Biking On The Mosel River

Sometimes when I write for my blog, it takes several hours, but today, writing about the Mosel River, it just flows.

You see, last weekend, I went for a lengthy biking excursion with friends.  Ok, they weren’t real friends, just fishermen who chased me when I grabbed their poles.  My legs got a workout.  Only kidding.  I really do have friends.  They really do bike.  I borrowed my wife’s bike, which is single speed, with big tall handlebars right out of Easy Rider, decorated with fine spots of artistic rust.  I wore jeans, tennis shoes and a baseball cap.  Yes, I flaunted the fashionistas who decked themselves out in two thousand dollar touring bikes, custom filled helmets, Spandex biking clothes by Yves Laurent, riding gloves and specialty riding shoes for which several sheep gave their lives.  But, did I mind the angry stares that screamed, “For God’s Sake man, can’t you at least wear designer jeans?”  Nope. I go for Wranglers that have been twice dyed indigo blue.  My ball cap is a custom creation of previously sweaty afternoons and the crush gained through years of careless use.  I strive for originality.  Some would call it grunge.  I pay no attention and make them buy their own wine.

But, enough about me and my keen sense of fashion. Let’s chat a moment about one of the most glorious rivers in the world and definitely the finest region for Riesling wine.  If the wine merchants on the Rhine River disagree, ignore them.

At The Beginning:  The Mosel’s source is about 2400 feet (715 meters) high in the Vosges Mountains of France.  Bet you thought the Mosel was strictly a German river.  Mais, non, mes amie!  Matter of fact, only 142 miles (208 Kilometers) of it’s 334 mile (544 Kilometer) length is in Germany. Another 24 miles (39 Kilometers) is a shared border between France and Germany.  It flows into the Rhine at Koblentz.  Luxembourg also gets a little share.

So, where does the Mosel River (Moselle in French) rank among the largest rivers in Germany?  So glad you asked. Goes like this: Danube, Rhine, Elbe, Oder, Mosel.  But most lists include the full length of the rivers, not just the German portions.

Ok, let’s chat for a moment about wines. Forget which German region produces the most, or most famous, or any other superfluous balderdash. Those just don’t matter and for my taste, the Mosel ranks numéro un, or Nummer Eins.  I love the soft flavors that are often attributed to the shale in the soil.  Ride your bike along the river and you’ll see stacks of slate, and if you look closer at the vines, it looks as if they are planted in gray gravel.

Most of the vines that run up and down the steep hills and over the flat lands produce Riesling grapes and overall, the valley is planted with 90% white grapes, of which 61% are Riesling.

Feel like tasting?  Seems like every five feet there’s another vintner offering Wein Probes, wine tasting.  Maybe every five feet is a bit of hyperbole, but I swear you’ll find ten or more vintners in even the small villages that line the route.  Some offer free tasting and others want a very small payment.  Yes, there are sparkling wines as well as a few reds.  Most wines price out at $4 to $7 per bottle, for some of the best white wines in the world.

And guess who first planted grapes in this region?  The Romans, of course.  As you drive or ride along the river, you’ll see signs that point to a Roman villa here or there, or ruins, or other artifacts.

But, most of all, taking a bike trip for a couple of hours through the lazy, beautiful curves of the Mosel is a treat that soothes your senses.  Admire the steep slopes, gaze across the green valley almost totally dedicated to wine.  Why deprive yourself? No need to make this painful.  After biking a mile or two, stop for luscious wine or a spot of lunch.  Oh, yeah, punish me. And at none of the places you’ll stop will you find a dress code.  Pick a Roman god to thank for that.

More Than An Italian Deli: It's Issimo!

Issimo!  Walk through the door into a wonderland of Italian delicacies, a hundred varieties of succulent hams and sausages, cheeses from the soft and luscious to the hard and enveloping, verdant basil pesto, shimmering green olives, wines from a thousand vineyards, liquors, and bulging gift baskets that scream “You deserve this!”

Yes, it’s all here, wrapped in the warm atmosphere of old-world hospitality and comfortable service.  You may be in Germany, but you just stepped across the border into the Mamma Mia! wonders of an Italian gourmet paradiso.

Issimo, which should really be called Bellissimo (lovely), is owned and manned by two Italian brothers, Franco and Vincenzo, aided by a host of always smiling, always delightful young ladies.  Stride to the deli counter and even if it’s your first trip, Franco will treat you as his favorite customer.  Not sure what you want?  Samples abound and if not, just ask.

Signor Franco at work

So of all the delectable deli selections, which do I favor?  Way too personal a question, but today I’m in a sandwich mood, pecorino cheese dotted with peppercorns, tender truffle filled ham, emerald green, almond stuffed olives, and paper thin slices of red, spicy salami, similar to oversized Spanish chorizo.  Oh, yes, and a couple of bottles of Bulgarini Lugana, and a bottle of Iris’ rose tinted Isabella Spagnoto Prosecco.

Ok, so it’s a fab deli…what else?  Oh, it’s much more than that.  You’ve come to the home of the best party platters!  And what about those sumptuous gift baskets?  Dried pasta, sauces, jams, jellies, and of course a couple of bottles of wine.  All of them direct from the fragrant farms and vineyards of Italy.

Jessica behind the bar.

Down a short hallway, behind the deli is a whole different Issimo, the bistro Issimo.  On a sunny day, I often sit outside on the porch and sip an espresso, a glass of wine, or dine like a king on one of Issimo’s light lunches.  If the skies are drizzling, I go inside and join friends at the mahogany bar for more of the same.

Tucked away behind the bistro, in the back room, featuring shelves and shelves of delicious wines, is a long, dark wood table for wine tastings that are a hell-of-a-lot more than simple wine tastings!  An Issimo wine tasting is an eating, drinking extravaganza, and one you’ll want to share with a dozen or more of your closest friends. Vincenzo, with his all-encompassing knowledge of Italian viniculture, will be your guide.

Vincenzo, our guide to the pleasures of Italian wines

Aferdita sets the table and oh what a table!

At a recent wine tasting, we began with the Prosecco I mentioned earlier, moved on to a Pinot Bianco (2015), the Indolente Bianco (2015), followed by Amir DOC Reserva (2008) and finishing with Singe 1974 DOC (2013) Primitivo di Manduria.

A note about Primitivo.  Often described as Zinfandel, Primitivo is actually a genetic cousin and unlike its light colored and often denigrated American kin, Primitivo is dark red, fruity, and dry to semi-dry.  Surprisingly complex, it’s my favorite Italian red.  One of those wines you sip over dinner and conversation, accompanied by satisfied smiles. “OH yeah! And by the way, I’ll need a couple of bottles to take home.”  

According to Vincenzo, Primitivo is the oldest grape varietal in the world.  Mellow, smooth, rounded finish, it’s no wonder it’s still around.

Another little tidbit imparted by Vincenzo:  Italy grows 348 varieties of grapes, while Germany has 40 and there’s a big reason.  The climate in Italy ranges from the very sunny, Mediterranean south to the much cooler Alpine north.

The wines we tasted came from tiny vineyards, which may produce only a few thousand bottles.  Doesn’t sound tiny?  A big producer like Gallo produces millions of bottles more than Germany’s total output. 

In whatever country, the small vineyards appeal to my romantic instincts.  I picture small farms, with a few acres of gnarled vines covered in fresh green leaves, with tight bundles of dark purple grapes peeking through.  In the stillness of the countryside, hawks soar overhead, mountains rise majestically in the background, and dedicated vintners in muddy boots nurture wine instead of industrializing it.

Sylvia kept the wine flowing.

Back to Issimo:  At the normal wine tasting, you get a sip here and there, with not enough juice to let your taste buds pair it with the food.  But, as I said, Issimo’s wine tastings are not like any other.  Vincenzo, Sylvia, and Aferdita replenished our goblets throughout the two-hour meal.

Bellissimo indeed!

By the way, one vine can produce 2.5 Kilos (5.5 lbs) of grapes, or two bottles.  At an Issimo wine tasting, you’ll strip several vines.

Never been to Issimo?  Here’s the web site.  http://issimo-feinkost.de (Closed Mondays)

‘Bout time you find yourself a cutie, or someone else’s, and head to Issimo.  Ciao Baby!  And a little more Primitivo, per favor!