Why Are The Grapes White?

It is going to be a busy week going to Zürich on four different days, so I decided to stay close to home and go to Spiez.

Here is the reason....

It just so happened that the next train to Spiez was the GoldenPass Express which originates in Interlaken Ost and goes to Montreux. There are many stops along the way, too.

The information screens tell you the speed of the train, too. There is is map that shows your current location.

Many people paid the upcharge for a reserved seat. I know the train isn't full on a weekday.

The seats are so comfortable.

Lots of space for luggage.

The door to the toilet was open as I waited to get off the train. Very clean!

Shania Train was named after Shania Twain.

A little info about her:

Shania Twain has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the best-selling female artist in country music history.

"Twain met producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange after he heard her original songs and singing from her debut album; he offered to produce and write songs with her. Having spoken on the phone for many months, they met at Nashville's Fan Fair in June 1993 and became close. They were married on December 28, 1993, and had a son, Eja (pronounced "Asia"), on August 12, 2001. On May 15, 2008, it was announced that they were separating after Lange had an affair with Twain's best friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud. Their divorce was finalized on June 9, 2010. On December 20, 2010, it was reported that Twain was engaged to Swiss Nestlé executive Frédéric Thiébaud, Marie-Anne's former husband. They were married on January 1, 2011."

I see they are raising sheep. Years ago, deer were raised at this location.

I can see the Niederhorn from the Spiez train station.

The white house by the water was where we waited to catch the boat yesterday. You can see the funicular line that takes guests comfortably from Beaten Bayt to Beatenberg. 

According to Elogius Kiburger, the author of the Strättliger Chronicle, in 933 the King of Burgundy, Rudolph II, built the castle.

Shortly thereafter, the Freiherr von Strättligen settled in the castle. Portions of the current castle curtain walls and main tower were built during the 12th century and by the 13th century, the town of Spiez existed outside the castle walls.

I passed by a shop that sold soap. Interesting designs and smells.

The flowers were prettier in years past.

Surprised I didn't see any hummingbird moths around this plant.

You know Autumn is approaching when these bushes change color.

The easy way to have the grass cut.

Check out the roof.

Take a book or leave a book. Love these mini libraries!

Walking to the vineyard.

"Blauburgunder is the name used for the Pinot noir grape in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. It is a red wine grape variety known for producing light-bodied, delicate wines with notes of cherries, berries, and sometimes leather, undergrowth, and truffle as it matures. This demanding grape grows best in cool climates and is sensitive to weather, making it a challenging but prized variety for winemakers in these regions."

Pinot Noir, also known as Blauburgunder, is the most common red grape variety in Switzerland. Although it is a demanding grape to grow, it is present in all wine-producing regions.

This machine must have sprayed the grapes.

To my surprise, they were picking grapes today. Let the crush begin!

These people are all volunteers.

The grapes in the small buckets are put in the large barrel which are then taken to the castle to be crushed.

When the stem is cut off from the vine, the worker inspects for rotten or unripe grapes. If it is unripe or rotten, it is scraped off the stem and discarded on the ground. It is labor intensive.

I probably should have taken a picture of the bench. I think they meant the prettiest view from this bench.

So this is where the bee hives are hidden!

I certainly got my steps in today.

This section was already picked.

Chestnut tree

This is what Spizer thinks about their wines:

"Our vineyard is one of the most high-lying vineyards north of the Alps. Lake Thun’s balanced climate, the right variety of vines as well as the warm southern wind called «Föhn» allows us to produce beautiful, fresh, lively Spiezer White Wines and our Reds are known for their sophistication, elegance and fruitiness. A glass of Spiezer reflects the pre-alpine landscape and does not need to shy away from other Swiss professional competitors. Genuine, not interchangeable and candid, true character Spiezer Wines are known for their quality."

"The wine cellar where our wines are created is located in the walls of Spiez Castle, whose oldest parts from the 10th century. dates from the century. So long back also comes the wine tradition on Lake Thun. In the meantime, it was revived at the beginning of the last century by some enthusiasts. They founded a club, which In 1942 was converted into a cooperative."

I walked down to the lake.

Butterflies and bees loved these flowers.

A blue sky would have made it a perfect day, but I still think it was exciting to watch the volunteers harvesting the grapes.