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Practically every town and village in the Rhine and
Moselle valleys has its own legend. Zell’s goes
something like this: when Noah disembarked the animals
two-by-two from the Ark, he sent a pair of black cats to
Zell and told them to “increase and multiply”.
They
obviously did, for now black cats are all over the
place, on houses, signposts, souvenirs and car stickers
– but especially on wine bottles. For the “Schwarze
Katz” is the emblem of Zell’s world-famous wine, a noble
golden liquid that is to be sipped rather than slurped
(if you do the latter, legend has it that you’ll feel
the sharp claws of an affronted black cat).
Nowhere is a town more soaked in the culture of the
vine. Vineyards extend for miles along both sides of the
valley, clinging to steep, stony hillsides. Vines gently
scramble from one house-front to another in the town’s
ancient streets. Everywhere the visitor is warmly
welcomed – and invited to taste the Black Cat wines.
The
vine has flourished in the mild climate of the Moselle
for centuries. Zell was first mentioned in documents in
782, it received its town charter in 1222, and still has
houses and roadside chapels, parts of which date back to
around 1140. It is guarded by a centuries-old watchtower
high above its rooftops.
Today, Zell is an ideal spot in which to relax and
savour the true character of the Moselle region and its
people; a genuine working wine-town unspoilt by mass
tourism. Its quiet streets, solid buildings and
dignified promenade running beside the calm and level
waters of the Moselle create an atmosphere that
refreshes body and spirit.
At a
more practical level, Zell offers a number of satisfying
outdoor pursuits: swimming in modern indoor and open-air
pools at the “Erlebnisbad” (a combination of a swimming
and sauna centre, which is free on your birthday!),
fishing, rowing, miniature golf and open-air chess . . .
and, of course, wandering to your heart’s content over
vine-clad hillsides.
Do we
hear a contented purr from that Black Cat? |
