Riesling wineries under threat

Published: 13 May, 2009

Some of Germany's most famous Riesling wineries are under threat from government plans to construct a major traffic bridge in the Mosel Valley region, visitors to the London International Wine Fair are being told.
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The environmental threat posed to Germany's Mosel Valley Riesling wineries through the construction a four-lane traffic bridge in the region is the focus of a lobbying campaign at the LIWF.

Wine producers in the Mosel Valley believe that if the bridge plan goes ahead it will damage the ecosystems of Riesling vineyards on the valley's hillsides.

A display detailing the fears of the winemakers is located at Pineapple Wine Service's stand (R20) at the LIWF.

Visitors to the stand are being encouraged to back a campaign to scrap plans for a 160-metre high four lane highway bridge across the famous winemaking valley.

Producers fear that delicate ecosystems and microclimates may be destroyed.
Wine lovers are being asked to highlight their concerns directly to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Ernst Loosen, from Bernkastel-Kues, fears the quality of his wines may be affected if the bridge plans go ahead.

"There is a forest on top of the hills here and those forests act as a water reservoir for these vineyards, and when this small ridge is sealed off by building a motorway on it it can't retain the water and that will be detrimental to the water balance of these vineyards, and they are the best vineyards of the middle Mosel."

Loosen predicted that the water problem could cause untold damage to Riesling wineries.

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