Welcome A Bridge in Mosel, and Say So Long to Delicious Rieslings

I don't often use the blog to get up on a soapbox, but as it's wine-related, I think it's worth sharing.

According to a Decanter article released today, the German government has rejected pleas from the Green Party and from the wineries in the Mosel region of Germany (I reviewed some of the fine wines from the Mosel in a previous post) that would prevent the building of a bridge that will host a major highway through some of the best Riesling vineyards in the world.

Although people need to get from one place to another quickly, this move appears to be so short-sighted. It is akin to tearing down a medieval church for an apartment building or putting an oil-line through pristine forestland. Why? Because once the bridge is built, the pollution from the cars and the increased traffic will, inevitably, change if not destroy the purity of the soils from which Riesling derives its character. Over time, the ambient pollution will have a negative effect on the vineyards and the wines in this area of Mosel, and we will lose some of the most interesting, vibrant, and beautiful terroir from an already small area. I won't even broach the subject of how the physical appearance of this old region will be ruined -- although I could write a page on that as well (proposed view in photo from www.germanwinesdirect.org).

With a winemaking tradition that dates back to 200 AD, the German government should be doing everything it can to protect and shield Mosel from destruction. One could argue that this bridge is a desecration of an international historic site, and I hope the politicians work on that angle.

I'm an impatient American, so I especially appreciate that the lack of a bridge is inconvenient to travelers and promotes inefficiencies, but the traffic patterns have been as they are for centuries and people have lived with the inconvenience for as long. Surely the lack of a bridge will not destroy anyone's livelihood, but the addition of one does stand to deprive winelovers from this and future generations of an historic and divine experience of German artistry and history.

This time the Germans have taken their drive for efficiency too far.