Fotos: Lookin' back @2014 (part 3)

July: trip with ABS Wine Agencies to Germany which included visiting Ernie Loosen's vineyards on the Mosel and to Helmut Dönnhoff on the Nahe.

 July: Barges on the Mosel 

Bridge to nowhere?

building the controversial bridge over Mosel

 The vineyards of Helmut Dönnhoff 

 River Nahe

Helmut Dönnhoff: a King of Riesling!

August: Syke

In August we took our now annual holiday in Scotland – this year Syke and John O'Groats.  

 The Cullins: two views 

Old Man of Storr

From Raasay towards 'mainland' Syke

John O'Groats Hotel

September: La Bourgueillothérapie

 

Eddy Oosterlinck - Bracke (Domaine de la Juchepie)

Just after he had bought my special shirt@auction in Bourgueil

September: Charity ride down the Loire to raise money for two cancer charities

At the start (a cold Mont Gerbier de Jonc) of my 1078 kilometre ride 

down the Loire from the source to the Atlantic  

Just to the west of Nevers: the Allier before it joins the Loire

La Baule: journey's end

(above and below)

CRM: my great and essential support team

 

Masters of Riesling: Mosel views via Dr Loosen

 Urziger Würzgarten

Yesterday we finished in the Mosel looking at the vineyards and wines of Ernie Loosen, although he was away in France with a winemaker from Château Ste Michelle (Washington State, USA). Getting an internet connection has been very tricky, so time only for a few photos with a more detailed report to follow once I'm back later this week. 

Tortured slate strata on the Mosel

 Barges on the Mosel

The amazingly steep slopes of the Erdener Pralat 

So steep are slopes that over time the roots 

of vines move away from their supporting posts

 Rack and pinion railway to get up the very steep slope

 

 Flowering successfully over the grapes (Riesling) 

are now expanding fast

 Wehlener Sonnenuhr

Schloss above Bernkastel in evening light

 
Weingut Dr Loosen

Ernie Loosen's nephew, Daniel, who will be doing a stage@Dönnhoff 

The trip is organised by ABS agencies.