Monday, 13 June 2016

Day 12. Schweinfurt to Wurzburg along the Mainradweg.

VDay 12. Schweinfurt to Wurzburg 104 km 6:15

The breakfast was not bad for a Youth Hostel, it sustained us for 60 km. Today we wound our way for most of the day along the river and got our first glimpse of the vineyards as we cycled through the valley at Nordheim. The valley is not unlike the area around Robertson with low hills covered with rows of vineyards.

Most of the wineries only opened at 15:00 but we were lucky to find the Georg Zang winery in the attractive village of Sommersach open for tasting. Georg who is the fifth generation winemaker on the Weingut, gave us an excellent tasting of Riesling, Silvaner and Weiss Burgunder. We rated the 2015 Alter Reben Silvaner Spatsleser WWS 8. It is a small boutique winery where they bottle 90,000l of wine and it is all sold in Germany. It was great to get an overview of the Franconian wines.

We cycled the last 10 km into Wurtzberg in the rain. This seems to be the norm now that the last 10 km we cycle is in the rain. Our wet gear has really been put to the test and it works very well.

It was quite difficult finding accommodation, partly because it was a Saturday night and partly because there were various festivals on in the town as well as a half marathon on Sunday.

Hotel Barbarossa was in the centre of the old city which made it very convenient to get to the major sights. We discovered by chance that there was a wine festival being held just across the road from our Hotel - Burgerspital Hofschoppen Fest. It was held at the famous  Burgerspital Winery. It is different to the way our wine festivals work, here you pay 3 Euro for a wineglass which is refunded when you return it. The wine is bought by the glass - no tastings; we are so spoilt in SA. 

We had an early night but the students made the most of Saturday night and partied into the early hours of the morning rather noisily.

Ferry crossing.

A pretty town - I know quite a few people who grew up here and never get it out of their system.

A great wine tasting with the friendly George Zang.

Roses flowering everywhere in Sommerach.

Our lunch stop in Kitsingen.

This band moved under the bridge when the rain stared.

Burgerspital winery where we went to the wine festival.





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Ian and Jenny.