Introduction The interest in studying this case includes the long history of rural and wine tourism in Alsace, led by a well-endowed and sophisticated tourism department. For researchers and students of wine tourism, it is therefore a good best-practice model. The Alsace case clearly demonstrates how wine tourism – apparently a niche product – has multiple links and tendrils, reaching into many other sectors. The case shows how these links can be made to work effectively, driving cultural tourism, cultural events, outdoor activities and other forms of tourism. It also shows how quality experiences keep their appeal despite changing fashions. In Alsace, some very traditional forms of tourism have morphed into fashionable leisure activities, under the label of ‘slow tourism.’