We travelled at the time of the vintage
In this context "vintage" means the harvesting of the grapes used in
making the classic white wines of Germany frequently designated as "Rhine
wines." Mary Godwin, Claire Clairmont, and Percy
Bysshe Shelley descended the Rhine
at this same time of year in 1814, and this description is
colored by the experiences Mary recorded in A History of a Six Weeks'
Tour.