FOUR wine districts, THREE wine regions, TWO rivers, and ONE valley – GO! It is all for the experiencing along Germany’s Taubertal on the wonderfully laid-out Wein Radreise Trail.
This long distance trail has six recommended stages (although I only biked stages 2, 3 and 4, from the famous Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Wertheim on the Main), and merges with other bike trails along the Tauber and Main Rivers, such as the Liebliches Taubertal, and the well-known Main Radweg. Combining these trails, you could easily spend a couple of weeks traversing much of the wine production areas of central Germany. Then, where the Main Bike Trail reaches the Rhine around Wiesbaden/Mainz, you could then follow part of the 800 mile-long Rhine Bike Trail either north or south… You get the picture: Germany can be a wine-loving cyclist’s paradise.
The approximately 120 kilometers I cycled, provided ample opportunity to taste different wines from three different wine regions. What an experience: These distinctive local wines don’t normally enter the wine market at large. That is not to say these wines are unknown. Two of the towns along the bike trail, Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Bad Mergentheim, are on the famous Romantic Road – a self-drive car itinerary (often covered by bus tours as well) completed by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. So chances are that visitors here have sampled these delicious wines.
Like the Romantic Road visitors, bikers following this trail will be charmed by a series of small villages featuring all the sights normally associated with a romantic vision of central Germany: pristine half-timbered houses, castles and palaces, baroque churches, fortified town walls, all set snugly in green and flowery oases.
My trip began with this vision, starting as it did in Rothenburg, perhaps the most famous, and most iconic, town along the Romantic Road. Dropping quickly from the high ground, the trail continues along the Tauber Valley, passing by quiet farms and hamlets. Be prepared for a couple of hills though before reaching flatter terrain on the other side of Creglingen. Even though it is on the Romantic Road, it is a quiet little town, and provides great opportunities for photos, without the crowds.
Following the Tauber from there to Roettingen, thence to Tauberrettersheim, was mostly along dedicated bike path as the river meandered through fields and quiet, shady copses. It was also a ride through a tiny corner of Bavaria, which meant in the Franken Maindreieck wine district.
Weikersheim is another well-known town on the Romantic Road, in part because of its castle-like palace, wonderful central market square surrounded by half-timbered buildings housing cafes and ice-cream shops, and well-preserved sections of its old walls. The trail led right through it. Artists working all sorts of media filled the square for a two day art festival, walking my bike, I looked at the art, safe in the knowledge that since transportation was an issue, I wouldn’t be tempted to buy anything. A band played somewhere in the background, occasionally heard over the busy din of the crowd.
The trail out of town followed along the south side of the river to Markelsheim. Here there is no doubt that this is a key wine village: vineyards cover the sunny hillsides, public decorations are wine-themed, and the list of vintners in town is large. A well-placed wine café on the main square looked very inviting, except for the threatening rain. So I pushed on to the day’s final destination.
Bad Mergentheim, another small town on the Romantic Road, was home to the knights of the Teutonic Order, which from approximately 1200 to 1800 enjoyed imperial patronage and an important crusading role both in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The mother church, monastery buildings and palace are still here, as well as a museum devoted to the history of the order. Near the monastery, I had my first wine of the day: a Wuerttemberg Kocher-Jagst-Tauber white from Markelsheim.
The next day began with an easy warm-up: flat, well-maintained bike path until Koenigshofen, where the trail diverged from the Liebliches Taubertal bike trail. It followed a bike trail rounding behind the hills hiding the little wine villages of Unterschuepf, Oberschuepf and Beckstein. While the ascent to Oberschuepf was a bit challenging, the ride and the views from the top of the ridge were worth it. So too was the village of Beckstein: where the local wine cooperative had a great display on the varietals and wines of the area, as well as a small tasting area. Coasting back to Lauda-Koenigshofen, a pleasant little town on the Tauber River, the trail continues to the outskirts of Tauberbischofsheim.
Leaving the river at Tauberbischofsheim, the trail reaches Koenigheim on the Odenwald Madonna Weg trail, and begins a shady climb to Kuelsheim, up to more vineyards, set here in bright red soil. The descent passes through more woods to rejoin the river and Liebliches Taubertal bike trail near Kloster Bronnbach, a 12th Century Cistercian monastery, with a wine shop stocking a great selection of local wines from various vintners.
This part of the trail is arguably the prettiest. Woods and streams, narrow valleys and a sudden, dramatic perspective on the castle high above Wertheim, which for centuries guarded the Tauber valley entrance, where the river emptied into the Main. When I saw the castle, I knew my end goal was near: a local Baden Tauberfranken white, perfectly chilled, on the market square under the castle, with the sounds of a music festival in the background!
