In late October, we drove 3 hours north from Stuttgart to meet up with Leigh-Ann in the Mosel River Valley. She recently became a full-time entrepreneur as a photographer/videographer and was hired by Ernst Loosen, a famous German winemaker, to get footage of his wine estate during the harvest season. We are so inspired by Lou for following her passion and starting a career doing what she truly loves and travelling the world!
We are so fortunate that Ernie told Leigh-Ann to invite us and the Steels to stay in the guest apartment on the wine estate.
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| My loves - Scoots and Leigh-Ann (photo cred to Ambular-another skilled photog - check out her blog) |
View of the grapes with Mosel River in the distance - photo taken by Leigh-Ann (insta@bonafideproductions)
Ernie is wildly successful and his wine is distributed to 63 different countries worldwide. Leigh-Ann met him when she sold wine in Charleston and they have become close pals over the years.
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Talented Louis in her element (photo cred to Amber)
Ernie is a fascinating, well dressed Renaissance man and a warm host.
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Ernie pointing out the locations on the cliff where he owns land and grows grapes
When we arrived, he took us on a walk around the vineyard and explained the local wine business and micro climates for optimal growing.
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| Ernie, Adam, Ambular, Lou, and Pearl |
Ernie discussed the importance of the blue and red slate which adds potassium to the soil and eventually creates delicious wine. Ernie said his employees used to have to "schlep" up the steep hills with the baskets of grapes but now he has machines that make the process more efficient. Amber and Adam are living in Holland near a marina this winter so it was great to finally see them while living abroad.  WJ Wildcats!
Me, Lou, and Scoots from the backside (photo cred to Amber)
  After tasting a variety of wines, we sat down for a delicious 6 course dinner with Ernie, his wife, and their outgoing friends.  Amber was delighted by the monogrammed china but I was more thrilled about the fresh seafood The first course, was a flavorful mussel in buerre blanc sauce (above), followed by porcini mushrooms, cold smoked salmon with plum sauce, roasted eggplant and mozzarella with tomato sugo from Italy, and a fresh fig in warm brandy syrup. The best part of dinner was when Ernie presented a special bottle of wine from Leigh-Ann's birth year! 1981 is a crucial year for the rest of us so we were all excited to try this "old" vintage (except maybe Adam, the stoic Brit).
The next day, we bundled up and rode bikes along the Mosel river to other cute wine towns. |
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| Bike ride break time to sip refreshments |
Adam, a British ship captain, commented that the river was "as flat as a 9 year old." It was very peaceful and surreal in the town.
In Traben Trabach, we met a nice old man named Housmann who distilled schnapps in his old cellar that was built in 856 and was a former monastery.
Housemann, Lou (taking photo) and Scoots (taking shot of home made schnapps)
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| Chillin on the Mosel before taking the ferry |
When we got back, we got ready together in our shared bathroom just like old times before Prom but this time with matching bathrobes and quality alcohol.
Time to learn to curl my hair with a straightener
We enjoyed dinner at an Italian bistro and shared more delicious local wine.
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| Happy times and stripes |
Ernie surprised us again and sent out a different bottle of wine from 1981!
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| This wine is as old as Megano - 33 years! Hopefully we are both getting better with age |
Muchas gracias to Ernie for hosting us! We will always cherish the memories from the epic weekend at Loosen Vineyards.
