The Moselle Valley, also known as Mosel, is one of 13 wine regions in Germany and is the third largest producer of wine. Mosel is one of the most prestigious wine regions in the world and Europe. Here you can find the oldest town in Germany that lies atop a gorgeous valley, that is characterized by its infamous fragrant German Riesling, and old-world European charm that one seldom experiences elsewhere. The Mosel Valley is unsurprisingly often named as one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world. This world-renowned region is comprised of vineyard-covered slopes overlooking three rivers: Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer. As a matter of fact, the region's name originally consisted of the names of all the rivers in the valley until they shortened it to make it more tourist-friendly.Aside from its natural beauty, unique landscape, and delicious wines, the valley is so awe-inspiring, romantic, and peaceful that if you are a wine-loving couple, this would be the perfect getaway or honeymoon destination. The region is also great for history lovers - the town Trier dates back to the Romans, and in fact, it was one of the capitals of the Roman Empire. The beginnings of viticulture also date back to the Romans as they planted the slopes of the Valley with vines brought over from Italy along the Mosel River. The region has an abundance of majestic castles and structures that date back to the arrival of the Romans around 50 BC. The region has a very cool climate due to its northerly location, which explains the high acidity and low alcohol of its crisp, lime-sorbet tasting Riesling. Harvesting in Mosel requires difficult labor due to its steep slopes. The fact that the terrain is not flat means more man-hours as mechanical harvesting is not very practical. In fact, about 80% of the harvesting is done manually. Even without the impracticality of mechanical harvesting on the very steep slopes, the manual collection allows for better grape selection. They use monorails to harvest in lower Mosel because it has the most precipitous slopes. Speaking of the steep slopes of the valley, Mosel is also home to the steepest vineyard in the world, named Calmont, in the town of Bremm (a 65-degree incline). Thanks to the very same slopes that make the valley one of the most labor-intensive wine regions in the world, the vines are exposed to sufficient amount of sunlight in otherwise a cold climate. In addition to the sacred soil and climate, the rivers play a significant role in the quality of the vines because they reflect light and heat. The busiest harvest usually happens in the second half of October. Almost 60% of the cultivated area in the Mosel valley is for Riesling grapes. Because the entirety of the region is not suitable to grow Riesling grapes, the parts of the region that are not fit for Riesling vines to ripen are used to produce the second most commonly planted grape of the valley, Müller-Thurgau. There is a total of 6 districts in the Mosel Valley: Burg Cochem, Bernkastel, Obermosel, Moseltor, Ruwertal, and Saar. The first four are on the Mosel river, while Ruwertal and Saar are on the Ruwer and Saar rivers, respectively. Some notable wine producers of the region are Keller, Willi Haag, Reinhold Haart, Egon Muller, Johannishof, and Fritz Haag. One of the oldest producers in the area is the 300-year-old, family-owned estate, Weingut Max Ferd Richter. The winery is known for its dry Riesling with aromas of green apples and lime.Mosel wines are perfect for seafood dishes, and especially spicy cuisines such as Indian and Thai. Riesling from any region is the perfect company for spicy fare, but to be perfectly biased, no Riesling will measure up to the vibrant and fresh aromas of a Mosel Riesling. The low alcohol content and high acidity cut right through the spice.If you ever take a trip to the Mosel Valley, remember to check out The Rittersturz Restaurant, one of the best restaurants to taste the region's food and wines.
