Patchwork of Kraichgau Fields
By Sulzfeld
Kuernbach
Ravensburg Castle
Contz
Kriachgau: Vineyards in a Glade
Cliffs of the Stromberg
Outside Contz
Gallery July 2018
Monthly Archives: July 2018
From the Moselle to the Mosel
The Moselle River is famed for its wines – German wines. But the Moselle actually begins in France, coming out of the Vosges Mountains, rolling along its way through the northeastern corner of France. Where France and Germany and Luxembourg meet, the Mosel begins, where all three countries lay claim to Moselle/Mosel wines of note. But this is not an article about German Mosel wines, nor about Luxembourg’s Moselle wines either, as they have already been done. (See here for Germany, and here for Luxembourg.) Rather, this is about the French Moselle wines and wine country, which is far less known, and quite new as an appellation.
Wine Notes: French Moselle
What I Learned
The year 2011 saw the creation of the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) Moselle. This AOC produces still white, red and rose wines. About 60 hectares and 20 communities participate in this newest of appellations. It falls in three distinct sections. One is by Sierck-les-Bains, where the Moselle first leaves French territory, heading into Germany and Luxembourg. A second is around the city of Metz, a bit further south. The third section is about 60 miles south from Sierck-les-Bains, around the town of Vic-sur-Seille.
Circuit de Stromberg: Trail in a Nutshell
Trail Name : Circuit de Stromberg (AKA: Boucle de Stromberg)
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; mostly hard surfaces, to include about 100 steps, somewhat maintained, but the route itself is only intermittently marked.
Length: 7.7 kilometers/4.75 miles
Convenient to: Thionville, France; Remich or Schengen, Luxembourg; Perl, Germany
Marking: Yellow rectangle/Red and white rectangles thru town/Red dot; as well as location and directional signposts
Tavern Touring
I must confess: I was not looking forward to this bike ride. It is not in a well-known wine area; actually, it’s not in a well-known area, period. The day was overcast and seemed to threaten rain. Once on the ground though, my mood improved, and kept improving as the miles sped by. (Or in some cases, crept by, as this is a hilly area to traverse on bicycle, the steep, hill-without-end between Grossvillars and Sternenfels coming to mind.)
Wine Notes: Baden-Wuerttemberg
What I Learned
Baden and Wuerttemberg were two different principalities, at one point in history. But in 1952, they joined to become one state in the Federal Republic of Germany. However, the wine regions of Baden and Wuerttemberg remain distinct. (There is no such thing as a Baden-Wuerttemberg wine region.) But in the northwest corner of the state, east of Karlsruhe, in a precinct named the Kraichgau, these two wine regions meet to form a complex mosaic of wine districts and noted growths.
Besen Tour: Trail in a Nutshell
Trail Name: Besen Tour
Trail Type: Medium distance cycling circuit; well-maintained and much of it paved surface, fairly good marking along the trail.
Length: 36.5 kilometers/ 22.5 miles
Convenient to: Karlsruhe, Pforzheim, or Heilbronn, Germany
Marking: A white square metal plaque with a broom and the words “Besen Tour”
