What I Learned:

As the Moselle flows through Germany, beginning at the French-Luxembourg border, and continuing to Koblenz downriver, it is divided into sections: Upper, Middle and Lower. The Lower Moselle section also known as the Terraced Moselle. It is without a doubt the most spectacular area visually: steep slopes rise from the river edge, as the Moselle twists and turns on its way to join the Rhine.

This area, downriver from the famous wine village of Cochem, to the river mouth at Koblenz, boasts some of the steepest vineyards in the world. Hence the need for the narrow terraces which dominate the landscape on the vine-bearing hills of this sector. Between the villages of Loef and Lehman, the Loefer Sonnenring Vineyard has a gradient of up to 50 percent! Because of the steepness and terraces, the vines in this sub-region are mostly all worked by hand, resulting in wines that generally are a bit more expensive than other regional wines.

Throughout the Lower Moselle vineyard area, the Riesling grape really predominates (whereas in the rest of the Moselle region it accounts for approximately 61 per cent of all cultivated grapes in this wine region.) In addition to the Riesling grape, other white varietals include Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanc), Mueller-Thurgau, and Elbling, most likely the original dominant white varietal here.

 

What I Tasted:

2016 Riesling, Loefer Schieferterrassen, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Griess-Dany (Loef): A dry white wine with medium minus gold color, slight turpentine and wet stone nose, with floral and spice flavors; medium acidity.

2016 Riesling, Bernardus, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Fries (Loef): A dry white wine with medium gold color; a wet stone, almost chalk or talc nose with a bit of spice, and flavors of turpentine, green wood, grass/hay, with a hint of sharp spice; high acidity, with a medium-length, green apple finish.

2016 Riesling, Qualitaetswein, Halbtrocken, Weingut Fries: A dry white wine with medium gold color; a perfumed nose of green apple and slight spice, with flavors of the same; medium acidity, with a smooth finish.

2015 Riesling, Edition JH, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Anton Hammes (Alken): A dry white wine with medium minus gold color; turpentine, floral and green wood nose, with apple and turpentine flavors; tart, green apple finish, with medium acidity

Sonnenring Winzersekt, Weingut Griess-Dany (Loef): A semi-dry, semi-sparkling wine, with fine perlage, and medium gold color; slight toast and apple flavor, with floral flavors; very mild overall, with medium acidity.