Mosel
What wines are produced in the Mosel region?
Mosel is the third biggest wine region in Germany out of the 13 official wine regions in the country, and for most not-Germans it is probably the best known region.
With almost 8.800 hectares divided over around 5.000 wine producers this region is delivering some of the finest wines in the world.
Over 60% of the wines produced in the Mosel region are made by the Riesling grape. Other grapes that you can find in the region are Müller-Thurgau (14%), Elbling (6%), Pinot Blanc (4%), Kerner (4%) and Pinot Noir (4%). The other 8% are divided over smaller portions of all varieties of grapes, mostly white.
Being the oldest region in Germany it is a very interesting region to discover and you’d be pleasantly surprised by the wines you can find here. Let’s find out more about this exciting region in Germany!
Where is it located?
Starting in France, making its way Northeast through Luxembourg into Germany where it eventually joins the Rhine in Koblenz; the Mosel river. This 250 km long river changes direction very often and has some of the steepest slopes on its’ sides where some of the prestigious, breathtaking vineyards are located. In fact, the steepest vineyard of the world is located in this region; the Bremmer Calmont Vineyard. This vineyard is based on a slope with an incline of over 65 degrees! On these steep slopes, it is impossible to work with machinery. Everything needs to be done manually, making it way more labor intensive compared to level vineyards.
The whole Mosel region also consists of the two tributaries Saar and Ruwer. Until 2007, the region even had these two tributaries in its’ name. In August 2007 the region changed its name from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region, to the presently known Mosel region.
Most of the vineyards are surrounded by hills and steep slopes, making it perfect conditions for their grapes to grow. The sun reflects from the river on to the vineyards, giving the grapes extra power to grow, which is beneficial and much needed as there are also lots of rainy days in Germany! The (typical) blue and red slate soil in this region is helping the vineyards as it is a good soil for draining the large amounts of rainwater.
The closest airport which operates international flights is the airport of Frankfurt, which lays on approximately 140 km from the region, depending on which part of the region you want to visit.
Which grapes grow in the region?
Riesling
It is no surprise that Riesling is dominating this area as it does in most of Germany. Over 60% of Mosel its wine production is made by this grape, producing some very fine and some of the most classic Rieslings in the world.
The Rieslings from Mosel range from (very) dry to sweet, and everything in between.
Typical Riesling wines have aroma’s and hints of green apple, pear and peach. This differs of course based on the dryness or sweetness of the wine. The alcohol percentage of most Mosel Rieslings lay between 7,5% to 11,5% ABV.
When it comes to food pairing it really depends on which Riesling you have from Mosel. Having said that, you could combine the average dry Riesling from Mosel with spicy food (for example Indian), pork, or shellfish.
If you have a slightly more sweeter Riesling, the Asian cuisine and its dishes is a good combination. Also salty cheeses is a good match with the sweeter Rieslings of Mosel.
Müller- Thurgau
14% of the Mosel wines are made by the Müller- Thurgau grape. This grape is typically known for its easy going, fresh white wine. The wines are characterized by being juicy, sometimes floral. The Moseler Müller-Thurgau wines have hints of orange and lime, with some hints of tropical fruits.
The Müller- Thurgau pairs well with vegetarian dishes or light fish dishes. As the wine is very easy going it is also a nice wine to drink as aperitif, with some small snacks. Some call it a boring wine as it is not complex at all, but I disagree; is complex always better? It depends on the occasion if you’d ask me!
Wineries in the region
The Mosel region consists of many wineries and vineyards. The best way to explore this beautiful region is to tour yourself alongside the river and visit as many wineries as you wish! Almost all of the wineries offer tastings, and they are all worth it.
I will highlight just a few wineries to give you an idea, but the best way to go is to just grab a car (you can easily rent one from the airport in case you don’t have your own car!), drive along the river and get soaked in by the beautiful nature and its fine wines!
Van Volxem
This winery is located in the center of Wiltingen on the Saar. The vineyards were originally planted by the Romans (3rd century) which you can still see nowadays in the building structure. Years and years later, after the French Revolution, a man from Brussels (Belgium) called Gustav van Volxem came into the area and got possession of this vineyard. Van Volxem developed heavily in the vineyard, which concluded in success; he was responsible (and still is!) for some of the finest Saar wines sold world-wide.
You can visit this winery and do a special guided tour, taste their fine wines or organize an event. The views are breath-taking!
Weingut Henerichs
This family run winery is not the biggest one in the region, but worth mentioning as it has “Gästezimmer”. Gästerzimmer means guesthouse in German, which means that you can sleep here. This winery is located in Pommern, which is in a central position of the region. If you are doing a Mosel tour, this could definitely be an option for an overnight stay!
They also run a small restaurant where they serve local, fresh food in combination with their own produced wines!
Wines to try
Van Volxem Scharzhofberger Riesling – 2020
Dry Riesling, medium bodied and refreshing
This Riesling, from the van Volxem winery is a very well, complex Riesling with lots of minerals, herbs and tones of citrus. This is definitely one of the finer Rieslings out there, and worth trying. I would suggest however to let it rest for a bit as this wine could easily lay a bit longer, up to a few years. Pour it out in a carafe and let it rest for a bit before drinking.
This wine drinks well as aperitif, with some snacks like light cold cuts. When drinking for dinner, try white meat such as pork or a spicy Asian dish.
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ‘Goldkapsel’ – 2018
This Riesling is one of the sweeter types. This dessert wine is low in alcohol, only 7% ABV. With notes of honey, tropical fruits and pineapple this wine is very complex and rich in its taste. Try this wine with cheeses, salted cold cuts or Asian dishes.