Hexed and purr-plexed

A ginger cat ran out to greet us on the bike trail foreshadowing our arrival at Zell where a big bubba black cat crossed our path. According to legend, three wine merchants were tasting wine to take back to Aachen and couldn’t decide which barrel of wine to buy. The winemaker’s black cat jumped up on one barrel and hissed at the merchants, fiercely defending the barrel. Seeing it as an omen, the merchants bought the whole barrel and bottled it with a drawing of a black cat with an arched back on the label. It was so popular that the merchants came back for more and more. The town trademarked the name Zeller Schwarze Katz for wine from this region and the rest is hiss-story. In Winningen, they remember the town’s witch hunts of the 17th century with a Weinhex (wine witch) who guards the cellars. Seems like they missed a good opportunity for their own spellbinding trademark. There’s always broom for improvement.

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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.