purchased and studied and admired Schongauer's work, and it is thought Rembrandt did as well.
 
originally posted by Tristan Welles:
Make sure to view some works by Martin Schongauer, Colmar's most accomplished resident. I know there are some of his works in place's listed by Georg above but pardon my vagueness. As a reference point: it is known that both Durer and Michelangelo purchased and studied and admired Schongauer's work, and it is thought Rembrandt did as well.
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Yes, the wonderful engravings for which he was most famous are at the Musee Unterlinden.
There is also an amazing painting of his called "Madonna in rose garden" at the church of the Dominicans right in city center.
 
originally posted by Ken Schramm:
Thanks in advance. We're also trying to make up our mind about heading down to Burgundy (Gevrey-Chambertin?) or east into Germany to visit Regensburg and Bamberg. I have a feeling I know what I will hear back on that, but please, comment at will.
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There's another option - the Jura mountains to the south. Baume-les-Messieurs and the Cirque de Baume, the valley of the Doubs, and Chateau Chalon are all very beautiful. Of course, in February enjoyment will depend on your appreciation of wintry landscapes.
 
Thanks George, and everyone.

Yes, the Musee Unterlinden was definitely on the docket, even though we had not slotted in a time. Probably day three, after we have our feet underneath us again, to do it justice. We will do some additional research on where else to cross paths with the work of Schongauer.

Being from Michigan, learning to find the beauty in winter is a prerequisite to a stable existence. I was just commenting this weekend on the joy of lower angle midday sunlight, the slight variations in the greens and browns of nature, and in the brief moments of blue sky we get to enjoy in January, February and March. These are days that wine and food make disproportionately better, as well, and thence Colmar.
 
originally posted by Ken Schramm:

Being from Michigan, learning to find the beauty in winter is a prerequisite to a stable existence. I was just commenting this weekend on the joy of lower angle midday sunlight, the slight variations in the greens and browns of nature, and in the brief moments of blue sky we get to enjoy in January, February and March. These are days that wine and food make disproportionately better, as well, and thence Colmar.
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Totally get it. The lower angle light does wonders in the Jura, but also Northern Burgundy. As a Michiganer, you might appreciate the pine forests of the Vosges even more. Good cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
 
not wine related, but in mulhouse is the cite d'automobile museum, formerly known as the wilhelm schlumpf museum. easily the candidate for the greatest automobile museum in the world. lots and lots of bugattis, including at least four of the six bugatti royales ever made. (recently there was a 7th created and it's there as well--i don't know the story there, but the first six hail from 1928 or so.)

for car nuts, it is truly mecca.
 
originally posted by georg lauer:
Colmar and around has lots of great things. Here are a few to start (I assume the Isenheimer Altar/Museum Unterlinden is on your list already) :

http://www.epicurien-colmar.com is a nice wine bar with a fun list and tasty food.

A few minutes away is the covered market. https://www.marche-couvert-colmar.fr

http://www.tavernealsacienne-familleguggenbuhl.com has a strong wine list.

I stop here, but there is much more...
Click to expand...

We went to the Unterlinden yesterday and it was terrific. The sandstone sculpture of Schongauer by Bartholdi is also inspiring.

We visited la Somelierre and picked up some selections I would never see in MoTown (Stephan was very cordial), and we had great meals and bottles at Taverne Alsacienne and Epicuriene. I am not ready to leave, but we are off to Regensburg today. This will not be our last visit to Colmar, so I will save regrets for another time.

Thanks again, Georg. Most helpful.
 
I am glad you had a nice time!

but we are off to Regensburg today.
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Make sure to visit Wurstkuchl.

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www.wurstkuchl.de

Oldest Sausage kitchen in the world (or so they say). Right on the Danube. It is fun to eat the sausages (grilled over pine cones) while standing outside. But you can also squeeze yourself in the tiny tavern where they serve more varieties of sausage. Everything incl bread and beer is really good.
 
originally posted by Christian Miller (CMM):
originally posted by Ken Schramm:

Being from Michigan, learning to find the beauty in winter is a prerequisite to a stable existence. I was just commenting this weekend on the joy of lower angle midday sunlight, the slight variations in the greens and browns of nature, and in the brief moments of blue sky we get to enjoy in January, February and March. These are days that wine and food make disproportionately better, as well, and thence Colmar.
Click to expand...

Totally get it. The lower angle light does wonders in the Jura, but also Northern Burgundy. As a Michiganer, you might appreciate the pine forests of the Vosges even more. Good cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
Click to expand...

ooh, what nice commentary
 
Last note: best bottle of the trip was a Gevrey Chambertin Domaine Armand Rousseau 2013 with dinner at Taverne Alsacienne. I dropped off a bottle of the Heart of Darkness for Jean Phillippe and the staff that evening, but there's no way we provided as much joy as they did. It was the best I could do, and I hope they liked it. That place is in my heart now, and those people, too.
 
Just seeing this now. Alsace is fantastic. Probably my favorite place on the planet to spend a week or a month or forever.

Sounds like you hit some of the high points, I recall one time in Riquewihr, we happened into a farmers market where a farmer had probably 20 varieties of honey, labelled by the predominant trees. Acacia, every sort of berry imaginable, etc. What a glorious experience, I had no idea how much of a vehicle honey was for the pollen source - but I suppose it makes sense. As a Mead wizard, I imagine that's no surprise to you but for me it was beyond memorable.

Simple, but eye-opening experiences were commonplace. We found epic Oussau d'Iraty at another market stand. I've had discussions here previously about the eggs and the cheeses for sale at Cora in northern Colmar. Of course as Georg mentioned, the Jams (and cookbooks) from Christine Ferber have spawned countless days of picking currants of all colors and making jams in our kitchen in the hope of putting 50% of the magic in the jar that she does on the regular. Even just a simple Haxaire muenster lait cru - or foie d'oie mi-cuit from the place at the bottom of the hill in Ribeauville lingers on to today in my mind.

Glad you had a memorable trip and I hope you get to do it again soon!
 
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