A Bocksbeutel is such a distinctive type of wine bottle that words fail me when it comes to describe it. So, I turned to the internet and found in Wiki: “a flattened ellipsoid.” (Try to remember that from geometry class.) Better yet, because “a picture is worth a thousand words,” I photographed a bottle.
What I Learned:
There are three distinct wine districts in the Franconian Wine Region: The Mainviereck, the Maindreieck and the Steigerwald. Vineyards here can face more challenges than elsewhere in the region. While the first two districts follow along the Main River, the Steigerwald wine district does not. This means that the climate-moderating effects of a river do not apply. Additionally, the highest vineyards in the Franconian wine region lie in this district, some at almost 400 meters above sea level. Therefore, the elevation, as well as the distance from the Main River means that spring weather effects can come later, and fall weather effects can come earlier, and have more impact, than elsewhere in this wine region.
Trail Name: Talauen-Radweg, T-6; – (See also Bocksbeuteltour AKA Bocksbeutelrunde below)
Trail Type: Middle distance; well-maintained and almost exclusively paved, marking on the trail good
Length:
Total – 26 kilometers/16 miles
Convenient to: Neustadt (Aisch) (about 35 miles northwest of Nuremberg), Bad Windsheim, Germany
Marking:
It should have been a bike ride with family. But we couldn’t find nearby bikes to rent. Then due to time and impending weather constraints, it had to be right then and there. So, in the end, it had to be a hike of the trail we intended to bike. And as we went along, I realized this circuit trail truly was ideal for bicycling as a family with young children (tweens, at the oldest), or with family members out of shape (or practice) biking.
From the shady parking area at the trailhead, which provided a great spot for a group preparing to embark on an adventure, the trail went along D8, the main road following the around the peninsula that is Anglars-Juillac, as defined by one of many loops created by the Lot River. The Lot River is famous for its sinuous course on its way to the Garonne, and its many twists and turns offer countless perspectives on the river and its landscapes. (If you want to make an easy half-mile detour to see the river, it is best to do so within a half mile of the trail’s start, following D67, before heading away from the water, and into the vineyards covering more than half of this peninsula.)
What I Learned
The Appellation Cahors Controlee is a small appellation in the Lot Department, in southwest France. Specifically, it is in the Lot River Valley, a sinuous river valley leading to the Garonne River further west. Located mostly west of the small town of Cahors, the vineyards, like Cahors, are located on peninsulas created by the Lot’s often extreme bends, which over the millennia, deposited alluvial soils. Amounting to less than 5000 hectares in total, the vineyards are devoted to only three varietals.
This is a red varietal only appellation. The main varietal is a grape of many names. Its most well-known name nowadays (thanks in part to its Argentinian success) is Malbec. In several regions of France, it may be known as Cot (with slight spelling variations), especially in the middle Loire, and in and around the Entre-Deux-Mers area of the Bordeaux wine region. In its home region, Quercy, it is also known as Auxerrois. (Not to be confused with the white varietal known as Auxerrois.)
Trail Name: Au Travers du Vignoble de Cahors (AKA 1)
Trail Type: Short-distance bicycle circuit; well-maintained with hard (paved or packed earth) surfaces; marking for this itinerary is very good.
Length:
Total – 6.3 kilometers/3.9 miles
Convenient to: Cahors
Marking:
Very well marked, if following clockwise, by rectangular green and white signs with a white stylized bicycle and rider, and a named trail sign in black lettering at the start. (See comments.)
If your vineyard hike is not chosen with care, you could end up on a trail that is just that: nothing but vines. While it is good for wine education trails (which are legion, but rather short), it can be less than enthralling for hikers. I am pleased to report that this month’s trail was full of bio-diverse flora, landscapes, views, and even had two very different settlements, a village and a hamlet, to enjoy.
I began in Moleto, a hamlet devoted to art, whose Italian and foreign artists live in residence. The hamlet bills itself as a sort of open-air museum. The wall of art is the first thing to notice. This hamlet had an annual arts festival, ArtMoleto, (before the pandemic), and its artists attracted some attention region-wide. There is a local bar, with a gorgeous location overlooking the valley, and a lovely restaurant in the local cantina. Unfortunately, both attractions were closed that day. Forewarned is forearmed – this hamlet can be deserted at times.
What I Learned
The Monferrato region in northern Italy has a long tradition of wine-making, pre-dating even the Romans. As the famous Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder noted, the Romans greatly appreciated the wine coming from the Muscat grape cultivated in the Monferrato as a varietal more resistant to cold weather.
Today, the Monferrato is one of Piedmont’s wine production districts. The DOC system recognizes various unique varietals and some interesting wine production techniques. The wines from here are not only high quality overall, but also indigenous to this area in some cases. I think it one of Italy’s more unknown and underrated wine districts.
