Variety is the spice of life, as the saying goes – and this circuit trail proved the point. Landscapes as varied as meadows, fields and forest, hill and dale, streets, steps and dirt paths, and of course, vineyards and villages, all ranged along or near one of the most famous wine-growing riverscapes in the world: the Moselle River Valley. The variety and natural beauty of this trail will always enchant hikers with new vistas over each ridgeline, or views around each river bend.
What I Learned:
The Moselle River wineries are not that far from the Rhine river wineries in the Rheingau and the Rhein-Hesse wine regions, but they are figuratively speaking a world apart. Equally as proud of their line of products, which have centuries of tradition behind them, both river valley wine growers share something else in common: the cultivation of the Riesling grape as the single-most common varietal grown.
Trail Name: Grafschafter Weindoerferweg
Trail Type: Mid-distance hiking circuit; grassy pathway, steps, hard-packed gravel or paved in built up areas, well maintained and superbly marked.
Length: total: 18.5 kilometers/11.5 miles
Convenient to: Bernkastel-Kues, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Green is supposedly a calming color, I recalled as I cycled along Franciacorta’s Percorso Verde (Green Route). There could be some truth in that: The amount of green on this route seems to have created the most relaxed, carefree people I have met in a long time – and I count myself among that group on that delightful day.
I first noticed it in the town of Paratico, on the hill overlooking Lake Iseo. As I was photographing the incredibly blue lake spreading out in the distance, several runners came uphill behind me. Male and female, of all ages and sizes, they were obviously enjoying themselves on a group “fun-run”, and wanted me to photograph them as well.
What I Learned:
The wine region of Franciacorta was given a huge boost in the 11th Century with the arrival of monks, to include some from the famous French monastery of Cluny. Since then, the wines have only improved. The term Franciacorta can refer not only to the territory, but also the method of production. In recognition of its superior quality, wines from this region using the defined Franciacorta production techniques, were the first to be awarded the quality marking of DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), the highest rating in the Italian quality pyramid.
Trail Name(s): Franciacorta Brut/Itinerario 3/Percorso Verde (Green)
Trail Type: short distance cycling circuit; mostly hard-packed gravel or paved in built-up areas, well maintained and marked.
Length: total: 30 km/18 miles
Convenient to: Brescia, Lombardy, Italy Continue reading Franciacorta Brut: Trail in a Nutshell
