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Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is together with the Rheingau the region that gives life to the best German wines. The Mosel valley runs southwest of the city of Koblenz and stops just after the city of Perl, where Germany borders with France and Luxembourg. This stretch of land is 143 miles long and receives its name from the river Mosel and 2 of its tributaries, Saar and Ruwer. Most of the vineyards have a dramatic location inaccessible to machine-harvesting.

The best vineyard sites of the region are Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Erdener Treppchen (trep-shen means “little staircase”), Graacher Himmelreich, Bernkasteler Doktor, Brauneberger Juffer and Piesporter Goldtropfchen (Gold-trupf-shen means “Little drops of gold”) and they are all located between the towns of Cochem and Trier. The soil is pure slate.

Around the river Saar the best vineyards are Wiltinger Scharzhofberg, Ockfener Bockstein and Ayler Kupp. In the Ruwer’s area the best sites are certainly Maximin Grünhaus and Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg.

The Mosel produces over 50% of Germany’s Riesling and it represents with the Rheingau one of the two classic areas of cultivation of this noble grape. The growing season is long and lasts well into the fall, bringing plenty of sun and cool weather at the same time. Riesling grown on the best vineyards sites has great minerality, plenty of acidity and an intense bouquet. The balanced harmony between these factors gives to these wines elegant structure and outstanding ageability.

This is a reference list of the top producers for each of the best vineyard sites: