The Mosel wine region
Mosel wine – experience its origins, savour its character
Mosel wine is more than just a pleasure. It represents a conscious fusion of nature, culture and craftsmanship – cultivated over more than 2,000 years of wine-growing history. Even the Romans recognised the potential of the steep river slopes and laid the foundations for a wine-growing region that, to this day, is characterised by respect for nature, sustainable practices and authentic provenance.
Those who drink Mosel wine are choosing quality, transparency and time over fast-paced consumption.
- 2000 Winemakers
- 8400 Hectares of vineyard area
- 60 million vines
- 68 degree slope – Europe’s Steepest Vineyard
A cultural landscape steeped in history
The Mosel wine-growing region stretches along the rivers Moselle, Saar and Ruwer and encompasses the areas of the Terraced Mosel, Middle Mosel, Saar, Ruwer and the Southern Wine Mosel. Behind these names lies an extraordinary variety of individual vineyards, microclimates and soils.
The steep slopes are a particularly defining feature: more than 30 per cent of the vineyard area is situated on steep slopes and is predominantly cultivated by hand. With around 8,400 hectares of vineyards, of which approximately 3,000 hectares are on steep slopes, the Moselle is the world’s largest wine-growing region with steep slopes – a living example of a commitment to the landscape and tradition.
As far back as ancient times, winegrowers were pressing their grapes at the Mosel. They had arrived in the wake of Caesar’s legions, which had conquered the Moselle region during the Gallic Wars. Trier, Germany’s first city, developed into an imperial residence and a cosmopolitan city – and the demand for wine, a drink already highly prized by the Celts and Romans, was correspondingly high. Thus, 2,000 years of wine culture can be experienced on the Moselle.
The steepest vineyard in Europe
The Calmont vineyard in Bremen is considered the steepest in Europe, with a gradient of up to 65°. The spectacular slate slopes offer ideal conditions for growing Riesling and are key to the region’s unique wine quality. The Calmont via ferrata takes you along narrow paths, over ladders and along steel cables, past rocky outcrops through the vineyard, and rewards you with a breathtaking view of the Moselle.
What makes Mosel wine unique
Slate soil – the terroir of Mosel wine
The characteristic slate soil is the foundation of Mosel wine. It stores heat during the day, releases it to the vines at night and continuously supplies them with minerals. These conditions produce wines that are not brash, but precise: mineral, with delicate fruit, clearly structured and long-lasting. The soil shapes the wine just as much as the climate and the manual labour of the winegrowers.
Riesling and grape variety diversity
Riesling is the defining grape variety of the Mosel and, more than almost any other, epitomises terroir and authenticity. On the steep slate slopes, it reveals its full expressive power and authentically reflects the vineyard site, the vintage and the winery’s distinctive style. The range is complemented by grape varieties such as Elbling, Pinot blanc and Pinot noir, as well as increasingly fungus-resistant varieties. These so-called ‘Piwi’ vines make an important contribution to resource-efficient and sustainable viticulture.
Quality through time and craftsmanship
In the cellars along the Mosel, the emphasis is on restraint and patience. “Prädikat” wines such as Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese are produced through selective harvesting, natural ripening processes and a deliberate avoidance of technical interventions to speed up the process. Sparkling Wine and Crémants are also traditionally fermented in the bottle and mature for a long time on the lees. This results in wines and sparkling wines with depth, complexity and an inner calm.
Rarities such as Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, as well as Eiswein, can also be produced on the Mosel. Here, noble rot (Botrytis) plays an important role, as this fungus infects the grapes in autumn and draws water from them. This concentrates the fruit’s natural sweetness and other components. Eiswein is pressed from grapes that have frozen on the vine, which also reduces the water content in the berries.
