The Winery Gustav Schmitt of Mosel

Discovering the wine region of Mosel

Mosel is the most famous of Germany's 13 official wine regions, and also the third largest in terms of production. As with many German regions, it is most aasociated with a range of wine styles made from the Riesling grape variety, but Müller-Thurgau is also widely planted. The best Mosel Riesling wines are some of the finest whites in the world. Light and low in Alcohol, they can be intensely fragrant with beguiling Floral">floral and Mineral notes, and a wonderful Balance of sweetness and Acidity.

The region follows the path of the Mosel river from its confluence with the Rhine river near Koblenz, upstream and south-west to Germany's border with Luxembourg and France. This region also includes the Saar and Ruwer tributaries, and was formerly known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer until August 2007, when the name was officially shortened to Mosel. Some of the famous wine villages along the valley include Bernkastel, Brauneberg, Erden, Graach and Piesport, to name but five. Furthermore, the region boasts some of the finest and most picturesque Vineyards in Europe.

The Romans planted the first vineyards along the Mosel river and the city of Trier around the second century. Today, this region is known for its steep slopes overlooking the rivers, on which the vineyards are planted. Bremmer Calmont, located in the town of Bremm, has an incline of up to 68°. It has often been cited as the steepest vineyard site in the world, though the Engelsfelden vineyard in the Bühler Valley (Bühlertal) in the Baden region is documented at 75°.