News
A Bridge Too Far
By Rosi Hanson
One day last September, I sat in a garden by the wide river Mosel in Germany enjoying the late afternoon sun. I was in Kinheim-Kindell to taste 09 Rieslings made by biodynamic winemaker Rudi Trossen. Wild fungi gathered in the local woods were spread out to dry on benches. The family were sick of eating them for supper so now they would be stored for winter. Next to us were flowerbeds bursting with vibrant dahlias and Michaelmas daisies and on the table were samples of spatleses from the vineyards opposite.
Rudi Trossen is a quirky kind of guy, as the wine labels designed for him by an artist friend might suggest. He has a dry sense of humour, and is something of a philosopher. Conversation ranged over poetry, music, art, not to mention the improvement he is making to the soil by biodynamic methods, and the arguments he sometimes has with his wines – “I like to get this wine dry, but he won’t – I talk to him, but no! So I say you go your own way” (this about a Schieferstern Riesling Spatlese Feinherbe whose flavours were magnificent).
Before long the subject of the Hochmoselubergang (literally the high Mosel overgoer) reared its ugly head. Rudi is vehemently opposed, as most growers here are, to this controversial bridge project. The massive 158m tall, 10 column bridge will cut through world-famous vineyards in a place of scenic beauty favoured by Germans for healthy holidays, to walk and cycle in unpolluted tranquility. Hugh Johnson has called it “This mad, destructive, unnecessary road…” Jancis Robinson has also campaigned against it, as have many others who love the wines and care about the future of the wine-makers.
Leaving the garden, we walked along the river. We stood by the ferry that crosses the river at Pundereich (only on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays though, and avoid lunch hour). Posters announced an imminent walnut festival. Ducks waddled up the slipway; swans glided, large barges slid by. Vertiginous vineyards – some of the steepest in the world – were facing us. It was hard to believe that any government would want to wreck this idyll for a bridge that seemingly few think is needed. But two years ago work started; in the depths of the countryside you come across an ugly concrete pillar or the beginnings of a slip road going nowhere.
Later, eating a dish of those seasonal mushrooms at a local riverside restaurant with Knut Aufermann, there was more bridge talk. He is vigorously involved in the anti-bridge movement. His partner, Sarah Washington, is the spokesperson for Pro-Mosel, which has spearheaded the campaign. I don’t suppose either of them would have thought they would become involved in politics. In what you might call real life, both are musicians. Knut wrote his MA thesis on the use of feed-back in music, and was involved in setting up Resonance, a cutting edge music radio station in London; Sarah’s interest in sonic art has something to do with sound bending or breaking which I can’t say I have really understood.
I didn’t think I would ever have an interest in German politics, but since that trip, I have tried to keep up with the situation concerning the bridge. In the election of March 2011, the Green Party won a significant percentage of the vote in Rhineland-Pfalz, the state responsible for building the bridge. Good news for Pro-Mosel, you might think.
When the Greens agreed to talks about forming a coalition with the Social Democrats Sarah Washington expected them to put their money where their mouth had been during the election campaign and negotiate to bring an end to the bridge.
Building was indeed put on hold, but not for long. By the beginning of May Decanter was reporting that the Greens had folded under pressure from their new best political friends, and the monster motorway would go ahead.
“There was no real building freeze” thinks Sarah Washington now. “That was just a sham to keep us quiet and let the “professionals” get on with their job in peace!” No wonder she is angry. Jubilation after the election was tempered by a little caution, but she didn’t expect this kind of let-down. “It turns out that the Greens had neither the guts nor a strong enough conviction to make this the key issue of the talks – as they had previously indicated they would. It was the only major topic that kept appearing in the press, yet not everyone in their team was convinced by it, and they did not expend the energy needed to convince the doubters, nor even let their party members know the true significance of the bridge for the future of Green politics.”
She is bitter about the amount of time she and other members of the anti-bridge movement put into campaigning for the Greens. “ Instead of reaping the rewards of the golden egg we had laid for them, they are now under attack from the press. It is a PR disaster that they did not even predict. I had thought the press was the main reason they would act as strongly as they could for this cause, but it seems they did not understand it at all. They were happy that we created so much good publicity for them in the run up to the elections, but now are angry with us for the backlash! But not nearly as angry as their new and old supporters in the Middle Mosel are with them!”
Pro-Mosel is trying to regroup. Although its members are exhausted and dismayed, they seem determined to fight on.
“We have kicked up so much dirt I still think we might find a way to stop it”, says Sarah Washington. “Naturally, we are exploring all avenues at the moment, searching for the next bombshell that will help us put a spanner in the works. Time is of course now pressing heavily against us and we certainly need a huge dose of luck.”
By Rosi Hanson
|
|
|
 |
News Archive
Langton's Classification V Set
Len Evans Foundation Auction
Behind Bindi: The Life of a Winemaker
Champagne –all about marketing or worth the hype?
London Launch of Burgundies 2011
The State of New Zealand Pinot Noir
Beauty and Balance the Razor's Edge
Yalumba Tasting – Aussie Rules
Hospices de Beaune Auction 2012
Langton's Classification Auction 2012
Hill of Grace 50th Anniversary Lunch
History of Langton's Classification
Melbourne Private Cellar - An Extraordinary Auction
Dr Ray Beckwith OAM - a Tribute
The Future of the Australian Wine Show System
The Jura's famous yellow wine
Clonakilla - A special Shiraz Viognier Tasting
Key News - September 2012
October Langton's Cellar Club
Single Vendor Flood Damaged Auction
Robert Parker & Jancis Robinson MW
A great Burgundian domaine restored
Seppelt Para Liqueur Vintage Tawny Collection - Special Auction
Vega-Sicilia - A special Single Vendor Auction
Opera Australia Christmas Auction
Out of the Blue Comes a Farm
The competitive Mr. Basset OBE, MW, Best Sommelier in the World
Uncorking Penfolds Clinic
Fruit of the Forest: Wild Fungi
Innovation and Experimentation
The Risk Taking Wine Psychologist
Sydney Single Vendor Auction
Hill of Grace 50th Anniversary Lunch
Australia's Top 100 Auction Wines for 2011
Grenache Day Blogger's Breakfast
A French Sleeping Beauty Awakes
Black Blue & Grey-Wolf Blass Luxury Release
An Enviable Inharitance - Olivier Leflaive
Key News - December Edition
Cross[x]Species Adventures
The China Syndrome: Shanghai International Wine Challenge 2011
Christmas and another great vintage in Alsace
Down in the Woods: Franciacorta and Ca' del Bosco
Foie gras and sweet wine in the Loire
Key News - October Edition
Bordeaux Masterclass & Dinner
Invisible Touch: Benchmark Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Key News - September Edition
The Unsung Heros of the French Wine Harvest
Penfolds White Winemaking Overview
It's only Natural: Torbreck Natural Wine Project
On Organics, Biodynamics and Sustainable Viticulture
Key News - March 2011 Edition
Langtons is now on Twitter & Facebook
The Nine Network: Burgundy 2009
Key News -February 2011 Edition
2007 Hospices de Beaune Review
Penfolds Rewards of Patience - Decant Guide
The Drinks Interval: Wine & Cricket
Last outpost of the Bristish Empire
Trevor Mast Charity Auction
Shipping for the Festive Season 2010
Keys News - November Edition
From Northern Ireland to New Zealand: Te Mata Coleraine 2006-1991
Charity Lot - 123 Classified Wines
BUY CLASSIFICATION POSTER
Variations on a Theme: Coonawarra Reds 2006-1982
Key News -October Edition
Key News - September Edition
Flaming Ferrari: Yalumba the Signature and Single Site New Releases
Classification V - Coming Soon!
Key News - August Edition
Blood, Sweat & Tears: Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 1987-2006
Bordeaux 2009 Reflections
A Perfect Ten? Bordeaux 2000 reassessed 10 years on
2005 Grange: Where do the Grapes come from?
Is it a Bird? A Plane? It's 707!
Meet the Winemakers Behind Today's Penfolds Great Reds
Bin Files: Penfolds 389 vs Grange
Treasured Bottles - Yarra Yering
The Evolution of New Zealand Pinot Noir
SINGLE VENDOR AUCTION DEC 2009
Opera Australia Christmas 2009 Auction
Classic Wines of Australia 1961-1970
Parker Review - Tuscany 2006 & 2007
French wine remains the worlds reference point
PINOSOPHY – Brian Croser’s Pinot Noir Manifesto
Penfolds Primary Reds Rise Above Stock Market Blues.
Langton’s Top 500 Australian Wine Prices 2007
The Great Wine Estates of Western Australia “2007 En-Primeur Campaign”
147 Vente Des Vins - Des Hospices de Beaune
LANGTON’S Classic PENFOLDS Wine Auction
Jasper Hill – The life and works of Ron and Elva Laughton
McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon – Hunter Valley
Robert Parker Jr.’s top 180 Wines of the 2006 Vintage + Andrew Caillard's Bordeaux Impressions
Opening Gambit - Andrew Caillard MW en route to Bordeaux
Heritage & Evolution: A Tasting
Certainty! The Claret Drinker's Song
Wine Investment – Swim between the flags
Penfolds Classified Wines
Classic Penfolds Wine Auction
The Siren’s Song – Bass Phillip
Exchange Current Listings
Andrew Caillard MW reviews Bordeaux 2005
Bordeaux 2005 – Does it get any better than this? What the international reviewers are saying
Nicky Riemer – the new Head Chef at Langton’s Restaurant
Langton's Exchange in 2006
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV – International Reception, Predictions and Tastings
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV – International Reception, Predictions and Tastings
LANGTON’S EXCHANGE – BUY NOW and SAVE 15%
Great Wines Estates of WA Live Auction (V) – Open for Bidding Online October 21 to November 12
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV
2005 Classification in Gourmet Traveller WINE
Bordeaux 2004 – A Classic Vintage
Penfolds Grange Auction – Now Open
MCWILLIAMS Celebrity Blend-Off for Charity Wine Auction
Grange Auction Open for Bidding
LANGTON’S EXCHANGE – BUY NOW!
1998: Vintage of the Century
A Vertical Tasting of De Bortoli Noble One
The Story of Grange by Max Schubert (1915–1994)
Penfolds Grange Auction June 13 - July 14, 2003
A Lazy Eye on Pink Cliffs & One Eye
Henschke Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone
Selling at Langton’s in 2003
Australian Wine Exchange offers Giaconda Chardonnay
Large Format Grange Sets Records
The Sensational 2002 Central Otago Pinot Noir Vintage
Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration and Barrel Auction
The John (Jack) W Henderson Collection - Auction Closes February 3, 6pm
Shiraz Australia II Auction
Seppelt Para 100 Year Old Liqueur Vintage Tawny Barossa Valley - Vintages 1878-1903
|