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Wine

The Moselle gorge, together with its close neighbours Ruwer and Saar, is one of Germany’s major wine-producing regions. The vineyards of the German wine-producing gebiet (region) of Mosel (formally known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) lie almost as far north as grapes can be persuaded to ripen. Vines, planted on steep, slatey slopes, grow on land unfit for normal agriculture. But despite these conditions they are capable of producing some of Germany’s finest white wines. This is made possible by a favourable combination of terroir (ground conditions), climate, grape variety and production methods. The vines send roots deep down into the hillside, drawing upon constant supplies of mineral-rich water from far below the surface. South-facing slopes are favoured, where direct sunlight is enhanced by light reflected from the river. Slatey surfaces store the heat of the day, encouraging ripening and deterring early frosts.

A glass of local Riesling at Piesport (Stage 11)

The grape most suited to these conditions is the Riesling, which is planted on all the most favourable slopes and produces all the finest wines. At its best, Mosel Riesling can compete with the great wines of the world. Despite having a lower alcohol content, the natural balance between dry slatey acidity and fruitiness gives a flavour that can compete with other fuller-bodied wines. But the price of quality is limited quantity. Riesling is a low-yielding grape compared to Müller-Thurgau, a grape that is equally at home in the conditions but produces a lower-quality wine. Secondary slopes and flat land by the river are mostly planted with this grape. This has had an adverse effect upon worldwide perception of Mosel wine, and German wine in general. Nowhere is this more obvious than in Piesport. Here the great south-facing slope of Goldtröpfchen, which rises behind the village and is planted exclusively with Riesling, produces Piesporter, one of the region’s best wines. Opposite, on a flat bend in the river around Michelsberg, there are extensive vineyards of Müller-Thurgau, which produce large quantities of the much cheaper and far inferior Piesporter-Michelsberg. This wine is exported throughout the world and has unfortunately come to be seen by many as ‘typical’ German white wine.