The vine is both the showcase and the richness of Riquewihr. It has ensured prosperity to the village for centuries. If its origins seem to date back to Roman times, it was in the Middle Ages that Riquewihr developed. When the city was elevated to the rank of town in 1291, ramparts were erected to protect the intramural farms. The wealthy wine merchants' half-timbered colored residences survived the two World Wars.