My boyfriend and I are planning on staying in Boppard for 2 nights in late May (would love to stay somewhere a little nicer than the castle hostel, but we are poor soon-to-be college grads). We are very interested in trying some wines of the region. How is this normally done? If you go to the tourist office will they have advice on where to visit, how to get there, etc? Are there stops on the train by wine cellars? Anyone who has advice on how to do some wine tastings in the Rhine region for amateurs let me know. My boyfriend and I might buy a few bottles, but probably are not in the market for cases or anything, so we don't want places with too much pressure to buy.

actually for clarification we are staying in Bacharach at the castle hostel. or at least that is the plan.

I'd bet you a bottle that there will be fliers at the hostel or at the reception of any hotel you happen to walk by. But if you need more pointers, call Tourist-Information Bacharach Tel: (+49 for Germany) 6743/91 93 03.

You can also google Wein Bacharach and get a good sense of names and such.

May is not the wine season, of course, but look at this site and email them, it's an association of vintners in the region:

http://www.wein-plus.com/german_guid...ch+eG_333.html

they might let you know which of their members may be open for visits in May.

WK

Lizzy, I would recommend that you look for a "zimmer frei" in the town or village that you stay in. These are rooms that people rent out to tourists at a very good rate and you get to meet the locals and get good info. Last time my wife and I went, we stayed in a house in Zell. The people were great and the owner of the house produced his own wine. So we tasted his wine and bought several bottles from him. I would recommend that you find the tourist office when you get to town. (Some small towns will have a info board with rooms etc listed.) You can ask for a list of rooms in town and they may have a list of people selling wine. this would also apply to your question about the Mosel ! Glenn

Hi Lizzy,

> We are very interested in trying some wines of the region. How is this normally done?<

You walk into a wine bar and order wine until you run out of money or they throw you out.

We'll be in the Rhine in May also and will likely do what Ira suggests!

If you're in Bacharach, you should make an appointment to tour the well regarded winery of Tony Jost.

The Tourist Infomation will be able to tell you where and how to do wine tastings. Some of the restaurants offer a sampling and there is likely a wine cellar or shop in Boppard as it is a major wine area. We'll be in Cochem and the Tourist Info there has information on wine tasting held by local vintners so we'll wait until we get there to find out.

Bacharach will have lots of places to taste wine. I'm not a huge wine fan, but have been to a place in St. Goarshausen that was fun. The old city tower on the south end of town houses a wine cellar nowadays - open after 1 pm as I remember - glasses are small and cheap. Take the train to St. Goar and ferry across the river there, then walk south toward the Lorelei. Here's a photo of it with some history on the building in German:

http://www.gruft-der-vampire.de/ruin...oarshausen.htm

Please check out the local hotels with Zimmer Frei signs. When traveling home on the 9th of this month we talked to a young man who stayed in hostels, and he paid more per night than we did in the small hotels. You should be able to get a twin room in a small hotel or garni for about 80 euro or less. We drank the local wine in the hotels we stayed in and it was all very good and all very inexpensive.(less than tea or coffee)

The castle hostel in Bacharach actually might not be the best plan for you. It's very high on the cliffside and requires climbing an uncountable number of steps to get to - tough with a pack. I'm sort of a mountain goat type and actually enjoy that sort of thing, but if you'll be there a couple of days you may not feel like coming and going much. Another caveat: it's an HI hostel, and in May there is great potential that it'll be full of screaming 10-year-olds on school outings. HI hostels in Germany are calm in late July and August when school isn't in session. but during the year, they seem to be full of these groups, especially in a good weather month like May.

So mr compass has a good idea. I'd contact the local tourist office to see what you might book. It probably will be cheaper too. The hostel is charging 16/person for a dorm room, 22/per person for a double room, and that's if you have a membership card; plan on 3 Euros more if not. There are several private B&B's that are better located, far more comfy, and charge less in these Rhine towns. This one in the wine village of Oberwesel...
http://www.mittelrhein-ferienwohnung...sel/index.html

Charges 35/per night for their apartment, 36 for their double rooms with breakfast. You'll probably enjoy some greater privacy in a place like this.

If you want to experience a castle, then tour a real one instead of one that has been gutted and remodeled into dorm rooms! Marksburg Castle in Braubach is across the river and north, and it really does give you an idea of medieval life.

Have a great trip.
Russ

thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I am definitely going to look into what you all said as soon as I get back from Japan (March 23-April 8). One thing at a time I suppose... but anyway, great advice, thanks!!!