France, Hiking

A Tale of Two Pouillys I

 

Pouilly-Fume and Pouilly-Fuisse are two of my favorite French white wine appellations. Early in my wine-drinking career, I often confused the two. After all, the names are similar. But the wines themselves are from different regions, and quite distinctive. Therefore, I decided to hike the areas to get a closer look. I figured that visually there would inevitably be cues to keep the two villages, and hence the two wines, apart in my mind. This is the story of the first hike.

A hike through and around the village of Pouilly-sur-Loire is a hike through one of France’s best-known appellations: Pouilly-Fume. It lies in along the Upper Loire valley, practically across the river from another famous appellation: Sancerre. Unlike the other Pouilly, with its Chardonnay white wines under the Pouilly-Fuisse appellation, the Sauvignon Blanc varietal reigns supreme in the Pouilly-Fume wines of this region.

Pouilly-sur-Loire in the Rain

Continue reading A Tale of Two Pouillys I →

France, Wines

Wine Notes: Pouilly Fume

 

What I Learned:

The Pouilly-Fume appellation is located along the central section of the Loire river on the right bank. Seven communes, to include the main town in the area, Pouilly-sur-Loire, lie within the appellation. It is not a large appellation, as there are slightly less than 1400 hectares (about 3500 acres) planted within the appellation limits.

It is a very well-known white wine appellation. For centuries, the area has produced wines. Its tradition of wine-making dates to late Gallo-Roman times, and the wines been esteemed since the medieval era, although it wasn’t until 1937 that it obtained appellation status.

Continue reading Wine Notes: Pouilly Fume →

France, Hiking, Nutshell

De Loire en Vignes: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: De Loire en Vignes;

Trail Type: A medium distance circuit; varied surfaces, from grassy, or rough, to asphalted road; marking is spotty on the trail.

Length: Total – 12.84 kilometers/ 8 miles

Convenient to: Nevers or Sancerre, France

Marking: A combination of trail specific (yellow grapes on a white background, yellow directional marking, and nothing.)

Continue reading De Loire en Vignes: Trail in a Nutshell →

Germany, Hiking

A Cure with Wine and Romance

 

Feeling low on wine and romance? Then here is the cure: head to Bad Mergentheim. This delightful little spa town set in the valley of the Tauber, has water sources with the minerals that benefit the digestive system. Much as wine, in moderation, can do.

Small, and as remote (comparatively speaking) as it may be, chances are you have heard of it, or even driven through it. It is on the very first, and now the most famous, German car touring itinerary, the Romantic Road. This 200-plus mile itinerary stretches from the beautiful city to Wuerzburg, south to the Alps, passing through or by some of Germany’s most iconic attractions, quaintest villages, and spectacular scenery. The highlight in Bad Mergentheim is the imposing complex that once served as the headquarters of the Teutonic Order. (It now houses a museum detailing the history of the order, as well as local history.) It is here that the trail begins.

Deutscheordensmuseum

Continue reading A Cure with Wine and Romance →

Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Germany’s Tauber District

 

What I Learned

The Taubertal (Tauber (River) Valley) is a very diverse wine growing area. Following along the course of the river, upstream to downstream, you find 3 regions (Franconia, Baden and Wuerttemberg) and 4 districts represented: Franconia’s Mainviereck District, Baden’s Tauberfranken District, Wuerttemberg’s Kocher-Jagst-Tauber District, and Franconia’s Maindreieck District. All this within about 120 miles of a fairly narrow river valley! The frequent district changes reflect the diverse soils and growing conditions in each region. Of course, these differences result in a variety of unique wines produced along the Tauber.

Continue reading Wine Notes: Germany’s Tauber District →

Germany, Hiking, Nutshell

Kur und Wein: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Kur und Wein (Cure and Wine) – Rundwanderweg LT 17

Trail Type: Long distance circuit trail; variety of paved or hard-packed surfaces, to include stairs; well maintained, and fairly well-marked, once beyond Bismarckstrasse in Bad Mergentheim.

Length: Total: 16.25 kilometers/ 11 miles

Convenient to: Wuerzburg, Germany

Marking: LT 17 (and Panoramaweg in Bad Mergentheim)

Continue reading Kur und Wein: Trail in a Nutshell →

Hiking, Switzerland

Alpine Rhine Vines

 

The Rhine River valley has vineyards on both sides along much of its length. In four countries, (five, if you include a mere 30 acres in the Vorarlberg region of Austria), vineyards cover select slopes of various geologies and topographies. Five sections of the Rhine have vines: The Alpine, the High, the Upper, the Middle and the Lower. The Alpine Rhine, from Reichenau to Lake Constance, mostly flows through a mostly wide valley lined by Alps on either side. The Graubunden Canton north of Chur, the tiny country of Liechtenstein, and the Sankt Gallen Canton, all have vineyards on the slopes facing onto this section of the Rhine. Since I had already visited some of those vineyards on a hike in the Graubunden Canton, (see here) I decided to visit the Sankt Gallen Canton to see some of their vineyards, and to learn about some of their wines.

The Rhine, and its Canal by Au

Continue reading Alpine Rhine Vines →

Switzerland, Wines

Wine Notes: Switzerland’s Sankt Gallen

 

What I Learned

The Swiss Appellation d’Origine Controlee Sankt Gallen in eastern Switzerland, has two districts, both in Sankt Gallen Canton: the Oberland and the Rheintal. The Rheintal district lies on the west side of the Rhine River valley before it enters Lake Constance and consists of parcels in select spots between Rheineck and Rebstein, along with a smaller section by Bad Ragaz. Less than 130 hectares (320 acres) of vineyards exist in total. Planted on slopes that rise (somewhat steeply by Berneck and Pfaefers) from the valley floor, the highest vines are in Pfaefers. Mueller-Thurgau and Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) are the most planted varietals.

Continue reading Wine Notes: Switzerland’s Sankt Gallen →

Hiking, Nutshell, Switzerland

Monsteiner Rebweg: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Monsteiner Rebweg

Trail Type: A short distance circuit; well-maintained, partly paved, with stairs in places, good marking on the trail.

Length:

Original – 4.8 kilometers/ miles

Extension – 6.4 kilometers/ miles

Convenient to: Bregenz, Austria

Marking: Signs with the words “Monsteiner Rebweg”. See the photo above.

Continue reading Monsteiner Rebweg: Trail in a Nutshell →

Hiking and Biking European Wine Country