As we've seen in Zellertal in the northern Pfalz or Santa Ynez in coastal California, wine valleys with west-east orientations often yield something unique regarding climate. Its orientation is just one factor that makes the Ahr Valley, which sits above the 50th parallel north, distinctive. The Ahr River, a tributary of the Rhine, begins in Blankenheim in the Eifel region, "in the cellar of a timber-frame house near the castle" and flows for 25 kilometers through the Ahrtal (Ahr Valley) winegrowing region, and eventually joins the Rhine after Heimersheim. This side valley of the Rhine features steep south-facing slopes sheltered by the low Eifel range and benefits from the moderating influence of the Gulf Stream, creating a longer growing season than its next-door neighbor, the Mosel.
The Ahr's geography and climate help explain why it's a red wine-dominated region, with over 65% of its area planted with Spätburgunder and smaller plantings of the red varieties Dornfelder, Portugieser and, of local importance, Frühburgunder. Like the Mosel, the Ahr has a cool climate, and Devonian slate plays a pivotal role here, too, heating the ground during the day and giving warmth back to the vine at night. Slate and Pinot Noir is a rare combination, giving Ahr Spätburgunder a smoky and uniquely mineral identity, drawing international attention to its top producers beginning in the mid-1980s.
Until the late 1970s, Ahr vineyards comprised almost equal proportions of red and white varieties, and the local version of Weissherbst known as Ahrbleichert (from bleichen meaning to bleach) would have been standard in the Straußwirtschaften alongside unserious sweet red wines. Pinot Noir often came from lesser clones like Mariafelder and Ritter, and the region might have gone along contently mediocre if Werner Näkel, a former school teacher, hadn't been so enamored by Henri Jayer and the red wines of Burgundy. Näkel planted Pinot clones from Burgundy and used small oak barrels to produce a new Ahr Pinot type with class and sophistication like a great Vosne or Gevrey.
I still remember the buzz about Meyer-Näkel's 2005 Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder winning Decanter's Pinot Noir Trophy when many in the US trade were still unsure about Germany's potential as a world-class red wine producer. Meyer-Näkel, Jean Stodden, JJ Adeneuer, Deutzerhof, Nelles, Burggarten, HJ Kreuzberg, Sermann, and the Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoß* lead the Ahr on the quality front today. With the villages of Walporzheim and Marienthal at the center of the Ahr Valley, vineyards to its west are high, steep, and terraced featuring slate soils and giving wines with structure and mineral taste. East of Walprzheim, vineyards are lower and less steep, with loess and loam, and, in theory, show softer, more fruit-driven Pinots.
The Ahr vineyards to know are well-elaborated by the producers mentioned above. From east to west are Heimersheim Landskrone with greywacke, loam, and loess. Neuenahr Sonnenberg with greywacke, slate with loam and loess. Ahrweiler Rosenthal with greywacke soil, giving full-bodied and long-lived Pinots. Walporzheim Kräuterberg with slate soils. Walporzheim Gärkammer, greywacke and slate, a monopollage of JJ Adeneuer. The previously mentioned Dernau Pfarrwingert, a warm site of greywacke, produces ripe and aromatic Spätburgunder. The steep Altenahr Eck greywacke and slate yielding mineral-intense Pinot Noir and Riesling.
*Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoß (Germany's first cooperative winery was founded in 1868, before Germany became a nation!)
Spelling Rule
Always remove doubled letter when combining a word that ends in the same letter the following word begins with.
Rostn + Noez = Rostnoez (Rusty Walnut)
Words classified as both adjective and noun, including those under Minerals and Colors, will not change in structure when they are used as an adjective. For example Agat (amber) will NEVER become Agati.
Misc
Jho……………… And
Oebb…………… Above
Numbers
Aerst…………… First
Agynn………….. Beginning
Helb……………. Half
Jarr……………… Year
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Eyn……………… One
Does……………. Two
Drys…………….. Three
Foer……………. Four
Pfym…………… Five
Saes……………. Six
Syvin…………… Seven
Aht……………… Eight
Nyun…………… Nine
Zaen……………. Ten
Eynli……………. Eleven
Zwelf… ……….. Twelve
Ahtza…………… Eighty
Colors
Bloe……………. Blue
Broen………….. Brown
Fhil……………… Yellow
Gryne………….. Green
Hast/Hastal…… Hazel
Keim…………….Violet, Purple
Kest…………….. Chestnut
Rhot……………. Red
Swar……………. Black
Thosin…………. Gray
Wyzn…………… White
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In Erftstadt-Blessem südwestlich von Köln führten gewaltige Erdrutsche am Freitag 16.07.2021 zu einer dramatischen Lage. Es bildeten sich Krater im Erdreich. Nach jüngstem Stand stürzten drei Wohnhäuser und ein Teil der historischen Burg ein.
Kein Handy-Netz in vielen Orten
In den Hochwassergebieten besteht zu vielen Menschen immer noch kein Kontakt. Die Mobilfunknetze sind teilweise lahmgelegt. Der Ahr-Fluss war an vielen Stellen über die Ufer getreten und hatte Gebäude, Straßen und Brücken mit sich gerissen. Extrem schwer traf es die Ortschaft Schuld an der Ahr.
Zahlreiche Bewohner flüchteten vor den Fluten auf die Dächer ihrer Häuser. Die Polizei setzte Hubschrauber ein, um die Menschen an Seilwinden von den Dächern zu retten.
Neben dem Kreis Ahrweiler ist auch die Region rund um das nordrhein-westfälische Erftstadt südlich von Köln sowie das nahegelegene Gebiet rund um Euskirchen von schweren Zerstörungen gezeichnet.
In Erftstadt-Blessem südwestlich von Köln führten gewaltige Erdrutsche am Freitag zu einer dramatischen Lage. Es bildeten sich Krater im Erdreich. Nach jüngstem Stand stürzten drei Wohnhäuser und ein Teil der historischen Burg ein.
Fotos - HIER
In Erftstadt-Blessem, southwest of Cologne, huge landslides led to a dramatic situation on Friday 16th July 2021. Craters formed in the earth. According to the latest information, three residential buildings and part of the historic castle collapsed.
No cell phone network in many places
In the flooded areas, there is still no contact with many people. Mobile phone networks are partially paralyzed. The Ahr River had burst its banks in many places and swept away buildings, roads and bridges. The town of Schuld an der Ahr was hit extremely hard.
Numerous residents fled from the floods onto the roofs of their houses. The police used helicopters to rescue people from the roofs on winches.
In addition to the Ahrweiler district, the region around Erftstadt in North Rhine-Westphalia, south of Cologne, as well as the nearby area around Euskirchen, also suffered severe destruction.
In Erftstadt-Blessem, southwest of Cologne, huge landslides led to a dramatic situation on Friday. Craters formed in the earth. According to the latest information, three residential buildings and part of the historic castle collapsed.