488 < Wine Tasting 11 Moselin the Valley In Focus winetasting in the mosel valley In the heart of the Mosel Val- ley lies the Mittelmosel (Middle Mosel), where vineyards tumble down steep slate slopes to river- side villages full of half-timbered, baroque, and belle époque architecture. Famed for its warm climate and 2,000-year-old wine- making tradition, it produces some of the best Rieslings in the world. The Middle Mosel’s many wineries and tasting rooms are concentrated along a meander- ing 75-mile stretch of lush river valley, picturesque towns, and rural estates between the ancient town of Trier and the village of Zell, allowing for multiple sips in a short amount of time. By Jeff Kavanagh Above, Dr Pauly-Bergweiler bottle. Left, Vineyards in the Mosel Valley. 490 < Alf A60 Two Days in The 11 Orsfeld Middle MoselBombogen Wittlich In Focus B53 Traben-Trarp Rebenhof Schmitges Wine barrels at Kerpen Weingut Karp-Schreiber Bitburg B50 Enkirch DAY 1 Binsfeld Kröv Small, family-run wineries that Weingut Martin Müllen Rachtig- old-vine Ürziger Würtgarten Liebfrauenstrasse 10, Trier have been producing high-qual- Wengerohr Zeltingen DAY 2 E B50 Kerpen Jugendstilhotel Riesling Spätlese. 0651/41178 From the quiet village of Mül- P ity wines for generations domi- Bellevue Weinromantik Hüwel 2-3, Ürzig weinstube-kesselstatt.de winetasting in the mosel valley Richtershof Hotel Wehlen heim, the Mosel makes a couple E w nate the Middle Mosel. Starting in A48 06532/4546 Weingut Bauer Traben-Trarbach of sweeping loops up the val- P weinromantik Richter- Trier, just across the border from www.rebenhof.de W e Der Ratskeller Y ley, passing through the towns l Weingut w shof hotel Luxembourg, the tour follows the l E e Karp-Schreiber Bernkastel-Kues of Bernkastel-Kues and Traben- schmitges An ideal place for lovers of B-53 and the Mosel River as it s L o Brauneberg Mülheim Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler L Trarbach as it winds along. Located on an unassuming the grape, this stately hotel flows northwest through a suc- M A Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler village lane, Schmitges spe- has a bistro that serves cession of pretty wine villages V Piesport Monzelfeld Kommen Welschbillig cializes in the production of seasonal dishes such as and steep-sloped estates. B53 Weingut B327 This winery’s presence in L Lehnert-Veit In der Dur 10, Piesport high-quality dry whites that, white asparagus and ham, a E Klüsserath E the Mosel includes vineyards S 06507/2123 along with the modern, wine- Kordel Schweich Neumagen P in seven different villages and gourmet restaurant offering O www.weingut-lv.net bar style of their vinothek, M L48 w a grand villa in the center contemporary cuisine, and Sektgut weingut Karp-schreiber distinguishes them from many B51 St. Laurentius of Bernkastel, where its cozy a wine list that runs to 350 Ehrang Dhrontal This welcoming winery’s Wenigerath vinothek finds space within the other local establishments. bottles, 150 of which are Kenn Leiwen varietals include Riesling, mansion’s vaulted cellars. try: try: light, summery Rivaner. from the Mosel. Mehring Weissburgunder, and Regent; Im Unterdorf 12, Erden Hauptstrasse 81-83, Mül- Odert racy, flinty Alte Badstube am E E Trierweiler Weinstube Kesselstatt 06532/2743 and it also produces a nice Doktorberg Riesling. P heim Fell Episcopal Wine Estates Rotling, a cuvée (blend) of all Gestade 15, Bernkastel www.schmitges-weine.de 06534/9480 A64 E w P Trier three. When the sun’s shin- www.weinromantikhotel.de 06531/3002 weingut martin müllen w sektgut st. laurentius 0 4 mi P episcopal wine estates A62 ing, the best place to taste www.pauly-bergweiler.com Established in 1991, this Der Ratskeller B327 w W Konz Drop down into a labyrinth Whether in the spacious them is on the winery’s little winery is a mere infant com- 0 4 km Kerpen Just off Bernkastel’s main tasting room, on the outdoor trellised veranda. try: fresh, of cellars beneath Trier’s A friendly husband-and-wife- pared to many others here, square, Der Ratskeller’s un- terrace, or in the modern elegant “my karp” Riesling. streets or visit the estate’s run winery, Kerpen has eight but its success has its roots complicated regional fare little wine bar near the river, Moselweinstrasse 186, elegant vinothek (wine store) E generations of winemaking tra- in modern and traditional can be enjoyed at an outside there are plenty of places to Brauneberg to sample fine Rieslings built dition, a special collection of winemaking principles, and table with a view of the taste this winery’s sekt (spar- 06534/236 upon almost two millennia of P Rieslings with labels designed one of the best Grand Cru action or inside cozily sur- kling wine), considered some www.karp-schreiber.de priestly tradition. try: fruity w by visiting artists, and an un- (great growth) vineyards in rounded by dark wood and of the best in the region. try: and elegant Scharzhofberger weingut Bauer pretentious tasting room within the region. try: light but com- leadlight windows. Riesling. fruity, creamy, and yeasty An extension of the family plex Trarbacher Hühnerberg Markt 30, Bernkastel-Kues a stone’s throw of the river. E Gervasiusstrasse 1, Trier Cremant. home, where four generations Riesling Spätlese. 06531/7474 E Try: dry Graacher Himmelreich P 0651/145760 Euchariusstrasse 15, Leiwen Alte Marktstrasse 2, Traben- P E reside beneath the same roof, Riesling Kabinett Feinherb. E Jugendstilhotel Bellevue www.bwgtrier.de 06507/939055 W w P the Bauer’s simple, modern Werallee 6, Bernkastel- Trarbach Traben-Trarbach’s premier www.st-laurentius-sekt.de E 06541/9470 w tasting room is a good place Wehlen P hotel has a first-class repu- weingut lehnert-veit to sample award-winning still 06531/6868 www.muellen.de P w tation that derives from its In addition to Riesling, visi- and sparkling white wines www.weingut-kerpen.de Stop For a Bite w belle époque architecture, tors can sample Merlot, Pinot presented with old-fashioned weinstube Kesselstatt Rebenhof W fine cuisine, professional, Noir, and Chardonnay in this hospitality. try: fruity, refresh- Sitting beneath vines in the You’ll find only Rieslings in knowledgeable staff, and su- winery’s Mediterranean-style ing Winzersekt Riesling Brut. shadow of the Liebfrauen- Rebenhof’s stylish, contempo- perb wine list. garden on the banks of the Moselstrasse 3, 54486 kirche and the Trier Dom you An der Mosel 11, Traben- E rary tasting room, which shares E Mosel. try: delicately flinty, Mülheim can sip Kesselstatt estate space with stainless-steel Trarbach well-balanced Falkenberg Ries- 06534/571 wines and snack on wild boar 06541/7030 P fermentation tanks. try: flinty, P ling Mineral Kabinett Feinherb. www.weingut-bauer.de and locally produced cheese. www.bellevue-hotel.de w w Mosel grape harvest 492 < [2] till 1st [1b], then Most Current [1b] Head > 493 wine Touring AnD TAsTing wine tasTing priMer 11 Ordering and tasting wine—whether at a winery, bar, or restaurant—is easy once In Focus you master a few simple steps. look and NOTE Hold your glass by the stem and look at the wine in the glass. Note its color, depth, and clarity. wine For whites, is it greenish, yellow, or gold? For reds, is it purplish, ruby, or garnet? Is the wine’s t color pale or deep? Is the liquid clear or cloudy? asting in the mosel valley SWirl and Sniff Swirl the wine gently in the glass to intensify the scents, then sniff over the rim of the glass. What do you smell? Try to identify aromas like: WHen to Go Luxembourgers who pop across the The best time to visit the region is border for a visit, but most winemak- Fruits—citrus, peaches, Minerals—earth, steely between May and September, when a ers speak English at least well enough M M berries, figs, melon notes, wet stones lightly chilled glass or two of wine is the to describe their wines. Opening hours perfect complement to a sunny spring vary, and although you can drop into M Flowers—orange M Dairy—butter, cream, day or a warm summer evening. This most tasting rooms outside of these blossoms, honey, perfume cheese, yogurt coincides with high season in the val- times, there may not always be someone Spices—baking spices, Oak—toast, vanilla, ley, when roads and cycle paths swell around to serve you. To avoid disap- M M pungent, herbal notes coconut, tobacco with tourists, particularly in the warmer pointment it’s worth checking websites months, and in September during the for opening times first. M Vegetables—fresh or M Animal—leathery, wine harvest. Fortunately, the next cooked, herbal notes meaty notes wine village is never far along the Mosel Bottle priCeS and taStinG FeeS Once the most expensive wines in the River. If you arrive and find a tasting world, Mosel Valley Rieslings have Are there any unpleasant notes, like mildew or wet room that’s too busy, there’s invariably come down significantly in price since dog, that might indicate that the wine is “off?” another just around the corner. their heyday in the early 20th century, Sip and Savor in tHe taStinG rooM yet they remain world class. The aver- While varietals such as Müller-Thur- age price for a quality bottle of Riesling Prime your palate with a sip, swishing the wine gau, Weissburgunder, and Pinot Noir is about €7–€10; each winery’s price list in your mouth. Then spit in a bucket or swallow. are produced in the Middle Mosel, the is generally detailed in brochures found Take another sip and think about the wine's staple of most estates is Riesling.