Riesling is one of my favorite grapes, although it’s often misunderstood by those who think it’s uniformly sweet and unsophisticated. I went to Alsace—the vineyard-rich region of northeastern France—expecting to spend my days savoring it, from cellar tastings to wine-paired dinners stretching late into the night. With its storybook villages, deep food traditions, and abundance of small wineries, the place seemed made for that kind of trip.