Bridge over troubled vineyards

The Mosel valley in Germany is justly proud the quality of its wines for which the area is famous. Some of the best Riesling vineyards in the world can be found here which have been tended by hand since Roman times.

The geography of the valley, the climate and the local water supply all combine to produce exceptional wines that have a very unique flavour.

Today though, wine critics are angered by plans to build one of Germany’s biggest bridges and a four-lane motorway through the middle of the historic Riesling vineyards of the Mosel valley. Already over 10,000 people have signed a petition asking the government to scrap the project which not only would be a vast eyesore in a beautiful scenic location but could also affect the water supply dynamics of the valley and thus affect the quality of the wine.

Supporters of the proposal and the local authorities say that the motorway and bridge would significantly cut travel times between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands thus improving transport and encouraging tourism. The new bridge would be higher than a lot of the surrounding hills and completely dominate the valley so the debate has become very heated.

For me the words ‘delicate balance’ spring to mind. Firstly because getting the economic and travel benefits right is a delicate financial balance but equally there is always a delicate environmental balance that determines which areas and vineyards produce the best wines.

Yes, the motorway might shorten travel times and yes it might also bring in more tourists but if the knock-on effect means that the quality of some of the world’s greatest wines are compromised than the environmental costs and damage to the reputation of the vineyards might outweigh the perceived benefits.

And personally I’d rather sip a good Riesling looking out over a historic natural landscape than a four lane concrete monstrosity.

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