Tastings & Workshops
“Decouverte” Wine Tasting
A commented wine tasting (available in French or English or German) is a convivial way to spend an hour or so, to learn about and to appreciate Alsace wines in the unique setting of the 12th century stone-flagged ceremonial cellar.
One of the Confrérie Councillors will tutor 4 wines, each a “noble” Alsace grape variety, explaining their origin and characteristics, food pairings, with background details about the Alsace wine region and especially the history of the Confrérie Saint-Etienne and its Château.
A slice of Kougelhopf cake will be served during the tasting and – if possible – the Oenothèque, the historic wine cellar with more than 60 000 bottles going back to the 1834 vintage, may be visited.
CONDITIONS
Timing : around 75 minutes.
For groups of minimum 10 and maximum 120 people.
Available all year round. The Chancellery will be pleased to adapt this tasting to suit individual requirements.
OPTION
It is possible to serve finger-food to perfectly match each wine served, such as : egg-plant caviar on pancetta, red mullet on blini, foie-gras on gingerbread, Munster cheese with acacia honey…
“Solennelle” Wine Tasting – The Alsace Wine Ceremony
This is an unforgettable way to discover Alsace wines (available in French or English or German) in the unique setting of the 12th century stone-flagged cellar, theatrical, educational and enjoyable.
Members of the Grand Council in their ceremonial regalia (red robes, black tricorn hat and silver chain) will tutor a tasting of 5 Alsace wines, explaining their origin and characteristics, food pairings, with background details about the Alsace wine region and especially the history of the Confrérie Saint-Etienne and its Château.
A slice of Kougelhopf cake will be served during the tasting and – if possible – the Oenothèque, the historic wine cellar with more than 60 000 bottles going back to the 1834 vintage, may be visited.
CONDITIONS
Timing : around 90 minutes.
For groups of minimum 15 and maximum 150 people.
Available all year round. The Chancellery will be pleased to adapt this tasting to suit individual requirements.
OPTIONS
- It is possible to serve finger-food to perfectly match each wine served, such as : kebab of presskopf, egg-plant caviar on pancetta, red mullet on blini, foie-gras on gingerbread, Munster cheese with acacia honey…
- A welcome glass of Crémant d’Alsace can be served on arrival, before the wine tasting, either outdoors in the main courtyard, or in the gardens or in the cellar, depending on the weather.
- A ceremonial welcome and tasting interludes to the sound of hunting horns (if available).
- Educational wine competitions can be organized. Just one example, after the wine tasting, an older vintage will be served blind to guests and the person whose guess of grape variety and vintage is closest will win a bottle of that same wine from the Confrérie Oenothèque.
- Individual guests can be honoured by admission to the Confrérie, with the rank of Apprentice, after taking a convivial blind tasting test. They will receive the blue ribbon with a medallion, a diploma, plus the annual Confrérie newsletter and information about its various activities.
“Old Vintages” Tasting Workshop
Who better than the Confrérie Saint-Etienne with its extraordinary collection of historic wines to propel you back in time in a most agreeable way ?
After a tour of the Oenothèque, the unique wine cellar where more than 60 000 bottles of Alsace wines going back to the 1834 vintage are meticulously conserved, a seated tasting of old vintages is conducted around a table in the Chapter Room at the heart of the Château.
According to the theme you have chosen (a birth year, a company anniversary, a grape variety, a particular vintage, a specific vineyard terroir, the possibilities are endless) a dozen bottles will be opened, commented and discussed between guests in a convivial atmosphere. Savoury Kougelhopf or speciality breads will be served during the tasting, or other optional items on request.
CONDITIONS
Timing : around 2 hours.
For groups of minimum 8 and maximum 20 people.
Available all year round. The Chancellery will be pleased to tailor this presentation to suit individual requirements.
“Introduction to Alsace” Wine Tasting WORKSHOP
For anyone interested in wine in general, wishing to learn more, to understand their characteristics and subtleties, the Confrérie Saint-Etienne proposes a convivial introduction to the tasting of Alsace wines, conducted by a Confrérie Councillor, during a morning or afternoon session, covering :
- Tastes, flavours and general wine tasting principles
- Identification and classification of wine aromas
- Acidity, residual sugar, alcohol content and tannins
- Defects and alteration, estimating the age of a wine
- How to construct a commentary of a wine tasted
Learning about wine in a relaxed atmosphere, education has never been more fun !
CONDITIONS
Timing : around 3 to 4 hours.
For groups of minimum 8 and maximum 20 people.
Available all year round. The Chancellery will be pleased to tailor this presentation to suit individual requirements.
Chef’s Workshop – Alsace Wine & Food Pairing
A well-known Alsace chef will prepare and present dishes according to the chosen theme. Lasting an entire morning or afternoon, learn how to cook like a professional chef in a real chef’s kitchen, with an infinite choice of themes that can include some of the following suggestions :
- Gourmet snacking
- Preparing verrines
- Classic Alsace dishes updated
- Colourful menus
- Oriental specialities
- Vegetarian menus
- Celebration menus
- Foie-gras in all its forms
- Cheeses
- Or whatever else you choose…
After preparing the special menu, enjoy your creations with the chef and a Confrérie Councillor who will match the food with Alsace wines of various vintages chosen from the Oenothèque.
CONDITIONS
Timing : around 4 hours (3 hours cooking course and 1 hour food and wine tasting).
For groups of minimum 6 and maximum 12 people.
Available all year round. The Chancellery will be pleased to tailor this presentation to suit individual requirements. All necessary materials are supplied…
Dining at the Chateau
The Confrérie will be happy to organise a convivial lunch or dinner at the Château following your visit. Menu suggestions are available on request to suit all budgets. Prices include all drinks (wines with the Confrérie seal, mineral water, coffee) full service, materials and table or buffet decoration.
CONDITIONS
Meals are served either in the modern air-conditioned Schwendi Room for groups of from 50 to 180 guests, or in the traditional Chapter Room (wood-panelled and decorated with portraits of former Grand Masters) for groups of from 30 to 50 guests.
The Leyen Buffet can be served in the Caveau cellar (or outside if weather permits) for groups of minimum30 and maximum 260 guests. For more than 180 guests an extension is provided in the Dreyer room on the first floor.
A souvenir of your visit to the Chateau
The Confrérie offers a wide range of articles to purchase as a souvenir of your visit.
Bottles of wine and gift boxes
Bottles of unique Confrérie Saint-Etienne Alsace wines can be personalized with labels printed with your company logo, or other inscription, either individually or in gift boxes of 2, 3 or 4 bottles.
A l’unité ou en coffret : maisonnette alsacienne 2, 3 ou 4 bouteilles
The Confrerie boutique
Bottles of wine, branded wine accessories, sommelier aprons and a large selection of Alsace wine and gastronomy books, postcards and other souvenirs are available for purchase in our Boutique.
The Confrerie is also…
A wide range of personalised activities are available on demand to add an extra dimension to your visit to the Château, for example : a treasure-hunt in the village, e-bike and Segway ® tours of the region, archery lessons in the gardens, magicians, musical events, rooms for seminars and team-building, and wine tastings and cellar tours with our many winegrowing.