In the February 2010 Decanter magazine, the article “A Bridge Too
Far” describes how work has started on the B50 High Mosel Bridge, designed to
shorten the trip from Belgium
and Holland to Germany’s Frankfurt-Hahn airport. The four-lane bridge will stand 160m high and
stretch for 1.7 km and cost about €500m of public money, the work expected to
take up to seven years to complete. It
is figured the bridge will cut the journey time by approximately 30 minutes. Hendrik Hering of the SDP party, part of the
ruling coalition in Germany
says there is “widespread support across the region” for the project.
Erni Loosen, one of the Mosel’s leading winemakers was in Regional Wines this
week; he refutes this and expressed his horror on how the bridge will devastate
some of the best vineyards in the region.
The bridge will go through and affect the great sites of Sonnenuhr in
Wehlen and Zeltingen, Wurzgarten in Urzig and Domprobst in Graach, among many
others. It will be impossible to estimate
the long-term damage to the vineyards, ecology and wines of the region from pollution
and the altering of the landscape. It
will certainly not enhance the vista as the beautiful Millau Viaduct has done
in France. World wine authority Hugh Johnson upon
investigation has described the proposed bridge as “an autobahn on stilts” and
vehemently opposes its construction.
Loosen states “it is madness how the original plans, rejected in times
of plenty, have now been resurrected in these times of recession”.
Those who have visited the Mosel and appreciate the beauty of the area, and wine
lovers who enjoy the wonderful wines, the epitome of Riesling, will no doubt
make their objections heard. Having
toured the Mosel in 2005, and having enjoyed the beautiful delicacy and purity
of Mosel wines for over 20 years, I ask you to
do so too, otherwise future wine enthusiasts may never taste these glorious
wines ever again. Contact the German
Chancellor, Angela Merkel with your statement of opposition to the building of
the B50 High Mosel Bridge. Email her at:
angela.merkel@cdu.de and as Hugh Johnson suggests, open a bottle of Urziger,
Graacher or Wehlener…..your choice.
- Raymond Chan