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By Jim Peterson
Wine Enthusiast & Instagram Wine Influencer
Back when I was flying the A-10 fighter jet in Germany, some of the most fun I ever had was flying along the Mosel River and following the sharp twists and turns of the valley as it weaved through the Eifel mountains. The beauty of the valley below was enhanced by the steep vineyards that line the Mosel River Valley from Trier to Koblenz. From these carefully cultivated steep vineyards, with their slate-infused soils, my favorite Riesling wines are produced.
Wines from the Riesling grape in the Mosel region can be traced as far back as the early 1400’s. The medieval history of the Mosel valley can still be seen in towns like Cochem, where Burg Cochem (Castle Cochem) sits majestically above the town. If you go a little further East there is Burg Eltz, a sort of hidden gem of a castle in a small offshoot of a valley. Even with the amazing beauty and deep history of the Mosel, the shining star for me is the wine made from the Riesling grape. What makes it so magical to me?
THE CHARACTER OF MOSEL RIESLING
There are many depths to the overall character of Mosel Riesling, but there are a few primary aspects that always come to mind for me. First, we must recognize the classic petrol nature of the nose. It may seem strange to think of wine smelling like gasoline, but it does, and it is a good thing! The second aspect for me is the flavors of honeysuckle and apricot in my favorite wines – especially the honeysuckle as it brings back memories of finding wild honeysuckle plants as a kid and pulling out the stamens to taste the juice. Did anyone else do this growing up? Finally, and maybe my favorite characteristic, is the slight effervescence the Mosel Rieslings tend to have. The tiny presence of bubbles just seems to help the flavors of the wine burst on the palate to complete and enhance the experience of tasting a fine Mosel Riesling. I love that!
The other key aspect to understanding Mosel Riesling pertains to the classification system and levels within it, all of which help us understand the ripeness of grapes at picking and the sweetness of the wine. The simplest level is Qualitätswein (Qual-eh-tates-vine) or QbA, which means the grapes have met a minimum level of ripeness. This is typical for the most common wines produced (that is, your everyday Riesling wines). Then you have Prädikatswein (also known as Qualitätswein mit Prädikat or QmP), which means it has special attributes. When you see this on a German wine label, you can assume there is a step up in the quality, and it is often accompanied by a step up in price too. Within the QmP wines there are six important levels to know, because they quickly indicate what level of sweetness you can expect. The levels relate to the ripeness of the grapes when picked. The riper the grape, the sweeter the wine will be. In that sense, you can think of these categories as the order in which they are picked.
The six levels are (in order): Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese. Each successive level becomes harder to achieve from a harvest perspective, and the wines get sweeter the further you go. The sixth level is Eiswein (Ice Wine) which is totally dependent on weather conditions and can occur at various places along the scale. As I once witnessed firsthand, there is a mad scramble within the wineries when the weather conditions create the right time to pick grapes for Eiswein. They must pick them and crush them before they thaw. Timing is everything. Plus, there is never a guarantee for Eiswein year over year, so these are some of the most valuable produced.
The ability for fine Mosel wines to age beautifully is worth noting. I know some people may have a general impression that white wines should not be aged, but in the case of Mosel Riesling the best wines from top vintages can easily last 40 to 50 years. I have Mosel wines from 2001 in my cellar right now and they are still incredible at 20 years of age.
PRO TIP: There are many wine collectors (like me) who buy and cellar “birth year wines” for their children. Many often look to classic French, Italian, or Napa Valley red wines for this purpose. The finer wines of Mosel Riesling are one of the best options for birth year wines. First, they age well. Secondly, if you follow the European custom of allowing your kids to taste wine, these are easy on the palate, and they get excited to try “their wine” as they grow older. Important caveat: Perfect storage is everything when it comes to long term cellaring. My cellared wines are at a constant 55°. I cannot stress the importance of temperature-controlled storage enough.
QUICK TIPS FOR GERMAN WINE LABELS
It is no secret that German can be a confusing language. Trust me, I lived there twice. The German wine labels have some structure to them that can be more easily deciphered with just a little bit of extra knowledge. Wines not in the Prädikatswein category might be described in other ways. A common word you see is trocken, which simply translates as dry in English. If you see halbtrocken that is literally half-dry, but in practical terms means semi-dry. I have also seen feinherb used, which is another form of semi-dry. Then there is liebliche which literally means lovely, but on a wine label means sweet. Then there is the literal translation of sweet, which is süss, but on a wine label means very sweet.
Are you confused yet? Other fun facts about German wine labels relate to the specific location of the vineyards. I have many bottles of the Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese. Joh. Jos. Prüm is the producer. Wehlener means it is from the town of Wehlen, while Sonnenuhr is the actual vineyard name. Sonnenuhr translates to “Sundial” in English, and there are other vineyards also named Sonnenuhr in the Mosel area. For example, the Prüm family also makes a Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling. You see the vineyard name is the same, but that vineyard is in the town of Zelting. Despite what might seem like complexity, there is a preciseness about it that can be helpful once you figure it out.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I admittedly have a strong connection and bias to the Mosel region after having lived there and literally flown all over the Eifel area. While I have focused on the Mosel region, there are several other outstanding wine regions in Germany where you can find great Riesling – like Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Pfalz, and Nahe. Do not be afraid to explore the Riesling in these areas too if you have trouble finding wines from the Mosel. The terms and classifications mentioned here should also apply. The Germans are nothing if not consistent.
Finally, when it comes to serving or pairing food with Riesling, I typically enjoy the dryer style German Rieslings as an aperitif or with tangy appetizers to start the evening. The semi-dry Rieslings, like Spätlese, also pair incredibly well with spicier foods like Thai as a main course wine. The sweeter wines, starting with Auslese for me, are tremendous dessert wines. I especially enjoy a nice Auslese with Crème Brûlée or a slice of New York style cheesecake. As you can see, Riesling is one of the most versatile wine grapes with a range of styles produced that should allow everyone to find enjoyment in one of its many forms. Cheers!
MOSEL RECOMMENDATIONS
My favorite German producer is Joh. Jos. Prüm. I was lucky to become acquainted with the family when I lived there, and I have enjoyed many of their wines over the years. I also have Prüm birth year wines for my two sons along with several other vintages. For me, they are the epitome of the Mosel Riesling.
Other outstanding producers to look for include:
Fritz Haag
Dr. Loosen
Selbach-Oster
Schloss Lieser
Here are a few favored producers outside of the Mosel:
Leitz
H. Dönnhoff
Keller
Wagner-Stempel
Follow Jim on Instagram, @tx_wine_pilot, for more wine tips and reviews.
Biography:
Jim Peterson is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who mainly flew the A-10 fighter jet. He has ties to the wine business going back over 20 years and is an avid wine collector. His extensive wine knowledge includes travel to many wine regions while living in Europe, many tastings led by Master Sommeliers, and ongoing personal wine exploration and self-study. He has cultivated a large following on his Instagram account, @tx_wine_pilot, tasting and reporting on wines from vintage to value. He now works in marketing and resides in San Antonio, Texas.
