Raise a glass to Alsace

LAWRENCE GOLDSMITH follows a tasteful wine trail where he also samples the region's rich history

- By Lawrence Goldsmith

“NO joking... it IS him,” my friend insisted. But I wasn’t convinced. From where we were sitting we could see right into the kitchen and she was sure it was Gordon Ramsay running the show.

And because we were in a two Michelin star restaurant Jy’s in Colmar, France, enjoying an exquisite seven-course meal paired with local wines, it wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility that it could be the angry TV chef doing the cooking.

But it turned out to be a chef called Jean-Yves Schillinger who was the spitting image of his Scottish counterpart. And when we spoke to him after our meal, he told us he is routinely mistaken for Ramsay.

He can certainly cook just as well. His restaurant is attached to the luxurious L'Esquisse Hotel & Spa Colmar - MGallery Collection in Colmar which is in the glorious Alsace region of France.

Colmar is the start of the Alsace Wine Trail which was established as a tourist trail in 1953 and winds more than 170 miles from north to south passing through nearly 70 wine producing villages and more than 1,000 producers who open their doors to visitors. It is a handsome town compact enough to get around on foot.

We started our day at the Art Museum, which houses the famous Isenheim Altarpiece. This 14th-century painting was moved to Colmar in 1793 and has undergone extensive restoration ever since. It is now on display in all its eye-popping glory. Other artistic treasures on display include works by Picasso and Renoir (Musee-unterlinden. com, £10 per adult).

Starving after all this art and culture we headed to Wistub Brenner - a restaurant in the Little Venice area of the town - for lunch. I had a nice view of the photogenic canals as I enjoyed my excellent braised beef and herbs.