Our freewheeling descent from Schloss Vollrads was sweeter than the late-harvest Riesling, for which the fairy-tale castle and Germany’s Rheingau region is famous.

The ascent by bicycle turned out to be much steeper than it had first appeared when we spotted the 13th century winery’s onion-dome towers glinting in the distance. But the short arduous climb was well worth it. Panoramic eye-candy views of pin-neat vineyards greeted us all around.

Read all about my cruise with AmaWaterways in The Telegraph