The Fair
Call me a country bumpkin, but when someone tells me we are going to a fair, the first things that come to mind are fried dough, cotton candy and ferris wheels.
You can imagine my surprise when we drove up to what looked like a large car showroom in the middle of Mainz.
What is this, I thought to myself. Where in the world are we?
This, my friends, was the Mainzer Weinborse, otherwise known as the VDP Fair, and this was where 200 and something producers, all within the VDP, had set up shop to taste anyone fortunate enough to have a ticket on their 2011 vintage.
We spent the entire day at the fair tasting wines from all 13 anbaugebeits (English translation: wine regions). From the Nahe to the Ahr to Franken to the Mosel, these winemakers and owners brought their A-game, and anyone that was into German wine was there.
Below is a photograph of me with Stuart Pigott, one of the great lovers and writers of German wine. As you can tell, I was happy to be introduced. By the way, I’m not quite sure who the other gentleman is, but doesn’t he look important?
Of course, I have to give a major shout out to one of my great Mosel loves, Clemens Busch, who was was there with his wife pouring insanely good juice.
This past September, On the Square hosted an End of Summer of Riesling wine dinner with our beloved friend Dan Melia of Mosel Wine Merchant where we served a few wines from Mr. Busch.
Just like a young girl seeing Justin Bieber for the first time, I asked the Busches if they wouldn’t mind taking their picture with me. It was a dream come true.
At 6:00, we took a bus back to the town of Wiesbaden for our last dinner before travelling to the Rheinhessen. As you can see below, I had a light supper of Pork and Cabbage.
Following my feast, I went back to the hotel to Skype with my husband and kids. You’ll be delighted to know my children’s only two concerns: Was my Riesling tattoo real and did the hotel have a pool.
I have to say ya’ll, this trip is pretty awesome, and as much as I miss my family, I am having a total blast. Just you wait. The fun and beauty of Germany just keeps on coming.