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Destinations · Europe · germany · Rheingau · Essence ·

Innumerable legends are woven around the great river, the Rhine of memory and longing, its mythic flow ruling life in the valley since the beginning of time. In its lengthy course from south to north, it makes a dramatic turn at Wiesbaden, where the Taunus Mountains block its waters and the Rhine flows from east to west for about fifty kilometres. Geographically and geologically, this stretch of the valley is unique - the embrace of slopes and forests shield it from cold winds, and the waters of the Rhine provide a mild climate. The land here is composed of gravel, clay, quartz and loess, ideal for vines that suffer and survive; only suffering makes for a great wine. The soil closest to the river is considered the worst, since it permits the vines to flourish instead of forcing them to put their energy into the grapes and the accumulation of sugar. The vineyards mostly face south and are enriched by the warmth of the Rhine, giving the grapes honeyed, blossomy, fruity notes blended with robustness. The character of the grapes in this region has no equal.

There are a host of legends about the origins of Riesling. One relates to Louis II, King of East Francia in the late 9th century, later known as "the German" because most of his lands were in Germania. He is said to have been the first to plant grapes in the Rhine Valley. Others believe that Riesling is a mutation of indigenous wild grapes. Still others bestow the honour of creating the wine on monks from the Cistercian Order, who are said to have brought the vines from Burgundy. Winemaking was one of their successful industries, so they attempted to replicate their success in Burgundy in other regions.

Arriving at the Rhine in 1136, they took up life at Kloster Eberbach, and this monastery soon became a significant milestone in the history of Riesling. The road to the ancient monastery leads through the small town of Eltville. Its historic central district with narrow, winding streets, the buildings draped with vines, seems to be adorned with the residue of ages past. The monastery itself, its architecture reflecting the Romanesque as well as early Gothic, late Gothic and Baroque styles, is reminiscent of a village. The name derives from "Boar's Brook" - when the Cistercian abbot, the Archbishop of Mainz, visited Eberbach, a wild boar emerged from the woods and leapt across the stream.

The first vines planted here were Pinot Noir, but the monks quickly realized that red wine produced here could never compete with Burgundy. The finally found that Riesling grapes grew best here on the steep slopes with their unusual soil and specific climate. Wine was what made the monastery rich, transforming it from the sanctuary and dwelling of a mere thirteen monks into the largest and most important monastery in Germany. Later, even some of the monks' cells were converted into wine cellars. The Rhine aided the enterprise, serving as the major artery of transport. The monastery ceased to function in 1803, with secularisation, but its wine lived on. Since 1945, the monastery has been administered by the state of Hessen. It includes 200 hectares of vineyards and six separate estates. The monastery also hosts the annual Rheingau Music Festival. There's another magnet that draws thousand of people each year to Eberbach: The Name of the Rose. The interior scenes for the palimpsest of Umberto Eco's novel was filmed here in the early 1980s, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and starring the legendary British actor Sean Connery as a Franciscan monk invited to investigate a mysterious murder. The story is set in Italy (where the outdoor scenes were filmed), and nothing resembling the thriller ever took place at Eberbach, but the monastery did see plenty of action in war and robbery. In 1525, the monastery was attacked by peasants, who demolished the wine cellars. In the 19th century, invaluable manuscripts from the devastated library were sold for almost nothing as worthless paper. Some of the rare books later found there way to the British Museum and various private collections. Today's monastery is a mixture of history and the latest winemaking techniques, a pleasant serenity and the flashing cameras of countless tourists. When you succeed in finding yourself in a silent space, alone, the monastery is still a magical place.

Less than half an hour away is another legendary site - Schloss Johannisberg, a majestic hilltop castle surrounded by vineyards, its ancient walls overgrown with colourful hollyhock. The vineyards stretch down a steep hillside almost to the Rhine, which glimmers in the distance. The scene could be from olden times except for a couple of smoking factory chimneys. There was once a Benedictine monastery here, but in 1715 it was acquired by the prince of the Fulda Abbey, who constructed a three-storey castle here in its stead. He planted 294 000 Riesling vines in 1720, making it the first winery where only Riesling grapes were grown. This is also where a fateful accident led to the late harvest wine known as Spätlese - in 1775, a courier who was sent to Fulda annually to get permission for to begin the harvest was delayed for two weeks by circumstance - history doesn't tell us how many taverns he dallied in on the way.

All of the other vintners had already harvested their grapes, but the Schloss Johannisberg vines had been touched by "noble rot". The vintner harvested the grapes despite this, and the resulting wine, with its characteristic high level of sugar, later became the trademark of the estate. There's a monument to the legendary courier at the castle. Down in the cellars, at their very heart, there's the Bibliotheca subterranea, a nearly sacred store of rare old wines, the oldest a 1748 Riesling.

One of the attractions of fine wine is attempting its description, stimulating the sense of taste among connoisseurs and adding a verbal dimension to the noble beverage that may or may not exist outside our imaginations. Honey, herbs, citrus and toasted bread are all appropriated to describe the bouquet of a Riesling. A well-aged bottle may also possess a note of kerosene, which some think is good and some do not delight in. The German Wine Institute has developed a circle of aromas to describe different Rieslings, with myriad suggestions for the varied tastes, from the temptingly natural to the synthetic and revolting. A trip through the region is therefore a wild, ideal ride for the senses. The road is along the Rhine, the vine-laced hills occasionally topped with romantic castles. The journey is somehow outside time and beyond the trivial cares that fill ordinary days. The list of wineries is extensive, but among those that mutn't on any account be missed are Schloss Johannisberg, Joseph Leitz, Barth, Joachim Flick, Peter Jacob Kühn, Fürst Löwenstein, and Wilheim Mohr.

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