Far from Reims and Epernay, there is another Champagne. Not one of grand houses, and wealthy luxury firms. This district is a quiet, country-based one, and very much in touch with its roots. This is the Department of the Aube, close to Champagne’s border with Burgundy, with which it shares a passion for terroir. It was the terroir and the family run champagne houses here that I came to visit.
The Cote des Bars wine district lies between the small towns of Bar-sur-Seine and Bar-sur-Aube. The vineyards lie mostly on south-facing slopes. It is a very tranquil area, ideal for easy, relaxing hiking adventures. The trail I hiked was in a small village just south of Bar-sur-Seine. Celles-sur-Ource, like Bar-sur-Seine and Bar-sur-Aube, follows along a river, the Ource. This tiny river is a natural watershed for the area, and the trail took advantage by crossing it a couple of times, which provided nice opportunities to walk along the gently flowing waters.
Celles-sur-Ource: Little Village, Lots of Champagne Houses
Champagne, the sparkling wine, can only come from Champagne, the region, about 90 miles northeast of Paris. Although grapes were cultivated in this northern region of France as early as Roman times, the often cold, foggy climate worked to ensure that grape ripening was not consistent from year to year. Hence ripe grapes in Champagne were sought high and low to add to the big houses’ champagne blends.
But what constitutes the champagne producing area of Champagne? That was a contentious question at the turn of the 20th century. In 1911, such a question provoked massive riots. At issue was the right of the wine-makers in southern Champagne to use the champagne appellation for their sparkling wines made from their grapes.
Trail Name: Chemin du Vigneron (Wine-maker’s Trail)
Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit; well-maintained with hard (paved or packed earth) surfaces; marking for this itinerary is fairly consistent throughout, (but was missing in a couple of places in 2019).
Length:
Total – 11 kilometers/6.8 miles
Convenient to: Troyes, and Bar-sur-Seine, France
Marking: Yellow bands and white bands, as well as informative concrete posts in vineyards marking named vineyard areas
Sample Directional Marking for the TrailSample Informational Markers on the Trail
Chablis is a small town in the northwest corner of Burgundy, France. It is also an appellation. The appellation produces of some of the most delicious, mouth-watering, Chardonnay in the world. The town itself is surrounded by all of the seven grands crus in the appellation, and these were what I had come to see, and taste, of course.
Chablis
The Sept (Seven) Grands Crus trail delivered on its promise: I went through or along, or within sight of all seven. Less a hike, and more of a stroll, even the most hedonistic wine-taster, or gourmand who has spent decades indulging exclusively in the rich, buttery cuisine of this area, could complete this short trail. While not for everyone, (most people would be content simply to taste the wines on offer from multiple winemakers within the town), this trail will certainly interest Chablis wine-enthusiasts who have come to appreciate the land, the terroir, from which this nectar derives. I found it fascinating to see the lay of the land, the expositions, and the world-famous stone.
The Chablis wine sub-region is in Burgundy, a land of incredible wines. Further north and west than the rest of Burgundy, it is a cooler, wind-swept area, once covered for millennia by a vast sea. The local soil, soil known as Kimmeridgian, is a combination of clay and limestone. The limestone’s most notable aspect is the presence of fossilized seashells within it. As a result, the stones here have a unique note of salty chalk, giving the wine a crisp, clean, fresh mineral flavor notes not often found in Chardonnay from elsewhere.
Trail Name: Chablis – Les Sept Grands Crus/ Chablis – Les 7 Grands Crus (See comments below.)
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; trail surfaces mostly well-maintained and almost exclusively paved or hard-packed; marking on the trail was difficult to discern. (See comments below.)
With COVID 19-related travel restrictions and lockdowns, everybody’s ability to travel has made hiking and biking in Europe difficult, and impossible for me in 2020. So this month, I have decided to focus on some of my favorite hiking adventures. I will explain why I favor these adventures over some of the others, and let the photographs speak for themselves. You will note that sometimes the photos are taken in different seasons, and that is because I so enjoyed these wine regions (and their wines), I revisited them more than once. And I fervently hope that hikers, including myself, can travel to these areas in 2021!
1. The Place: Italy: Valtellina
The Activity: Hiking (or mountain-biking!) the 70-kilometer-long Via dei Terrazzamenti
Why this one: This moderately challenging hike offers absolutely stunning Alpine scenery, with several villages or hamlets to explore along the way, and diverse agricultural landscapes just to provide variety. The trail was moderately challenging, as there were several steep and relatively long inclines, but they were punctuated by relatively flat stretches, and even some descents. The scenery can speak for itself, and the villages and hamlets were quiet, charming, unspoiled locations in which to take a break, and enjoy the atmosphere. Sondrio is about in the middle, and a good place to base from, and makes a good place to break the hike until the next day. While I loved the fantastic Sentiero Valtellina bicycle trail (see details here) which parallels this trail, albeit along the north-facing side of the river valley, the Via dei Terrazzamenti won out because it was higher up, and on the south-facing mountains, thus passing through more vineyards.
Caveats: The quiet location means you might be challenged to find accommodation to your liking. It’s not that they didn’t have several nice hotels in Sondrio, Tirano and Morbegno. It is just that if you are looking for a resort, or even a five-star hotel, there won’t be any (as of January 2021).
Winning Wine Discovery: In Valtellina, the Nebbiolo grape is known as Chiavennasca. While it is vinified in several different ways, my favorite wine is the Sforzato di Valtellina. Like the famous Amarone di Valpolicella, these grapes are air-dried for a period of time after harvest but before being pressed. This results in a rich, highly flavorful red wine of great intensity and power.
Valtellina: Alpine Scenery on the Trail
On the Trail in Valtellina
Valtellina: Hiking Villages and Vineyards
2. The Place: France, Alsace, Riquewihr
The Activity: Hiking the 17-kilometer long Sentier Viticole des Grands Crus (See details here.)
Why this one: What is not to like? The trail is relatively easy, and its ingenious design of interconnecting loops within a big loop allows hikers to decide which loop to hike and how much to hike in any one day, while still basing in a single town. Also, this is one of the most popular areas of Alsace, and rightly so. The scenery is a pleasant mix of villages, vineyards, fields and not-so-distant tree-covered mountain tops. The six villages (Hunawihr, Bennwihr, Mittelwihr, Zellenberg, Beblenheim and Riquewihr), are all picture postcard worthy, and charming, once you explore them. The food is excellent, the wines deliciously diverse, and the lodgings varied and (usually) available. Alsace represents excellent values for the money in all three of these areas.
Caveats: As the hike is along one of the most visited sectors on the French Route des Vins d’Alsace, a 150+ kilometer long car route, it can be crowded in restaurants, hotels and parking lots in July and August with local day-trippers and summer vacationers, so plan ahead!
Winning Wine Discovery: Cremant d’Alsace – a sparkling wine made in the Champagne Method. I found that Cremant d’Alsace could be just as effervescent as Champagne, and, due to higher grape ripening levels overall, a bit smoother and fruitier on the palate. (It is also a lot less expensive – another plus!)
Alsace: A Fortified Church at Hunawihr
Alsace: Village of Zellenberg
Riquewihr: Streets Decked with Flowers and Vines
3. The Place: Germany, Middle Rhine (Mittelrhein)
The Activity: Hiking the 120-kilometer long Rheingauer Riesling Pfad (See details here.)
Why this one: The magic of the myths of the Middle Rhein come to life on this hike. Rising higher and higher along the hills lining the Rhine, the myth-making castles come into view. The perspective of a major river snaking its way through a canyon (from Kaub to Ruedesheim at least) is awe-inspiring, and every village is a fairy-tale unto itself. On northern half of the trail offers an especially diverse hiking experience as hikers pass through forests and glens, vineyards and fields. Another plus: While the hike itself is moderately challenging, the villages offer convenient public transportation, sometimes even via ferry, to your desired destination should need arise to break off – or take a break from – the hike.
Caveats: None, except to note that the while the winter temperatures remain mostly above freezing in the daytime, the weather can be rainy or overcast, especially from late fall to spring.
Winning Wine Discovery: Riesling! I had always found it thin and acidic. But here in its homeland, the area of the Moselle and Rheingau, it is rich, powerful, fruity and balanced. And that can be just the regular versions! Sweeter versions such as Spaetlese, and spectacular versions such as those coming from the Grosses Gewaechs (equivalent to Grand Cru status) can be mind-blowing for those who think they won’t like Riesling.
The Alsatians call their sparkling wines Cremant. But these were not the only bubbles (“bulles”) that I found along this “Bulles et Bugatti” cycling itinerary. There were wineries and taverns offering the Cremant of Alsace, of course. But equally enjoyable were the bubbling creeks along much of the way, from the Dachsteinerbach, the Bruche and its canal, the Mossig, Frankenbach and Kehlbach, finally, the Stillbach, (it wasn’t), a melodious stream bubbling its way to the Bruche.
Confluence: Stillbach, Muehlbach and the Bruche
The Bruche empties into the Ill, a tributary to the Rhine, by Strasbourg. Starting in the Vosges mountains, it ultimately flows by the vineyards in the foothills of the Vosges, before entering the flat fields surrounding Strasbourg. This geography lesson just to let you know that the itinerary did have some hills, but also some very flat stretches. Especially memorable for its peaceful, rural aspect was the section riding along the Bruche Canal, a paved and beautifully maintained bike path. It is even possible to follow this trail all the way to the heart of Strasbourg!
Along the Bruche Canal
But this itinerary also included the hills and dales in the heart of the Bas Rhin vineyards. Departing Molsheim, and passing Dachstein, a medieval walled and effectively moated village, the ride proceeds mostly on a flat bike path, which is a delight, to the canal. The hills begin where the canal ends, at Soulz-les Bains.
Dachstein: Manmade Walls, Natural Moat
As the name implies, there is a spa in Soulz, a small village with a wonderful bakery, and Lucien Doriath’s excellent restaurant dedicated to foie gras. (Don’t worry, you can work it all off while on the numerous hiking and cycling trails passing through the village.) In addition to the Bruche and its canal, the Mossig also runs through this area. In fact, this whole itinerary sits in a watershed, and water is impossible to avoid.
Sunlit Vineyards by Soulz-les-Bains
From Soulz, the itinerary climbs. As it does, vineyards replace fields, and the wine village of Bergbieten with its Grand Cru vineyard appears. Balbronn, another well-known wine village, is picturesquely surrounded by vineyards. Between there and Flexbourg, the higher elevations of the Vosges mountains come into view providing magnificent photo opportunities.
Beyond the Vines: Fields and Vosges
Once out of the hills, more rivers and streams appear. A marvelous confluence of several of these appear on the approach to Dinsheim sur Bruche. I cycled along the Stillbach, to where it joins the Bruche, then over the Muhlbach to cross the Bruche once again just before re-entering Molsheim. On the outskirts is the Bugatti factory. Bugatti was founded in Molsheim, and it still produces fantastic cars of distinction there. I must confess though, I saw few cars, much less Bugatti ones (the least expensive model starts at over two million dollars), while cycling, making this a relatively car free itinerary overall.
Molsheim: Bugatti Plant
Molsheim is a small town, but the largest in this area. It is known to the wine world as the site of the Grand Cru Bruderthal, a “production” site as much esteemed locally as the Bugatti plant. The town itself boasts a couple of charming squares, fronted by historic and attractive half-timbered buildings. It is a nice place to base, if spending some time in the area. It has several restaurants serving good food and local wines, as well as a couple of wineries. Fortunately, all food and wine offerings, even the Cremant d’Alsace wines, cost only miniscule fractions of the cost of a Bugatti, hence may be happily enjoyed by all!
The Alsatian wine region is famous throughout France, and the world. It is a great place to try excellent white wines, at very reasonable prices. In addition to the still wines made from the six main white varietals grown in Alsace – Riesling, Sylvaner, Gewuerztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris – sparkling wines are produced here.
Crémant is the name for the Alsatian sparkling wine made using the Champagne method. But unlike most Champagnes, Alsatian winemakers traditionally use Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling to produce the classic Alsatian crémant. (Riesling brings a nice touch of acidity, as well as fruitiness to the blend, and is a unique addition to French sparkling wines.)
Vintners here also make good use of some of the other appellation Alsatian varietals. Some cremants use Pinot Blanc exclusively. The Rose cremants are made with exclusively of Pinot Noir (the only red appellation varietal grown in Alsace). Additionally, for the specific Appellation Crémant d’Alsace, Auxerrois and Chardonnay grapes may be used.
The appellation Crémant d’Alsace dates to 1976, and currently represents almost a quarter of Alsace’s total wine production. While the most well-known Alsatian crémant producer is Wolfberger, located in the Haut Rhin department, there are some Bas Rhin producers who consistently produce excellent sparkling wine as well. In the Bas Rhin, the cooperative winery Cave du Roi Dagobert, produces a nice line of Crémant. (Their winery (in Traenheim, less than ten kilometers/six miles from Molsheim) offered a wonderful tasting of their Crémant line, but unfortunately, I lost my tasting notes. Suffice it to say, they were all delicious and very reasonably priced.)
What I Tasted
Crémant, Dagobert Prestige, Demi-Sec, Appellation Crémant d’ Alsace Controlee, Cave du Roi Dagobert (Traenheim): A semi-dry white sparkling wine with fine, swirling, persistent bubbles and light gold color; floral and yeast nose, with floral and toast flavors; very smooth with mild acidity.
Crémant, Chardonnay, Brut, Appellation Crémant d’Alsace Controlee, Domaine Robert Klingenfus (Molsheim): A dry white wine with very fine bubbles, and medium gold color; floral and slight yeast nose, with floral and bread flavors, medium acidity.
2018 Cuvee d’Antoine, Domaine Robert Klingenfus: A dry white wine cuvee (mostly Pinot Gris, and a bit of Riesling), with medium minus gold color; a Riesling nose, with pear and floral flavors, high minus acidity.
2018 Pinot Gris, Signature, Appellation Alsace Controlee. Domaine Robert Klingenfus (Molsheim): A dry white wine with medium plus reddish gold color; a rich floral and spicy nose, with flavors of ripe peaches, roses, and vanilla and nutmeg spice; medium acidity, very smooth finish
2015 Gewürztraminer Glintzberg, Vendanges Tardives, Domaine Anstotz et Fils (Balbronn): A dry white wine with dark gold color; rich aromatic nose, with powerful lychee and concentrated exotic fruits flavors; mild acidity. (201908)
2015 Riesling, Westerweingarten, AOC Alsace, Domaine Anstotz et Fils (Balbronn): A dry white wine with medium plus gold color; a mineral nose, and peach and spice flavors, with a hint of turpentine; medium plus acidity.
2011 Riesling, Altenberg de Bergbieten, Grand Cru, Appellation Alsace Controlee, Domaine Roland Schmitt: A dry white wine with medium gold color; intense nose of spice and white fruit; citrus, floral and spice flavors; a full-bodied wine with medium acidity. (Tasted in 2014)
