- 2016.08.09
- Mosel Region: Wine Kingdom
The Mosel river starts in the Vosges mountain area in France and twists down from the Luxembourg area where it meets the Saar and Ruwer tributaries and the Rhine river at the Koblenz confluence (Deutsches Eck). The Rhine then flows North to Cologne and Düsseldorf, becoming an even larger flowing river.
The Mosel region is Germany’s oldest wine production area where it is said that the Romans brought grape cultivating and wine production technologies. The land has 9,000 hectares for cultivation, making it the 5th largest wine production region in Germany.
Vineyards that are on a steep incline receive a bounty of light reflected off the river and heat stored in the river prevents frost. The area also receives plenty of rainfall, making it one of the warmest and most suitable places for grape cultivation in Germany. In addition, the soil that was once part of the seabed contains lime, mineral-packed sandstone and marlstone, and red volcanic rock, among other components, producing wine with a variety of flavors and qualities.
The Mosel is 243 km long in total, but has only about 140 km of straight lines, showing just how much it twists and turns.
Of the wines produced in Mosel, 90% are white wines and Riesling are the most widely planted grape varieties and are very well-known. Some other varieties are Rivaner, Müller-Thurgau, and Elbling.