A Guide To The Wine Region of Mosel In Germany
Here comes a post I have been really excited about writing, this will be about the region of Mosel in Germany. The world famous place is home to some truly outstanding and breathtaking expressions of Riesling.
This is without question my favourite region in Germany. We are now almost halfway through our mission of learning everything there is about the wine regions in Germany.
Like all our posts we will go over the history of the region, some of the styles characterising it, the climate and geography here and some recommendations to look out for. Also a short bit about some statistics covering the grapes cultivated here. So sit back and enjoy this lesson in the fantastic region of Mosel.
History
Like almost all regions in Germany, Mosel is also a result of the Romans expanding their empire and establishing garrisons and outposts. They of course wanted wine so they started vineyards that were afterwards taken over by the monks in the area.
It is believed that the first vines were planted close to the city of Trier, a major Roman outpost. The first vineyards started popping up in the 2nd century. Their area flourished as it was very well suited for winemaking and in the 4th century a Roman poet even wrote about the beauty of the land here and the harvests it brought.
The wine produced here back then was often described as light and easy to drink. In the winter the locals used to heat the wine in barrels and drink it as tea. Something that still can be observed at some vineyards. The quantity of wine increased significantly in the Middle Ages when more and more villages popped up that focused on winemaking.
They got the name “winzerdörfer”, meaning wine village and there used to be paths from the town centers leading out to the local vineyards. In the 16th century the locals even used explosives to make new land and destroy the rocky land along the river of Mosel.
Towards the end of the 17th century is when the region really became famous for Riesling, something that still holds true. In the 18th century a mandate was started that was to ensure that during seven years every vine in the region was to be of Riesling. Winemakes learned in 1850 about the technique of chaptalization, which means that they added sugar to unfermented grapes if there was a bad season with hard weather and under ripened grapes.
The opening up to the English market led to the focus shifting to quantity instead of quality. The region still works on reversing this shift and instead being known for world-class quality.
The Mosel Style Of Winemaking
The style being produced in the regions differs a bit depending on where they are produced. Further north around Saar and Ruwer the wine tends to have lower alcohol but with an intense fruitiness and high acidity.
The wines in the middle of Mosel tend to be the ones with the highest quality. Some of them can age beautifully for up to 50–100 years. They are said to be the true expression of what German wines are supposed to embody.
What can be said for most Rieslings being made here is that they rely on acidity to balance out the sweetness. This balance act helps amplify the aromas and fruitiness of the wines. It is this balancing and the success of it that has made the Riesling from here gain such prestige around the world.
People really appreciate the ability of the winemakers to make you able to specifically point out certain flavours in the wine, and highlight them. The traditional bottle is the long green “hock style” one. Meant from the start to differentiate it from the ones being made in Rheinhessen. Mosel is also home to some incredible eiswein. A great balance between the characteristic acidity the terroir brings plays and sweetness of the frozen grapes.
The Climate And Geography
The whole region of Mosel has a northern continental climate. The best vineyards are along the river where the steep slopes and hills can collect some of the warmth the sun brings during the day and distribute it during the cooler nights.
It is even maximized by the reflection the vines get from the water. The most sought after places are the ones with a south to southwest facing to get all the exposure of the sun and help in propelly ripening the grapes.
The region consists mostly of porous soil that helps aid in drainage as Mosel can see some heavy rain often. It also has good heat retaining properties. Many of the very best vineyards don’t even have a topsoil, and are just broken slate instead.
The Rieslings made in the middle part of Mosel are said to have the most recognizable terroir in wine, as the quality helps you quickly identify the minerality of the wine. The region is certainly not known for warmth, as the average temperature in July is only 18 degrees. But with a long growing season this helps develop the aromas and flavours that makes the wines so prized.
The steep vineyards make it so that machinery rarely sees use. But for me that’s something good as it tends to make the quality a lot better. During the heavy rain the slate on the top sides of the mountains start dripping down to the river. The workers must therefores collect the slate and carry it up the hills. It would be detrimental to lose the quality the slate brings and the important heat retention during colder days.
My Favourite Places
So now for my favourite part of this lesson. Some recommendations of producers in the region. First one worth mentioning is also my favourite producer from here, Joh Jos Prum. The wines they make are just stunning. It doesn’t really matter which vintage you choose, you will most certainly be happy with it.
But if you want to invest a little bit in yourself, then buy some early vintages and store them for 5–10 years and they will age gracefully and be breathtakingly good if you have some patience.
As a close second I have Dr. Loosen. This is also one of the top producers in the region. Getting some of the grapes from the same place as JJ Prum does. A tendency to be a bit cheaper than the first one mentioned but it comes with an incredible quality. Also worth buying and storing for 5–10 years and enjoying at a special occasion. For me atleast, the quality you get for the price you are paying is a steal. These are wines I hold very dearly and can’t wait to open some of the vintages I have bought during the years.
Statistics
Next up are some statistics of the region. By this point you should know that Riesling is the king here. But it is also home to a few other grapes that can give high quality examples.
- Riesling, 5,390 ha, 59,7 %
- Muller-Thurgau, 1,263 ha, 14 %
- Elbling, 567 ha, 6,3 %
- Kerner, 377 ha, 4,2 %
- Spätburgunder, 359, ha, 4 %
- Dornfelder, 333 ha, 3,7 %
Conclusion and Summary
That’s a wrap for this region. My absolute favourite one in Germany and home to my go to Riesling producer, Joh Jos Prum. I hope you have learnt something about Mosel. A short conclusion, the region has a viticulture almost 1800 years old and the most significant grape is Riesling.
During the 19th and 20th century the focus unfortunately kind of shifted to quantity instead of quality. But winemakers are working hard to reverse this and the result of hard work really shows in the wine. In the next post we will go over the region of Nahe. Stay tuned!
