Tag Archives: Vineyards

Afloat on the Rhine and Moselle

A dream river voyage on the Scenic Opal spotlights cozy towns in the heart of Europe

By Randy Mink

With its half-timbered houses, tangle of cobbled alleyways and picture-perfect castle perched on a crag high above the market square, the German village of Cochem struck me as something plucked from a medieval fairy tale.

Almost too good to be true, the Moselle River town of 5,500 was one of several stops on “Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle,” a seven-night cruise itinerary offered by Scenic, an Australia-based company with 12 luxury river ships in Europe. My brother and I were aboard the 163-passenger Scenic Opal, our floating hotel for the week.

Happily, in Cochem and some other ports of call, the historic town centers lay just steps from the ship’s gangway. I love being in the middle of everything within minutes of disembarking.

Clockwise: The Moselle River town of Cochem, Germany, as seen from hilltop Reichsburg Castle. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)
Reichsburg Castle looms high above the Moselle River town of Cochem.  (Larry Mink Photo)
Cochem charms visitors with its ancient, half-timbered buildings. (Randy Mink Photo)

Because of my ancestry and the fact that my first trip to Europe was a summer German language program in Austria, I’ve always had an affinity for German-speaking countries. Until this cruise, however, I had never been to the Rhine or Moselle valleys.

It was the Moselle’s inclusion that steered me to the itinerary, as not all Rhine cruises venture to this narrower, slower-moving, more intimate tributary, which twists and turns more than 100 picturesque miles between the German cities of Trier and Koblenz. Many Rhine journeys spend time in the more industrial stretches to the north.

I also liked this particular circuit because it touched four countries. Besides shore excursions in Germany, Scenic offered tours in France and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The cruise ended in Basel, Switzerland, where we stayed two nights in a hotel before flying home.

The Rhine travels nearly 800 miles from the Swiss Alps to Rotterdam on the North Sea, forming the border of southwestern Germany and eastern France. From the Vosges Mountains, the Moselle flows through northeastern France and Luxembourg to Germany, joining the Rhine at Koblenz, our first port after embarking the day before at Mainz, a city of 200,000 about 40 minutes from the Frankfurt airport.

Both waterways dish up a passing parade of vineyard-covered slopes, hilltop castles and idyllic towns with gabled houses, church steeples and leafy riverside promenades—an eye-popping feast for those of us who thronged the railings or drank it in from deck chairs. Steady streams of barges, sightseeing boats and pleasure craft also kept us engaged. One afternoon on the Moselle, the Scenic Opal went through three locks, the first one upon leaving Koblenz for the pretty Moselle Valley, my favorite part of the trip.

Koblenz: At the Confluence

In Koblenz I opted for a ship-arranged walking tour but easily could have wandered on my own. The colorful squares and alleys of Old Town, a largely pedestrianized shopping zone with plenty of cafes and bakeries, were a short walk from our berth at the beautifully landscaped Rhine Promenade. (My brother chose the e-biking excursion, exploring on one of the ship’s electrically assisted bicycles.)

The park-like river walk led to Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, the point where the mighty Rhine meets little sister Moselle. Lording over the tip of land is a monumental equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797-1888), first emperor of the New German Empire. Destroyed in World War II and replaced in 1993 after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the statue now represents German unity. Nearby stand three concrete slabs from the infamous wall and text about life under Communism in East Germany. Overlooking the confluence is Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, a massive complex reached by cable car from the promenade.

Clockwise (Randy Mink Photos): An equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, the first emperor of the New German Empire, overlooks the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers in Koblenz, Germany. The meeting point is called Deutsches Eck, or German Corner.
Scenic Opal passengers explore Koblenz, Germany, on a guided bike tour.
Tempting bakeries and cafes are just a few blocks from cruise ships’ Rhine River berths.

Little Luxembourg

From our next stop, the Moselle Valley town of Bernkastel, we took a morning excursion to Luxembourg City, an hour-and-a-half away. Our guided ramble through the capital city’s oldest quarter, famed for the stone bastions and battlements rising above dramatic ravines, focused on the shop-filled pedestrian zone and included panoramic lookout points. After the tour my brother and I relaxed over hot chocolate at the Chocolate House, snaring an outdoor table across from the Grand Ducal Palace, where we earlier had snapped pictures of the soldiers on guard duty. Passengers who didn’t sign up for Luxembourg could choose to visit a Bernkastel winery and sample the valley’s renowned Rieslings.

1: The imposing Grand Ducal Palace captivates river cruise passengers on the Luxembourg City shore excursion. (Photo credit: LFT/Christian Millen)
2: Soldiers stand guard at the Grand Ducal Palace. (Randy Mink Photo)
3: Ancient fortifications charm visitors to Luxembourg City, a shore excursion option from the Moselle River town of Bernkastel, Germany. (Photo credit: LFT/Alfonso Sagueiro)
4: Stunning panoramas abound in Luxembourg City. (Randy Mink Photo)

Moselle Crowd-Pleasers: Bernkastel & Cochem

After lunch on the Scenic Opal, moored across the bridge from Bernkastel, we explored the storybook German town. Its riverfront facade didn’t look unusually quaint, but as we probed deeper into the web of little streets, the place just kept getting cuter and cuter. I wanted to photograph every square, crooked lane and antique building in my path, and slip into every wine tavern. Had we more time, I would have hiked up to Landshut Castle, frequented centuries ago by the territorial lords of Trier. Built in 1277 and in partial decay since 1692, it houses a restaurant and cafe.

Left: The fairy-tale town of Bernkastel is a popular stop on Moselle River cruises in Germany. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)
Right: Landshut Castle, dating back to 1277, overlooks Bernkastel.  (Randy Mink Photo)

In the evening, we all boarded buses for Trier, where Scenic had arranged a private classical concert staged amid the Gothic grandeur of the 13th century Liebfrauenkirche. Riding through Germany’s oldest city to reach the church, we grabbed glimpses of the famous Porta Nigra, the best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps.

Scenic Opal passengers attended a private classical concert at the 13th century Liebfrauenkirche in Trier, Germany. (Randy Mink Photo)

In Cochem, the hub of the Middle Moselle, our excursion featured a visit to Reichsburg Castle. From its lofty vantage point we enjoyed sweeping views of the river, the steep vineyard abutting the castle grounds and a skyline dominated by the onion-dome spire of St. Martin Church. Dating from the 11th century, Reichsburg was restored in the late 1800s by a wealthy Berliner who created an idealized version of a medieval stronghold. Although not architecturally faithful, it certainly gives Cochem a photogenic landmark, and three-fourths of the main tower is original. Mounted animal heads, suits of armor and period furniture set the mood inside. Afterwards, our walking tour of Cochem showcased its compact central square, Baroque town hall and ancient town gates.

Clockwise (Photo credits: German National Tourist Board): Cochem’s Reichsburg Castle has all the trappings of a rustic baronial estate.
The Middle Ages come alive on tours of Reichsburg Castle.
Reichsburg Castle and the onion-dome spire of St. Martin Church frame this view of the Moselle River town of Cochem, Germany.

On the Romantic Rhine

Next we traveled the 32 miles from Cochem back to Koblenz, where our ship overnighted in order to get in position for a morning journey to Rüdesheim that would spotlight the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, or Rhine Gorge, the river’s most castle-studded corridor. This would be our big day, the one we’d been waiting for.

As we looked out from the breezy top deck, it was castle after castle, many of them, romantically, in various states of ruin. Some crowned distant summits, others rose straight from the shore. Vine-ribboned hillsides and timeless villages seemed to be waiting around every bend.

As we learned from the cruise director’s narration and from Tailormade (the Scenic smartphone app), some of the fortresses have been repurposed as museums, restaurants, hotels or private residences. Castle Stahlek in Bacharach, now a youth hostel, once served as a Nazi indoctrination center and military hospital during World War II.  (The app’s commentary also came in handy for exploring ashore and helped us identify the towns and landmarks we passed while cruising.)

In Rüdesheim, a tourist-packed village crammed with wine taverns and souvenir shops, we hiked through vineyards to Niederwald Monument, a grandiose memorial that commemorates the 1871 founding of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Our uphill trek was challenging, the cable car ride down a lot more fun.

Left: It’s an uphill trek for Scenic Opal passengers who choose to walk to the hilltop Niederwald Monument high above Rüdesheim. (Randy Mink Photo)
Right: Shore excursions in the Rhine River town of Rüdesheim visit the Niederwald Monument, a grandiose memorial that celebrates the 1871 founding of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. (Photo credit: German Tourist Board)

Forays into France

Heading south on the Rhine, the Scenic Opal tied up at two more German towns. From Rastatt we were torn between a tour to the German spa town of Baden-Baden and one to Strasbourg, capital of France’s Alsace, a region that historically has flipped back and forth between German and French control. In Breisach, our last port of call before Basel, we had to weigh Colmar, Alsace’s most beautiful town, against Freiburg, a Black Forest gem renowned for its medieval Old Town.

Since we had seen plenty of Germany, we went all in for Alsace and enjoyed walking tours of Strasbourg and Colmar, both with cozy, traffic-free historic cores chockablock with pastel, flower-laden, Hansel-and-Gretel houses. It’s just that touch of fairy-tale fantasy we needed to put a happily-ever-after ending to our trip through the enchanting heart of Europe—the Europe of our dreams.

Left: The Cathedral of Notre-Dame, a towering landmark cast in red sandstone, dominates this view of Strasbourg’s historic core. (Randy Mink Photo)
Right: Rheinstein Castle, near the German town of Trechtingshausen, is one of many medieval castles that captivates Rhine River cruise passengers. (Photo credit: German National Tourist Board)

To read about the Scenic Opal luxury river ship, including its accommodations and dining experiences, please visit https://europeantraveler.net/2023/10/19/cruising-through-the-heart-of-europe/

The ‘Champs-Elysees’ of Burgundy Wines

The wines of Burgundy are rich and varied, and are divided into regional appellations, village appellations, Premiers crus and Grands crus. The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is your guarantee of the characteristics of the regional wines. Fall is a beautiful time to drive or bike through the wine routes.

The Côte de Nuits extends from the south of Dijon to Corgoloin and forms the northern section of the Grands Crus route. It is a prestigious hillside that is home to villages bearing the names of the greatest red wines in the world. Here you will find 24 of the 33 grands crus in Burgundy: Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Romanée-Conti and many more.

The Côte de Beaune follows on from the Côte de Nuits towards the south, from Ladoix-Serrigny to the hillside of the Maranges. This soil, blessed with the Chardonnay grape, is where the greatest dry white wines in the world are produced (Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet, among others). Outside of the city of Beaune, which is the capital of Burgundy’s wine regions, the countryside becomes gentler as you approach Santenay and the département of Saône-et-Loire.

Burgundy hiker

ROUTE OF THE GRANDS VINS DE BOURGOGNE – THE ROUTE THROUGH NATURE
The route of the Grands Vins runs from Santenay to Saint-Gengoux-le-National, and is the extension of the route of the Grands Crus towards the south: more than 100 signposts connect around 40 towns via the vineyards of Maranges, the Couchois and the Côte Chalonnaise. This varied route combines villages with nature, and vineyards with wooded countryside, and is dotted with Romanesque churches and castles. You can discover it by car, but also along the water of the Canal du Centre, or by bike along the the many cycling routes.

ROUTE OF THE MÂCONNAIS-BEAUJOLAIS, THE SOUTHERN WINE-GROWING AREA
This route in the south of Saône-et-Loire is the extension of all the wine routes from Dijon. The eight circuits enable you to break away from the main route and explore the most southerly vineyards in Burgundy in greater depth. The main route itself crosses the Mâcon wine-growing region in a straight line and finishes at Romanèche-Thorins (Saône-et-Loire) on the hillsides of the Beaujolais region.

ROUTE OF THE VINEYARDS OF THE YONNE ALONGSIDE THE RIVERS
In the département of the Yonne, the vineyards have developed alongside rivers: the Jovinien and the Auxerrois in the Yonne Valley, the Chablisien in the Serein Valley, the Tonnerrois in the Armançon Valley, and the Vézelien in the Cure Valley. The wines of the Yonne are undergoing a renaissance and deserve to be discovered in all their diversity just as much as the highly famous Chablis.

ALONG THE LOIRE AROUND THE NIÈVRE
The vineyards of the Nièvre, which extend along the right bank of the Loire, belong not to Burgundy but to the Centre-Loire, and have long suffered from a certain lack of recognition. Now another wine route enables visitors to discover all their charms, from the hillsides of Pouilly-sur-Loire, where the famous Pouilly-Fumé is produced, to the Coteaux du Giennois overlooking Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire. This route also takes in Sancerre on the other side of the river in the Cher.

For more information on Burgundy, go to www.burgundy-tourism.com.

Rendez-vous in the Midi-Pyrénées for Wine, Food and Culture

Photographs compliments of Midi-Pyrénées Tourism Office

Visitors to the Midi-Pyrénées in France, also known as the Southwest, have the unique opportunity to savor some of the most unique food and wine in all of France while also soaking up the rich arts and culture scene of the region.

WINE
The Midi-Pyrénées is a verdant, hilly wine region—home to more than two dozen winemakers featuring some of the world’s greatest grape varieties and some that are grown nowhere else in the world.

From the Malbec wines grown in the sun-drenched Cahors region to the Gaillac district, one of the oldest wine-growing areas in France, to the Madiran wines known for their inky color and tannic density, the wines of southwest France offer a wide array of flavors and are a true treasure trove for the dedicated wine connoisseur.

The region is also rich in spirits, most notably the distinctive brandy Armagnac, produced in Gascony. Tourists can explore the “Route de l’Armagnac” which winds through the vineyards and experience the different tastes and sensations of this brandy, known for its unique finesse and roundness.

FOOD
The Midi-Pyrénées is also renowned for its fine cuisine. It is home of the black truffle, which is found exclusively in the region around the village of Lalbenque.

The Midi-Pyrénées is also the capital of the iconic French specialty, foie gras. With subtle flavors of hazelnut and a creamy texture, this delicacy can be bought directly from the producer or at the special winter foie gras markets that are peppered throughout many small towns in the Gers district.

CULTURE
The Soulages Museum, in the town of Rodez, is dedicated to the work of acclaimed painter and Rodez native Pierre Soulages. Widely considered one of the great abstract artists, Soulages was inspired by the prehistoric and Romanesque art of the region. The museum houses 500 works donated by Pierre and Colette Soulages to Rodez, which is the world’s biggest collection, estimated to be worth close to $55 million.

The Toulouse Lautrec Museum will celebrate the life of painter and lithographer Toulouse Lautrec, born in the city of Albi in 1864. The exhibit will run from October 25, 2014 to January 25, 2015.

FESTIVITIES
The Midi-Pyrénées also abounds with celebrations and performances, with more than 180 festivals and events taking place throughout the year.

The Medieval Festival of the Grand Falconer takes place in the village of Cordes-sur-Ciel on July 14—coinciding with Bastille Day, France’s national holiday. The annual festival offers a faithful recreation of medieval life in the Midi-Pyrénées, with fire-eaters, jugglers, falconers, troubadours, musicians, knights and villagers all garbed in medieval attire.

The Piano aux Jacobins, held in the region’s capital city Toulouse during the month of September, is the first festival in France entirely dedicated to piano performances. This year’s edition takes place September 2 to 29.

The small and quaint Gascon town of Marciac will transform into a jazz capital this summer from July 24 to August 13 with its legendary festival, Jazz in Marciac, which has welcomed international jazz icons.

ADVENTUROUS
The natural world comes alive in the Midi-Pyrénées with vast areas of untouched countryside and rugged mountains in its national parks. Cyclists come from all corners of the earth to follow the route of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees and climb the famed Col du Tourmalet.

The Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs from Bordeaux and the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean sea, is ideal for bicycling enthusiasts looking for a relaxing ride and discovering this 150-mile engineering masterpiece.

SPIRITUAL
Travelers can embark on a spiritual retreat in the region at the sacred French Grotto of Lourdes, a world famous pilgrimage site. Every year, the cosmopolitan and convivial town receives 6 million travelers from 140 countries from every continent.

Walking the Way of St. James has changed little over the centuries, where pilgrims trek from all over Europe to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The route winds through many scenic villages born of the ancient pilgrimage, including Rocamadour, Conques and Moissac.

For more information on Midi-Pyrénées, go to: Midi-Pyrénées Tourism Office.

German Wine Festivals

Germans love to party: more than 1,250 wine festivals are held throughout the country every year.

Sharing a huge glass of wine at a festival in the Franconia region of Germany.

By Sharon Hudgins
Photos by the author

Germans love to party, especially when food and drink are involved. And public partying is a tradition in Germany, from Munich’s annual Oktoberfest beer bash to more than 1,250 wine festivals held throughout the country every year.

The eighth largest wine-producing country in the world, Germany is known for its excellent white wines and an increasing number of fine reds, too. Wines from Germany’s 13 designated wine regions each have their own character, depending on the kind of grapes they’re made from, the climate and terrain where the grapes are grown, and the skill of the winemakers themselves. Even wines from a small microclimate within one of the specified wine regions will differ from wines made on the other side of the hill or a kilometer down the road. Connoisseurs can distinguish not only among wines from the Ahr, Rheingau, Franconia, Pfalz and Baden regions, but can also taste the difference between wines from one vineyard and another.

Raising a toast at at the Meistertrunk (Master Draught) festival in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Although Germany exports wines to other countries, much of its production is consumed in Germany itself, usually not far from where the wine was made. A fun way to sample these local wines is to attend one of the many wine festivals held annually in each region. Most occur between March and the end of harvest, in late October. Some are quiet little fests in small villages, held on only one day. Others are boisterous celebrations lasting for a weekend or a week or even longer, attracting people from all over the country. Some of these festivals are combined with other events, like open-air markets, outdoor concerts, art exhibits and craft fairs, food festivals and fireworks displays. Whatever the venue, a German wine festival is a good place to taste the local wines, eat regional specialties, meet friendly Germans and have a rousing good time.

Drawing Sturm (fermenting grape juice on its way to becoming wine) at a wine festival

From mid-March until mid-November, more than 200 festivals are scheduled along the Deutsche Weinstrasse, the German Wine Route that extends for 50 miles through Germany’s Pfalz region between the foothills of the forested Haardt Mountains and the flat Rhine River plain. The giant of all wine festivals is held in this region: the nearly-600-year-old Bad Dürckheimer Wurstmarkt (Sausage Market), the Pfalz’s equivalent of Munich’s beery Oktoberfest. Despite its meaty name, the Wurstmarkt claims to be the largest wine festival in the world, offering more than 150 local wines and attracting half a million visitors to Bad Dürckheim every year. During nine days in mid-September, they down more than 400,000 liters of the local brew!

Get away from the crush of Bad Dürckheim’s crowds at the many smaller, more intimate wine festivals along the German Wine Route, usually held for one to three days over a single weekend. The best time to go is in the early autumn, during the grape harvest season. Local vintners open their cellars to the public and their courtyards to customers who sit on benches at long tables, eating regional specialties and sipping wines in the shade of a grape arbor. This is a great way to meet Germans and enjoy the regional wines in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere.

Wiesbaden is known as “The Gateway to the Rheingau,” the romantic vineyard region on the north side of the Rhine River, home to some of Germany’s most famous wineries, including those around the villages of Rüdesheim, Eltville and Assmannshausen. During August, you can sample excellent Rhine wines from the local vintners at more than 120 booths set up in the Wiesbaden city center for the annual 10-day Rheingau Wine Festival.

Wineries like this one on the German Wine Route in the Pfalz open their cellars to the public during local wine festivals.

In late August and early September, you can also indulge at the 10-day Rheingau Wine Festival in nearby Frankfurt, tasting more than 600 wines from the Rheingau region at 30 vintners’ stands set up in the “Fressgass” food street along Bockenheimer Strasse and the Opernplatz, and in the nearby shopping district along the Goethestrasse. Food stalls operated by local businesses provide the sustenance you’ll need to keep from getting totally tipsy on all that good Rhine wine.

Farther north along the Rhine, the Mittelrhein (Middle Rhine) region is also the site of several wine festivals in the picturesque villages that line the river valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes the city of Koblenz. Among other wine festivals in this region, the Middle Rhine celebrates “Golden Wine Autumn” on two Saturdays in October, with wine tastings, live music, dancing and spectacular fireworks displays. The best way to enjoy this special festival is to book a day-long cruise on a river boat that includes stops at the festival towns along the Rhine and concludes with fireworks that night.

Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart) is the traditional accompaniment to Federweisse (fermenting grape juice on its way to becoming wine) in the autumn.

Another popular region for wine festivals is along the Mosel River, where dozens of local celebrations are held from April to October. The largest and best known is the Wine Festival of the Middle Mosel in Bernkastel-Kues in early September, which includes fireworks at the Landshut Castle, crowning of the Middle Mosel Wine Queen, wine tastings at 30 booths and a colorful parade of vintners through the narrow streets of this beautiful half-timbered town. Another good option is to visit the Mosel for a week or so during harvest time, from August through October, when you can watch the grapes being picked and experience the smaller, more intimate wine festivals in the little villages lining the river between Koblenz and Trier.

There’s a long tradition of wine festivals in the Baden wine region, in southwestern Germany, which produces some of Germany’s finest wines. Baden is well known for its excellent cuisine, too, which attracts gourmets from all over Europe. Among the many wine festivals in this region, one is held in July in the pretty city of Freiburg, where you can taste wines from 40 Baden vintners.

One of the largest wine festivals in Germany is the Stuttgarter Weindorf (Stuttgart Wine Village), held in early September in the heart of the city, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, where 120 vendors sell 250 kinds of Württemberg wines, as well as classic regional Schwabian foods. Stuttgart claims this festival attracts more than a million visitors annually, which would make it even larger than the Bad Durckheimer Wurstmarkt.

And finally, the Franconia wine region, along the Main River, hosts a number of wine festivals, too, featuring Franconia’s excellent wines in their characteristic green Bocksbeutel bottles. Small festivals in the villages of the Main River valley, such as Sommerhausen and neighboring Winterhausen, are especially fun to attend, for their fine wines and local character.

Würzburg, the regional capital of Lower Franconia, is the site of the Würzburger Weindorf (Würzburg Wine Festival), where you can sample more than 100 kinds of Franconian wines at the booths and stands set up in the city center in late May and early June. Würzburgers like to party. In late August Würzburg hosts an 11-day Weinparade am Marktplatz (Wine Festival on the Market Square), offering a chance to taste more than 100 different wines from Würzburg’s local wineries, along with plenty of regional food specialties.

At many of the autumn wine festivals in Germany, the traditional food and drink are Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart) and Federweisser (one of the many German names for “new wine”), which is fermenting grape juice that’s still on its way to becoming real wine. Don’t be fooled by the pleasantly sweet taste of this bubbly, cloudy brew—usually served in .25-liter glasses—which you’ll want to quaff like thirst-quenching fruit juice. Be forewarned: Federweisser does contain alcohol, more or less depending on how long the fermentation has been going on, and it can easily seduce you into drinking so much that when you stand up you’ll wish you’d been more prudent.

For information about a variety of German wine festivals see:

For more information about specific German wine festivals see:

All This Country’s Culinary Delights Are There for the Eating…

By Don Heimburger
Photos by the author

Grabbing a “taste” of Germany today doesn’t mean just visiting its Medieval castles like Neuschwanstein or Wartburg Castle, or visiting its thousands of half-timbered buildings such as you’ll find in Wernigerode, Bamberg and Cochem, or being one of the millions who take pictures of the famous Cologne Cathedral.

A “taste” of Germany in 2018 takes on a special meaning: this year Germany’s National Tourist Board officially unlocks its treasure chest of culinary delights as part of its promotion of the country, and there are many appetizing foods to be enjoyed, and 16 federal states in which to enjoy them.

With eight straight years of record growth in tourism, Germany is primed for more tourists in the year ahead who can also appreciate this country’s flavorful foods. In 2017, a total of 83.9 million overnight stays by foreign visitors in establishments with at least 10 beds were recorded, according to Petra Hedorfer, chief executive officer of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB).

The German Tourist Board is trying to get travelers’ attention by saying “Attention foodies: Germany is now open for tasting.” And there are many towns and regions in which to conduct this culinary research, as well as numerous restaurants, wineries, breweries and farms that are eager to show visitors what Germany has to offer.

HANNOVER CURRYWURST
In Hannover you can stop in at an interesting restaurant called the Ständige Vertretung at Friedrichswall 10. The “StäV” as it is named, is not just any cafe, but a political reading book … where the history of political happenings and famous German politicians from past decades can be found on the walls and in photos. But go also for the famous “explosive” currywurst offerings. There’s the German Chancellor Filet “Schröder Art,” the Bundestag Filet, and the Chancellor Tarte, all part of the currywurst menu. All come with spicy sauce.

THE ARISTOCRAT OF VEGETABLES
At Fritz Bormann’s 25-acre asparagus farm near Nienburg in Lower Saxony northeast of Hannover, vast fields of white asparagus (Spargel) covered by large plastic tarps, sit waiting for harvest. In early spring, workers pour into the fine sand-like fields, armed with long, sharp cutting tools and a bucket to pluck the revered savory asparagus stalks from underneath the heaped mounds of dirt.

The “white gold” is then cleaned, graded and quickly delivered to farmstands and markets where it is snapped up by eager eaters. Combined with a hollandaise sauce or hot melted butter, and perhaps a plate of potatoes and pork or ham, the pale, long-stemmed vegetables are a nationwide sensation.

Germany sets aside about 62,000 acres for growing asparagus every year, and it’s estimated the country consumes up to 125,000 tons of it, but some of that is grown in other nearby countries. And nearly every restaurant in the asparagus-growing regions feature Spargel specials on their lunch and dinner menus. The picking season ends promptly on June 24 every year.

If you’re lucky, you can even meet one of the local Spargel queens, like the 2017/2018 queen, Nicole Cybin from Nienburg, or visit the local asparagus museum, part of which is housed in an original 1663 building. The museum displays, among other things, old tools which were once used for harvesting asparagus, dishes and serving plates with asparagus themes painted on them and even molds in the shape of a bunch of asparagus.

ASPARAGUS ROUTE
There’s even an Asparagus Route (Spargelstrasse) which begins in the town of Schwetzingen (it also claims the title of “Asparagus Capital of the World”). When you walk through the city, look for the statue of the Spargelfrau (literally means asparagus woman). The town holds an annual Spargelfest and in 2018 celebrates 350 years as a major Spargel grower.

While you are in Nienburg, be sure to stroll around this fascinating 1,000-year-old village and find the 16th century half-timbered Rathaus built in 1533, as well as the same period St. Martins Church. There are also medieval mansions, other carefully restored half-timbered homes, and a large town center with wide streets. The castle and town of Nienburg were once the residence of the Counts of Hoya, and their tombs can be found in St. Martins Church.

You can also visit the Dobberschuetz Fishery & Smokehouse alongside the banks of the Weser River which flows through the town and get the catch of the day. Eels are their speciality. Get there on a Saturday and enjoy their Saturday fisherman breakfast.

No sleepy little village, Nienberg today has as many as 100 trains a week stop there.

OTHER GERMAN CULINERY DELIGHTS
At the sprawling Rotkäppchen winery in Freyburg, Sekt or sparkling wine is produced, with brothers Moritz and Julius Kloss and a friend establishing a wine store and producing Rotkäppchen champagne as early as 1856. The first 6,000 bottles were bottled in an apartment in the back of the house of the Kloss family.

In the large historic Rotkäppchen building in Freyburg, select grapes are used to make various cuvees, and the brand today is the most successful in Germany, and also holds a 30% international market share. This Sekt takes its name from the unique red cap on its bottles.

Every year the company sponsors a Jungweinprobe, where last years wines are sampled in the courtyard of the Rotkäppchen winery. It’s always a popular and crowded affair with everyone allowed to pour their own glass of wine from a staggering selection. Here, too, you can meet the local Wine Queen, and ask her which cuvees she prefers. In 2017/2018 the reigning queen was Juliana Beer, 22. Not just a queen in name only, she enjoys the aged wines, and can explain the nuances of wine growing and wine-making.

The Rotkäppchen winery boasts one of the largest storage barrels in Germany (from 1856) which can hold 160,000 bottles of wine. And you can also enjoy a great German meal as you sit near the giant wooden barrel and try to figure out how they made such an elaborate wooden vessel.

WEINGUT PAWIS IS A STANDOUT
Also in Freyburg, Weingut Pawis is a standout winery housed in a renovated stone building. As a 10-year-old boy, Bernard Pawis didn’t have much luck with a hoe in his father’s vineyard. But when he learned the wine profession in Radebeul years later, he was on his way to gaining national recognition with his wine production.

Taking over from his father in 1998, he constructed a new wine cellar and later rebuilt an old horse stable into a modern, welcoming and innovative winery with 30 acres of vineyards.

The family produces a number of wine varieties, including Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Riesling, Bacchus, Kerner, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, Portuguese, Dornfelder, Pinot Noir and Regent.

Their unique operating philosophy includes sustainable economics, conscious handling of nature, respecting the soil and the vine as their most important commodity, and they work according to environmentally friendly cultivation methods.

The innovative Pawises offer wine tastings, art exhibitions, guided vineyard tours, champagne receptions, a Christmas market, and even a lookout tower on the historic estate.

BLUEBERRY HEAVEN
At Bickbeernhof, you’ll find just about every conceivable way to serve blueberries that you can think of. Owner Sylke Herse has already done the planting, growing, and the packaging for you, and draws upwards of 1,000 visitors a day to her blueberry world in Landesbergen. “Very busy, very organized. Long wait lines at peak times, but worth it. Big juicy blueberries. Every year a must!” are the typical comments from customers.

Blueberry fields are located right behind the processing plant and company store, and there is a wide variety of blueberry-made products offered in the gift shop including blueberry wines, jams, juices, books about blueberries and much more. In their restaurant, customers can order salads with blueberry dressing, blueberry marmalade blueberry pudding, blueberry smoothies and many other blueberry delicacies.

BORN FAMILY VINEYARD
Motorcycle-riding Jochen Born and the small Born Family Weingut in Höhnstedt, located near the famous Luther Walking Trail, produces a variety of wines from its mostly “vertical” vineyards lining the slopes of the area hills. The hills around Höhnstedt contain a lot of limestone, and help from the sun, the wind and the rain make it an ideal place to grow grapes. Jochen is an amicable host and willing to tell his guests about the intricacies of his wine brands and its production in his compact and cozy tasting room adjacent to the wine gift shop.

SCHLOSS WACKENBARTH
Schloss Wackenbarth in Radebeul, is a well-situated, picturesque winery, and one of the oldest sparkling wine producers in Europe. On the well-manicured grounds is a Mediterranean-style palace erected by Augustus the Strong. Since the 18th century Schloss Wackerbarth has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors because of the charming setting, and of course the delicious wines.

Tours through the winery and grounds are conducted, and many social events, including weddings and banquets, take place on the grounds each year. Interestingly, the federal state of Saxony owns the winery. The winery calls itself an ambassador for the state of Saxony, and indeed it has the stature and appeal of something regal.

While every year Germany is certain to attract millions of visitors for its culture, history, sights and its uniqueness, 2018 calls out for a visit for all of the above, and especially its many and varied succulent, edible delights.
Guten appetit!

For more information go to www.germany.travel.com or www.germany.travel/culinary-germany