Ahrweiler-Bad Neuenahr (1 June 08)
We checked out of the hotel after breakfast on Sunday morning to begin our drive back to the Hague. It was a challenge trying to pack our goods and luggages into the car boot with all the extras that we had purchased i.e. mainly wine and foodstuff.
Since we did'nt really have a proper look at other villages along the wine trail yesterday, we decided to drive there again for some sight-seeing before heading back. The distance from Bad Neuenahr to the Altenahr village on the west end of the trail is around 15 km. In between, there are villages like Walporzheim, Marienthal, Dernau and Mayshob.
****Rooppert waiting to be loaded into the car
****Roelof saying good-bye
All along the way, one could see picturesque views of vines growing on the terraced hills which were progressively steeper towards the west. Harvesting is mainly done manually hence the more expensive price of the red wines. It is thought that red wines were already cultivated in the Ahr valley since the roman times.
The highly popular Spatburgender (late Burgundy) Pinot Noir grapes were brought over from Burgundy in the late 17th century and accounts for more than 50% of the variety grown now. Due to the limited production and high local demand, the Ahr red wines are almost never seen on the export market.
****terraced vineyards along the red wine trail
****no grapes yet..
Upon reaching Altenahr, we decided to take a walk through the town since it seemed very lively on a Sunday morning. The sun was bright and shining, and there was a carnival-like atmosphere on the streets with barbeques, foodstalls and some shops open.
****Altenahr village on a Sunday morning
****a friendly couple selling grilled meats and sausages outside their store
****a friendly couple selling grilled meats and sausages outside their store
****yum... veal sausages
****the 'Are' castle which provides a dramatic backdrop to the pretty village
After spending about an hour in Altenahr browsing through some shops and tasting a sausage or two, we decided to stop by Dernau for lunch on the way back. It was very quiet in Dernau except for the restaurants. My German colleague had recommended the Hofgarten restaurant which was not difficult to find due to the fairly prominent location on a hill slope and cars parked around it.
****entrance to the Hofgarten restaurant in Dernau
The Hofgarten wine bar and restaurant is famous for its wines and cuisine. The restaurant has been in the same family for more than 200 years, and is a complementary business to their vineyards and award winning red wines. It did not look that large from the outside but once we stepped in, we were surprised to see how spacious it is with several large dining halls including an outdoor courtyard. There were a lot of people there already particularly in the courtyard area.
The garden-like ambience and decorations were quite unique and charming. Even the chandeliers looked 'organic' with real flowers in glass/ crystal bubbles. The waitress told us that the decorations are changed every season.
The restaurant has several signature dishes and for lunch, the schnitzel dish was very popular and reasonably priced. We decided to go for that and also try several glasses of their house reds. The wines were more expensive than usual, but that's to be expected due to its more premium quality. We were not disappointed with either the schnitzel or wines. My friend remarked that this was probably the best lunch that she had for this trip.
The pork snitzel was coated with crumbs and i think some milk and butter products - it was thin and flaky and melted in your mouth. The meat seemed to have been marinated and tasted almost like chicken. Even the potatos were very good, crispy on the outside and not very salty. The vinegar, parsley and lemon slices added some exotic flavour to the dish.
****the signature schnitzel dish at Hofgarten
****the 'Are' castle which provides a dramatic backdrop to the pretty village
After spending about an hour in Altenahr browsing through some shops and tasting a sausage or two, we decided to stop by Dernau for lunch on the way back. It was very quiet in Dernau except for the restaurants. My German colleague had recommended the Hofgarten restaurant which was not difficult to find due to the fairly prominent location on a hill slope and cars parked around it.
****entrance to the Hofgarten restaurant in Dernau
The Hofgarten wine bar and restaurant is famous for its wines and cuisine. The restaurant has been in the same family for more than 200 years, and is a complementary business to their vineyards and award winning red wines. It did not look that large from the outside but once we stepped in, we were surprised to see how spacious it is with several large dining halls including an outdoor courtyard. There were a lot of people there already particularly in the courtyard area.
The garden-like ambience and decorations were quite unique and charming. Even the chandeliers looked 'organic' with real flowers in glass/ crystal bubbles. The waitress told us that the decorations are changed every season.
****the dining hall where we were seated. Flowers everywhere - vases, chandeliers and tables 
We had a huge rectangular table (i think it can easily accomodate 12 people) at the back of the dining hall. The space was certainly a luxury, and it almost felt like a private dining area. We had a beautiful flower chandelier right above the table.
We had a huge rectangular table (i think it can easily accomodate 12 people) at the back of the dining hall. The space was certainly a luxury, and it almost felt like a private dining area. We had a beautiful flower chandelier right above the table.
****flower and glass chandelier
The restaurant has several signature dishes and for lunch, the schnitzel dish was very popular and reasonably priced. We decided to go for that and also try several glasses of their house reds. The wines were more expensive than usual, but that's to be expected due to its more premium quality. We were not disappointed with either the schnitzel or wines. My friend remarked that this was probably the best lunch that she had for this trip.
The pork snitzel was coated with crumbs and i think some milk and butter products - it was thin and flaky and melted in your mouth. The meat seemed to have been marinated and tasted almost like chicken. Even the potatos were very good, crispy on the outside and not very salty. The vinegar, parsley and lemon slices added some exotic flavour to the dish.
****the signature schnitzel dish at Hofgarten
I also tried their house dessert which was pumpkin seed ice-cream with plums and cream. It was very delicious as well. Even the slices of butter cakes that were served with coffee tasted very good and my friend ordered several slices for takeaway. We also bought several bottles of their red wines.
We left Dernau at around 3pm and reached the Hague at around 6.30pm. The drive back was very smooth with no traffic jams. It was a lovely trip and just nice for an extended weekend. We're already thinking of returning to the area in autumn during the harvesting season.
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