Because the trip from Amsterdam to Champagne France was going to be such a long drive, we planned to get up early. Early didn't happen but we made it out of Amsterdam before noon! I was beginning to think, I wasn't ever going to leave, but with thoughts of the Champagne Region bubbling in my cranium, we set the GPS dial to tiny bubbles and got on the road. The drive began fairly laid back and uneventful. I was sticking my head out the window and "mooing" at all the cows. I think they understood me. About an hour out of Amsterdam, we saw the highway mileage sign for Luxembourg. In a split second we changed plans and direction and headed towards Luxembourg. This choice was adventuresome, since neither of us knew much about the soverneignty. We arrived at the campsite around 4PM. The location was great, 15 minutes from downtown Luxembourg and more importantly only 25 minutes from the Mosel. Huh? The Mosel. The Mosel in Germany? The Mosel, where world renown Rieslings are grown? I've always had an interest in geography, but I must have been asleep when the chapter on Luxembourg was being taught. Luxembourg shares a border with Belgium, France and Germany. The Mosel River sets the boundary between Luxembourg and Germany. I was delighted that I unexpectedly ended up on the outskirts of one of the greatest wine regions in the world.
Luxembourg is a very small country. What it lacks in size it makes up in flavor. The population is highly educated and cultural pursuits rank high on their list of priorities. The citizens are trilingual, speaking German, French, and Luxembourgish. Many speak English as well. The local newspapers often have articles in three different languages, and all in one edition. It's a beautiful city and very European with cafes', monuments, churches, and round abouts. We jumped on the open air bus and began to understand the lay of the central city. Although the population is fairly small there was still plenty to see.
We actually got up early this morning. By 9 A.M. we were out the door. After a quick breakfast at the local pastry shops, we headed for the Mosel. With the guidance of our trusty GPS we arrived on the Luxembourg side of the Mosel in only 25 minutes. We stopped at the first co-op we saw. In some European countries, they have wine co-ops where wine from different producers is made on site. It's different from California where you can visit physical wineries. Here you try wines from different producers, but there are no grand Mondavi style tasting rooms. The first co-op happened to be a great choice. We entered the large industrial type building and where we were greeted by our host, Tonya. She suggested we do a tour of the caves, then come back up for some wine tasting. After a short film on the history Of the Luxembourg/Mosel wine growing region, we began the cave tour. The tour was in depth and very informative. Since it was a personal tour, I was able become a wine geek and ask all the questions my geeky heart desired. After the tour we went back upstairs and began tasting.
Luxembourg has some pretty decent wines. They specialize in local varieties as well as Rieslings, Pinot Gris,Gewürztraminer. There is also an increase in Pinot Noir production. A Pinot from Luxembourg? I found that intriguing. I couldn't wait to taste the Pinot. I set my expectations on low and charged straight ahead. What a surprise! These Pinot Noirs are actually nice. They are very light and easy to drink. I was getting more strawberry like characteristics than cherry but, I still got a bit of mushroom. In many ways the brightness of the fruit and the low alcohol reminded me of a rosé.The Pinot Noirs from Luxembourg are worth a try should you ever come across one. They aren't complex, just simple and straight forward, but they will go great with a warm afternoon picnic or boat ride on the Mosel or San Francisco Bay. We continued our drive along the Mosel, following the river as it meandered by story book towns and carved its way through acres upon acres of vines. as my thought turned to food, we stopped at a local eatery. Here we learned if you ask for a "Menu" you receive a full course meal, not a written list of available food items. I was happy when my menu arrived. Bruce on the other hand is vegetarian and the very meaty entreés didn't work for him. The standout of this meal was the salad. It was a very simple salad of sliced oranges, fresh cream, a balsamic vinaigrette, and crushed pepper. It is to date the most flavorful food item I have had on this trip.
Today I am stoked. We are going to Germany. The Mossel-Saar-Ruwer region produces world class white wines. The wines of this region are typically low in alcohol, refreshing and very food friendly. Love Riesling with Thai food! There is no better way to turn down the spiciness of Asian cuisine than with a sip of Riesling between bites. As you enter the region you immediately notice the steep embankments and the terraced hillsides. As you continue along the path of the river, beautiful and friendly villages seem to appear out of nowhere. I was lucky enough to try a Riesling grown on the estate we were visiting. It was a family run business, with a small restaurant, a gas station, and tasting area. The grandfather made the wine and the son and daughter-in-law ran the food and wine operation. The wine I tasted was very aromatic and had nice acidity. This was a simple wine but it was well made.
Wine Fact: German wine labels can be difficult to interpret. There are six categories (level of ripeness) seen on many German Riesling labels. Here's a condensed explanation of 3 common categories. 1) Kabinetts are made from grapes picked during the first harvest. They are usually dry or off dry. 2) Spatleses are made from grapes allowed to stay on the vine a week or so longer. They are dry to slightly sweet, but the flavor is fuller and deeper than a Kabinett. 3) Ausles' are very aromatic and noticeably sweet.
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