the magazine of the german wine institute - Wines of Germany

34
GERMAN WINE GROWING REGIONS
Mosel
Elegance and class from the terrace
NEXT TO THE RHINE, THE MOSEL is certainly one of
the most famous German wine rivers. The magnificently
meandering river is called La Moselle
in France and Musel in Luxembourg until it
turns into the Mosel at Perl, which flows into the
Rhine at Koblenz after 250 river kilometres on
German soil. The oldest German wine-growing
region – which was already sung about by the
Roman poet Ausonius – covers a total of almost
9,000 hectares of vineyards and extends to the
tributaries Saar and Ruwer.
The wind at the Mosel comes mainly from the
southwest. River and soil both store the warmth
during the day and release it at night. Because of
the steep rocky slopes along the Mosel the sun
rays hit the ground almost vertically, especially
at the Bremmer Calmont, the steepest vineyard
in Europe. Animals and plants which need a very
mild climate and which would not be able to live
or grow a few kilometres away in the mountains
of the Eifel or the Hunsrück can be found at the
Mosel: Apollo butterfly, kingfisher and green lizard,
stonecrop and rustyback fern have all made
a home for themselves there.
IT IS KNOWN THAT CELTS SETTLED AT THE MOSEL.
The Romans were particularly significant for the
region, especially for its viticulture. Around 50
BC, Julius Caesar went to war against Gaul and
travelled through the Mosel Valley on his way
there. In 15 BC, the Romans founded Augusta
Treverorum, today’s Trier, which even became
the seat of government of the Western Roman
Empire in the 4th century and grew into the
largest town north of the Alps.
At the Obermosel between the border triangle of
France, Germany and Luxembourg and the confluence
of the Saar at Konz, shell limestone and
keuper are the prevailing types of soil which provide
a good basis for the Pinot varieties and the
domestic Elbling. From Schweich to Koblenz
slate is the main kind of soil: here the Mosel has
slowly and persistently carved a gorge into the
Rhenish slate mountains. Many vineyard names
at the Mosel end in -lay, indicating the fact that
the vines are planted on slate: the ancient Celtic
term “ley” for slate has survived the ages in this
way.