Sip happens

The cellars of the Mosel Wine Museum in Bernkastle-Kues treat you to more than just historical facts. Handed a glass, a three-page list of 140 wines, and a pencil, I took my job in good spirits. Overwhelmed, I asked for the sweetest wines which narrowed down my task a little. The numbered list corresponds to the descriptions of each wine and winemaker posted on the wall and to the open bottles in the wine coolers for tasting. I made a lot of pour decisions. The more I tasted the more I realized why some labels included braille (low light in the cellars and all). Other than that I can’t remember a thing except I wished you were all there to enjoy it with me! Note to self: my favorites were Spatlese (late harvest) Riesling wines with a low alcohol content of 7.5%. I think. I might have to go back.

A Riesling to be here

The Mosel River region boasts 3000 small family wineries making mostly Riesling wines. We can thank the Romans for that too since they planted the first vineyards. The climate and steep, slate hillsides give the grapes a crisp sweetness. Wine is everywhere on the bike path — at trailside stands, at vending machines, and in wine cafes in every town. Being beer drinkers in this region feels a little like being a wine drinker at Octoberfest or a vegetarian at a Texas BBQ or a…(your analogy here). 

It’s about time

Each bend in the river reveals another fairytale town of half-timbered buildings and a castle on a hill. We go off route to explore as many as possible and climb every tower. Already spellbound, we wish we had twice as much time as we do. But we have many hours to pedal each day so we roll with it.

Fork in the road

Even more than a German breakfast buffet, we relish a river bicycle path. A few years ago we discovered the Danube River trail and this time we’re on the Mosel River riding from Trier to Koblenz. Our luggage will be waiting 35 miles downriver tonight so we’ve limited ourselves to only one fork in the road…to a kaffee and kuchen stop.

Let it reign

After a farewell happy hour to wish cousin Chris and Leipzig auf Wiedersehen, Arlo & I made our way to Trier, Germany, on the Mosel River where our weeklong bike ride begins. Trier brags about being the oldest city in Germany and shows off impressive Roman gates, baths, and a gladiator amphitheater (that was hidden under vineyards until recently). Our hotel made us feel royal with a “sky pool” and a breakfast feast fit for a king. Arlo said, “Everything. That’s what’s for breakfast.” Though I’ve enjoyed many a German breakfast buffet, this one takes the crown.

Stalk market

We arrived in Germany during Spargel (white asparagus) season and noticed that infatuated locals put it on special menus and make meals centered on the fat albino stalks. To grow it, the asparagus has to be hidden from the sun by burying it in dirt mounds and then carefully plucked by hand. All this makes it the most expensive vegetable. It then has to be peeled and delicately cooked. It’s also thicker, more fibrous, and harder to chew. The season is short…and not sweet. Maybe they should call it the Pale-o Diet.

Happy as a lark

Not to be outdone by Dresden’s stollen, Leipzig’s signature pastry, the Leipziger Lerche, also earned Saxonian Baker’s Guild protection. Originally the recipe called for actual lark songbirds, herbs, and vegetables mixed into a savory pastry. In 1720 alone, 400,000 birds bit the pastry dust. Thankfully the larks now have their own protection and credit the bakers for helping to preserve them by creating the new sweet version: Pastry dough filled with marzipan, a cherry inside symbolizing the heart of the bird, and a cross on top as a reminder of the bands once used to tie up the birds. They fly off the bakery shelves!

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