Wine, film, and Christmas food in one stop. At Vins Zeyssolff – Au Péché Vigneron, I love the 180° video projected on centenary oak barrels, with sound that makes the cellar feel like a living set. I also like that the tasting flows right into a proper Alsatian meal, not just a quick snack.

One thing to consider: the Christmas-style menu includes foie gras. If you don’t eat it, you’ll want to plan ahead and ask how they can handle it when you book.

Key things to know before you go

• A wraparound 180° barrel film shows the winemaker’s work on centenary oak barrels, with sound and some mapping.
• Alsace wine tasting focuses on the region’s range, including wines and crémants.
• Christmas meal is included with a starter, a main choice, and dessert—plus Alsatian extras.
• Options exist for vegetarians (you specify upstream), with a vegetarian pie or a fish alternative mentioned.
• You leave with holiday gifts: a bottle of mulled wine and a piece of Alsatian gingerbread.
• Small group feel with a maximum size of 20 people and English offered.

Where this starts: Gertwiller, just outside central Strasbourg

This experience is in the Strasbourg area, but the meeting point is in Gertwiller: 156 Rte de Strasbourg, 67140 Gertwiller, France. It’s set up to be easy to reach, with public transport nearby, and the group stays small (up to 20 people). The tour runs about 2 hours 30 minutes, so it’s long enough to settle in, but short enough that you won’t lose your whole day.

You’ll also want to know it uses a mobile ticket. That’s handy during the holiday rush when everyone’s digging through emails. The session is offered in English, which matters here because the barrel film and the tasting explanations are the heart of the event.

If you’re timing your day, plan for a start-to-finish experience that ends back at the meeting point—no wandering required.

Au Péché Vigneron: the cellar film that’s the real “wow” moment

The first stop is Au Péché Vigneron – vins fins et Crémants d’Alsace ZEYSSOLFF, part of the Vins Zeyssolff operation. The tour starts by teaching you how Alsace wine is made and how the winemaker works—using two tools at once: video and a special setup in the cellar.

Here’s the cool part. You watch a video, then you move into a scenographic space where the film becomes 180° projected directly onto centenary oak barrels. In some sequences, the projection maps onto barrel surfaces, so the visuals feel linked to the place itself. Sound is part of the package too, which helps you follow along without it turning into a lecture you half-miss.

What that means for you: this isn’t just a “look at grapes” stop. It’s designed to get your attention before you taste anything. If you like learning by seeing—rather than memorizing facts—this format works well.

Possible drawback: if you’re sensitive to sound or prefer quiet tours, the cellar presentation may feel intense. It’s not described as a nightclub, but the sound design is specifically mentioned as part of creating a full sensory setting.

The tasting part: comparing Alsace styles with a guided set-up

After the cellar presentation, you move into the tasting experience built around Alsace wines. The description emphasizes a broad range—wine from Alsace and also Crémants (sparkling styles from the region). In other words, you’re not just doing one grape and calling it a day.

This is where the tour’s structure pays off. The film sets context for what you’re tasting, then you get to test that learning with actual pours. That’s the smart way to do it. Instead of tasting randomly, you’ll have a framework in your head: what’s coming, what it typically tastes like, and why it might be made that way.

One practical tip: if you’re driving or planning to keep your night going, treat the tasting like tasting—go slow, sip, and pace yourself. The tour includes a full meal later, so don’t let the first wines set the pace for the whole afternoon.

The Christmas meal: soup, foie gras, and your choice of main

This tour isn’t complete without food. During the experience, you’ll be served a Christmas-style meal that’s very Alsatian in feel, and it comes right after the tasting.

Starter: seasonal soup

You start with an appetizer described as a seasonal soup.

It sounds simple, but it’s actually useful on a wine tour. Warm soup settles your stomach and keeps the tastings from feeling like a jump straight into alcohol.

Then: a tasting plate featuring foie gras

Next comes a tasting plate that includes foie gras. That’s the point where dietary preferences matter most. If you don’t eat foie gras, plan to ask what can be arranged during booking, because the standard menu explicitly includes it as part of the tasting plate.

Main course: two paths—meat pie or vegetarian option

For your main, you get a choice:

• An Alsatian pie with meat, served with crudités and salad.
• A vegetarian option: a quiche with vegetables (the data says vegetarians should specify upstream).

The sample menu also mentions Riesling pie with crudités as a main example. Translation: expect a hot, savory Alsace-style pie experience, not just a salad-and-crumbs kind of dinner.

If you’re vegetarian and you’re unsure what you’ll get, confirm when booking that they have you marked for the vegetarian version. The vegetarian option is explicitly tied to giving details upstream.

Dessert: cheese, then the kougelhopf moment

Dessert is described in stages. The sample menu includes cheese, then ends with Alsatian sweets. You’ll finish with kougelhopf (a regional brioche-style cake) served with bibelaskaas/jam.

There are also mentions of Alsatian white cheese/jam and Alsatian brioche in the menu notes. You can think of the dessert as: something creamy or cheese-based paired with regional bread-cake flavor, then the crowd-favorite kougelhopf finish.

For me, this is where the tour feels like more than a marketing theme. Christmas in Alsace often centers on food you can taste and share. This menu is built for that.

What you get to take home: mulled wine and gingerbread

Many wine tours end with a polite goodbye. This one adds actual holiday take-home items. You leave with:

• A bottle of mulled wine
• A piece of Alsatian gingerbread

That matters for value. You’re not only paying for the tasting and meal—you’re also getting a small “bring the holiday home” bundle. Even if you only plan to sip the mulled wine slowly over the next few days, it turns the experience into a memory you can use.

Price and value: what $81.62 includes (and why that can feel fair)

At $81.62 per person, the price isn’t cheap in the simple, apples-to-apples way. But this tour isn’t just a tasting flight. It includes:

• Admission (ticket included)
• A guided tasting component focused on Alsace wines and Crémants
• A Christmas meal with starter, foie gras tasting plate, main choice, and dessert
• Holiday gifts (mulled wine bottle + gingerbread)
• An English-speaking experience in a group capped at 20

So you’re paying for an experience that stacks multiple value sources: education + tastings + sit-down meal + take-home items. If you were doing those pieces separately—meal at a restaurant plus wine tasting plus transport and time—you’d likely feel it more in your wallet.

Also, the 2.5-hour duration helps. You’re not rushing through three minutes of tasting and calling it a day. You have time to settle into the cellar presentation and still enjoy the food without feeling like you’re eating on the run.

Who should book this wine tour (and who might want to pass)

This is a great pick if you want an Alsace holiday experience that feels organized and meaningful without turning into a long day trip. It suits you if:

• You like structured wine tastings with context, not just random sips
• You want a Christmas meal that’s properly Alsatian (pies, kougelhopf, bibelaskaas/jam)
• You appreciate a short, guided group experience in the countryside area around Strasbourg
• You’re traveling with limited time and want a full package in about 2.5 hours

You might want to skip or at least think carefully if:

• You avoid foie gras and can’t find a clear alternative during booking
• You prefer very quiet tours (the cellar presentation includes sound design)
• You’re expecting a city walking tour in Strasbourg itself; the meeting point is in Gertwiller

Should you book Au Péché Vigneron for a holiday wine-and-food afternoon?

I’d book it if your goal is simple: taste Alsace wines, enjoy an attention-grabbing cellar film on centenary oak barrels, and then eat a real Christmas meal without stress. The “take-home” touch—mulled wine plus gingerbread—also makes it feel like more than a one-time ticket.

If your diet rules are strict around foie gras, don’t rely on guesswork. Ask when you book and get confirmation about what you’ll be served. Otherwise, this is the kind of Strasbourg-area experience that turns a holiday afternoon into something you can actually taste, not just read about.

FAQ

FAQ

Where is the meeting point for this tour?

The tour starts at 156 Rte de Strasbourg, 67140 Gertwiller, France, and ends back at the same meeting point.

How long is the wine tour, tasting, and Christmas meal?

The duration is about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Is the experience offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

Is a meal included, and what do you eat?

Yes. You’ll be served a seasonal soup, a tasting plate including foie gras, a main choice (Alsatian meat pie with crudités and salad, or a vegetarian option specified upstream), and dessert that includes kougelhopf with bibelaskaas/jam, along with cheese and other Alsatian sweet items noted in the sample menu.

Do you offer a vegetarian option?

A vegetarian option is available, and you need to specify it upstream. The main described vegetarian option is a quiche with vegetables.

Do you get anything to take home?

Yes. You receive a bottle of mulled wine and a piece of Alsatian gingerbread as a gift.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time (local time). If you cancel less than 24 hours before, the amount paid is not refunded.