Germany - Day 8 Part II - Johann Tullius Family Winery

After leaving Rudesheim, we took the ferry across the Rhine and drove about 25 miles to Steinhardt where the Johann Tullius Weingut is located. This family owned and operated winery has been in business since 1690 and the 9th and 10th generation family have adapted the business to thrive in today's world. In addition to the wine operations, they also have a Bed & Breakfast and sizable convention/party facilities. As we arrived, they were preparing for a wedding party of over 100 people the next day.

The family name, Tullius, goes all the way back to the days when the Romans occupied this part of Germany. In case you didn't do the math, the winery is 321 years old and was around 86 years before our Declaration of Independence. The photos below are of the courtyard area.

Wine is ready for loading on the truck.

One of a number of rooms available for events.

As Sigrid would say......it is very rustical.

The room where the buffet dinner will be served later in the evening.

Checking in.

Lars and Georg relaxing with a little......wine.

Opa (Grandpa) Tullius (9th generation) greeted us, took us on a tour of the wine making plant, and hosted our private wine tasting before going to dinner. He has retired but still enjoys meeting the guests and talking about wine.

Here, we learn about all the different kinds of wine they produce.

Colorful vats.

They have shifted from using natural cork to seal the bottles to a synthetic cork that doesn't impart a taste to the wine and protects the wine from spoilage longer (more air and moisture tight). I believe that pretty much all wine makers are doing the same if not opting for screw off caps.

A grape press. Notice the electric motor and jack screw on the left end. The sides of the press are perforated to let the juice out. This assembly was inserted in a tank when in use. Being electric, it obviously wasn't ancient but still interesting.

The Tomb Room for small groups without claustrophobia.

All set for tomorrow's big wedding party.

Getting ready for wine tasting.

We had a great time and Opa Tullius never ran out of stories or wines.

On fairly empty stomachs, the wine eventually started taking its toll. At one time I though there were two Opa Tullius'.

After the tasting, we had a nice dinner and settled in for the night. The rooms were very comfortable and clean. After breakfast the next morning, Sigrid made friends with one of the locals dressed for the wedding party later that day.

We got a leisurely start to the drive to Sigrid's sister's house since it was only about 60 miles away. We will do a little sightseeing as we go on Day 9.

Germany - Day 6 Part I - Rhine River Cruise

We were up early today for our Rhine River Cruise. This one-day cruise started in Braubach and went to Rudesheim before turning around and heading back. This part of the Rhine is considered upper-middle and may be the prettiest part of the river with all the castles and vineyards lining the banks. Before we even got on the boat, we had a nice view of our first Rhine castle nestled on the hillside.

We sat on the top deck of this really nice boat so we would have good access to both sides of the river for photos.

One castle (schloss) after another lined the hillsides. As it turns out, the castles were originally owned by nobility and high ranking Catholic church figures (archbishops). Most of the castle owners were granted the right to collect tolls from ships traveling on the Rhine. This practice existed for 1,000 years from 800 to 1800 AD and it kept the collectors very wealthy. Around 1250 AD, some people decided it would be a good idea to collect tolls without the sanction of the church. Those people were referred to as "robber barons" and were eventually put out of business and their castles destroyed.

Typical Rhine River city.

There is very heavy traffic on the river with barges and cruise boats.

Both sides of the river have rail lines serving both passenger and freight trains.

The entire length of the river we traveled was covered in grape vines. Here two workers tend the vines in what must be back breaking labor.

The boat made a number of stops along the river. You can use the boat like a bus if you want to see several cities along the way.

Sigrid had a great day.

As did Gisela.

It goes without saying that Georg enjoyed himself.

Lars proves the old saying....."like father like son".

Not all castles are large and luxurious.

Click on this panoramic photo to see more detail.

The Inca's don't have an exclusive patent on hillside terracing. As a matter of fact, these hills were probably terraced before the Inca's built Machu Picchu in the 1400's.

There were a number of places along the river where people were camping in tents and campers. These two look pretty relaxed.

Up next....more of the cruise and Rudesheim.