The valleys of the Mosel River and its tributaries, the Saar and the Ruwer, have been the setting for some of Germany’s most romantic wine country since Roman times. Vines and forests carpet the steep slate slopes framing the river as it loops its way towards the Rhine at Koblenz. It is a Riesling region par excellence. These are wines of incomparable finesse, rich in fragrance and fruity acidity and, often, with a mineral undertone. A speciality from the vineyards opposite the country of Luxembourg, southeast of Trier, is Elbling, prized as a racy, light, still or sparkling white wine.
- 8,800 ha
- is said to be the oldest German wine-growing region
- Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Elbling (an ancient variety), Kerner, Bacchus and Spätburgunder
