GERMANY: CYCLING MOSEL WINE COUNTRY

by Anne Dimon

Cycling through Germany’s enchanting Mosel wine country is as good for the thighs as it is for the palate. Despite the calories you’ll consume from tasting the many wines produced along one of Europe’s most picturesque rivers, the exercise you get in the fresh air makes you feel healthy and fit. Don’t believe anyone who tells you exercise isn’t fun.

A recent bike tour through the Mosel River Valley, one of Germany’s main Riesling growing regions, set me on the right path to appreciating the sadly misunderstood Riesling grape. Mention Riesling to many North American wine drinkers and the word “sweet” leaps to mind. But a wine made with the Riesling grape can, in fact, taste quite dry. I quickly discovered that there is a “right” Riesling – they range from honey sweet to bone dry - to accompany every course of a meal from appetizer to entrée, dessert and cheeses. I wanted to try them all.