The Riesling grape yields fine white wines all around the globe. The grape bends to the conditions of a number of growing regions and the customs and techniques of a number of wine cultures. Riesling makes grand wines in Alsace, Australia, California, Oregon, Washington and all over Germany. No place surpasses the German Mosel-Saar-Ruwer in the quantity of Riesling grown or the quality of the wines made. The Mosel river and its tributaries the Saar and the Ruwer are among the northernmost stretches where grapes grow successfully. Slate filled hills loom above the rivers offering excellent drainage, and spectacular exposure to the sun. Riesling is peculiarly adapted to the long mild summer days (hot weather is truly rare) and the crisp fall nights of the region. The quality of the wines along the Mosel has been famous since Roman times.

The long, slow growing season along the Mosel yields wines full of flavor and extract. The relatively cool conditions leading to harvest preserve the acidity in a grape type already disposed to be a bit more tart than others. The top sites along the rivers are those that face the sun on steep inclines. Some of the most famous vineyards are precipitous indeed, towering over the river. These famous sites, identified by town and vineyard name, offer up some of the world’s greatest white wine.

As in all the world’s great wines, the producer and his vineyards are key. Many fine small production wines have built their reputations over generations. This is in contrast with wines labeled simply with the name of a district or town. It is an unfortunate fact that much of the Mosel wine shipped to the U.S. is a blend of the produce of a number of sources, rewarded for their quantity rather than quality. This is true in spite of the legal efforts to regulate quality. The consumer’s best guarantee is a reputable source.

The enjoiner to question the source having been stated, it is still true that the German system of quality control tells a lot about a given bottle. “Qualitatswein bestimmten Anbaugebietes” (blessedly abbreviated “QbA”) is the bedrock of the quality naming system. The designation QbA guarantees a wine of approved grape types, of a defined ripeness level (sweetness), and a specific region of origin. Remember, it is the fruit (the juice really) that must reach a certain sweetness. The winemaker can augment the sugar level of the juice to yield wine of higher alcohol and body. Wines of QbA status are abundant, reliable, and flavorful.

“Kabinett” is a designation for QbA wines from fully ripe grapes. The juice for making Kabinett wines may not be sweetened. This category yields wines of fine character, crisp finish, and delicate texture, wines eminently suited for summer afternoons or light dinners.

“Spatlese” literally means late harvest. In fact, the designation is purely one of higher sugar in the fruit. A spatlese will have all the quality of a Kabinett with added body and alcohol, and yes, generally more sweetness. The more dry spatleses are exquisite dinner wines. The sweeter ones are among the most elegant of dessert wines.

“Auslese” literally means select and denotes wines of yet riper qualities. The richest auslese wines are magnificent all by themselves and age to incredible smoothness and texture. The driest auslese wines are equally tasty all on their own, but shine with all manner of foods from roast pork to seared tuna.
“Beerenauslese”, “Trockenbeerenauslese”, and “Eiswein” are the extremes of the system. Progressively sweeter fruit is required for each designation and the finished wines are invariably rich, sweet, and thick with sugar and alcohol. These are best savored all alone.

One last note: many wines will be labeled “Trocken”, meaning dry, or “Halbtrocken” meaning half dry. These terms apply to wines from QbA up through Auslese and further define the style (not the quality) of the wine. For example regular spatlese will be rather sweet with moderate alcohol. Spatlese halbtrocken will be a bit less sweet and a bit more alcoholic. Spatlese trocken will be quite dry and relatively high in alcohol.

With the wines of the Mosel the producer’s name is paramount. Such estates as Melsheimer, von Schubert, J. J. Prum, S. A. Prum, Thanisch and others all guarantee great wines. Beyond that, the language of German wine labels provides a very accurate idea of the wine in the bottle, with well-defined rules and regulated phrases.

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