European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 1, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Harvest on the Mosel by Sharon Hudgins special to Stripe Magazine sni snip. Snip. A Tiitto Rustle. Snip. Snip. Rustle. Snip my Handi moved through the vines pushing aside the Wel leaves id find another Bunch of riesling grapes. Snip. I dropped the grapes into 4 plastic bucket and moved d Stop to the right along the Row of rain snaked vines. Another Bunch of grapes peeked out from b l in pointed leaves. Snip into the bucket they went on the Lisl leg of their journey from Mosel Vineyard to Green stemmed wine Glass. My own journey from University classroom to Moil Vineyard began 10 years ago. My husband Mil i both University Tif Maryland lecturers were living in the a Nuslein Kaiserslautern area. The University decided thai it needed our skills elsewhere. Three weeks before the school term was to begin. We were informed thai my husband would be teaching 1wt Days per week in Wiesbaden and another iwo Day each week in Span Dahlem. My weekly teaching schedule was for two nights in Hahn a and to nights in Tilburg. Anyone familiar with German geography and German weather conditions october through december will realize that this assignment Nightmare in addition we would be working in t hat part of Germany for Only two months. So we had to find some place to live Hinl was centrally located Between Pitburg and Wiesbaden did t have a three year ironclad lease w where Graben Trarbach was located but a Quick Inok at the map showed a Small town wedged Between live Hunsuck and Eifel mountains directly on the Mosel River and about i in Way Between wies Bzdon and Pitburg. The Friend of Fri Ontl s acquaintance could t sitcom Rodate us but she telephoned someone else in town and within an hour of arriving in Graben Trarbach we were with our new landlord. He was Down in a rim it wine cellar standing in a huge Hopper of . Ive watched As he shove led the grapes into .1 Centrifuge which forced the juice out of the grapes and separated it from the grape seeds and skins. More loads of freshly picked grapes were arriving by tractor and truck amid a confusion of motor sound and fruity Aromas. Louis Klein the landlord Mil vintner held out one Juke covered to ii Elk the Deal and with the other hand offered us a full Bunch of fresh riesling grapes. We had arrived right in the Middle of the annual Mosel Harvest. And we har just contracted to spend the next iwo months in a Mosel winery. Hoho our Home for the next school term was to be a Holiday apartment in Louis Klein s winery a five Story Sale Stone building constructed in 18b9. Lou is and his wife Marita had renovated the Middle floor of the building converting the space into three part meals completely furnished each Wilh a Large living dining room a bedroom and a fully equipped Kitchen not to mention a Superb View Over the most River. The Klein family lived on the iwo floors above and the winery itself was located a the floors below our apartment. Can you imagine n s like to be living directly Abov .1 wine press we could almost gel High just Bris thing the fume thai seeped constantly through the floorboards of our . And Wilh a Tittle Advance notice we had Access loan excellent wine cellar. Louis and Marita Klein soon became our friends and Louis look it upon himself to instruct us in the Art i if . Often inert tic Wirtl tra the cellar to Check the Rale ref fermentation to Transfer my wine to in Rojen risks for ii Ift to in Ollie the wines Werr for Market he would first Ltd a by our i a Irti ii in ask it we i Inrod to see the process. We always accepted his invitation so it was the sort of educational experience that most wine lovers Only Lilin t. La was also convenient to i living in a winery when ivc inert a people o dinner or jj.ivt1 a Large party. We rate a lot during those weeks at the kleins. .1 Louis would usually treat our guest of
