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News
A bridge too far for UK retailers
Dr Loosen’s wines in the UK will soon bear a neck label to draw attention to the planned bridge building in the Mosel Valley.
The initiative has the support of major retailers including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Oddbins, Majestic, Direct Wines and Avery’s.
Nigel Blundell of Awin Barratt Siegel Wines, who has represented Dr Loosen in the UK for over 25 years, thought up the “Bridge Too Far” campaign.
He said: “After visiting the Mosel earlier this year and seeing what a terrible effect this monstrous bridge could have, not only on the ecology but also tourism in the area, I put forward the suggestion of neck hangers to Thomas and his older brother, Ernst Loosen.
“Famous journalists such as Hugh Johnson, Stuart Piggot and Jancis Robinson are all doing a wonderful job with their publicity but at least by putting these neck hangers on the bottles, we are bringing the issue directly to the consumers’ attention.
“This is a beautiful and important stretch of vineyard land and it should not be facing this kind of threat. We have to stop that bridge.”
The Hochmoselübergang will be 1.7 kilometres long, 160 metres high and will span one of the famous loops on the World Heritage Site.
The four-lane motorway bridge aims to connect the Rhein-Main region and the Low Countries with the North Sea Ports, saving truckers an estimated 20 minutes travel time.
Apart from potentially fatally upsetting the balance of the ecosystem, campaigners argue the bridge it is set to destroy one of the valley’s most famous vineyards, the Urziger Würzgarten.
Ernst Loosen, who has been the most vocal opponent of the bridge in Germany itself, explained the possible dangers to the vineyards posed by the bridge: “The water supply for our vineyards comes from the forest on the edge of the hills; building work for the four lane motorway will mean that we will be cut off from the water supply.
“The skyline of the bridge will be higher than the mountains and we’re very worried about tourism, because people come here for the beauty and not to look at such an ugly construction.”
For more information on the Stop the Bridge Campaign visit; www.stop-the-bridge.org
Rupert Millar, 12.07.2010