The land

The Mosel river snakes from Trier in the southwest to Koblenz in the north, cutting dramatic switchback bends through a steep-sided slate valley. The best vineyards are perched on slopes pitched at 60 degrees or steeper, facing south to catch every available hour of sun in a climate that sits at the very northern edge of where grapes ripen. The bedrock is blue Devonian slate; the topsoil is thin to non-existent. Everything is done by hand.

The regions

The Mosel is the most famous German Riesling region — the wines are the lightest and most ethereal. The Rheingau (around Wiesbaden) produces drier, more powerful Rieslings. The Pfalz, on the French border, leans warmer and richer. Rheinhessen and Nahe round out the serious zones. Each has its own grand-cru-equivalent vineyards classified by the VDP (the private growers’ association) into Erste Lage (Premier Cru) and Grosse Lage (Grand Cru).

The Prädikat system

German Riesling sweetness levels are classified by grape ripeness at harvest, not finished sweetness in the bottle. Kabinett (lightest, can be dry or off-dry). Spätlese (later harvest, more concentrated, often off-dry). Auslese (selectively picked, often sweet). Beerenauslese (individually picked overripe berries, sweet). Trockenbeerenauslese (dried, botrytized berries, intensely sweet). Trocken (dry) and Halbtrocken (off-dry) can be applied to Kabinett and Spätlese levels.

Vintages to know

2022 — concentrated, balanced. 2021 — classical and tense. 2018 — generous. 2015 — exceptional. 2010 — legendary for sweet wines.

In the BWM cellar

Egon Müller from the Mosel’s Scharzhofberg vineyard is the world’s most collected Riesling producer — Auslese-level concentration with brilliant acid spine. Across the cellar you’ll find dry-style Rieslings from Alsace and Austria alongside off-dry Mosel Spätlesen and Beerenauslese for the dessert course. Browse the full Mosel and Germany hand at /regions/mosel-germany/.