The Germany/ South and Alsace Tour 2020 by ombiasy WineTours was fully booked but had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Starting on May 15, Annette issued short posts on facebook briefly describing what we would have done on that day had the tour taken place, using pictures from previous tours.
I am re-posting these short daily accounts along with a general introduction to the tour here on my blog.
Germany/ South and Alsace Tour 2020 by ombiasy WineTours
Germany is so closely identified with Riesling (and yes, it is the largest producer of Riesling world-wide) that you may be surprised to learn that the country is also very strong regarding the Burgundy grapes. It is the third-largest producer of Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder), the largest producer of Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), and the second largest producer of Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder) in the world. Join us as we discover the southern German wine regions that produce bone dry, opulent Rieslings, outstanding Pinot Noirs and whites from Burgundy grapes. We will step across the Rhine River to compare the wines of the Eastern (German) and Western (French) Rhine valley and we will get a feel for the beautiful, quaint Alsace region with its incredible picturesque wine villages dotted with half-timbered century old buildings. Enjoy the Pfalz, the second largest German wine region by growing area and only topped by Rheinhessen, which it borders to the north. From there, the Pfalz stretches to the French border 53 miles to the south and borders Alsace. In this region French and German vineyards melt into one another and some wineries on the French side own vineyards in Germany and vice versa.
For detailed information on the tour schedule, please check: https://ombiasypr.com/index.php/wine-tours/germany-south/germany-south-alsace-itinerary
For pricing and registration, please go to: https://ombiasypr.com/index.php/wine-tours/germany-south/germany-south-alsace-registration
Germany/ South and Alsace Tour 2020 by ombiasy WineTours: Day 10 - The End
Today is Sunday, May 24, 2020, and if Corvid-19 would not have required me to cancel the tour this would have been the day to bid farewell to our fellow travelers of the 2020 wine tour to Alsace and the southern German wine regions organized by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours.
After a sumptuous breakfast at the Hilton Hotel we would have done a sightseeing tour through Mainz. Mainz was founded by the Romans 2000 ago and is a treasure trove of Roman and German history, and pagan and Christian culture. Towering over the old town's romantic maze of cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses is the huge Romanesque 1000 year old cathedral, which was for centuries the burial place of ruling Prince Archbishops and is still today the burial place for the Bishops and Cardinals of Mainz. It is also the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg who invented the printing press in the 1430s. The museum dedicated to him has two of the remaining editions of the Gutenberg bible.
Some of the group would now head out to the Frankfurt airport to catch a flight back home, others would continue to Kloster Eberbach to attend the International Riesling Symposium, which was supposed to start on Monday but has been cancelled too.
It is always a sad moment for me to realize that the tour has come to an end. I miss the winery visits, the tastings, and the friendships that have developed within the group. But I am certain that this tour will happen sometime in 2021. I am soooo looking forward to actually travel with you next year, CHEERS!!!
schiller-wine: Related Postings
Announcement: Upcoming ombiasy Wine Tours 2020 - (1) Alsace and Germany South, (2) Rhône Valley, (3) Bordeaux and (4) Germany: Christmas Market, Wine, Concert Tour
Reminder: Rhône Valley Tour by ombiasy WineTours in June 2020
Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)
