Vineyard Hopping in Germany
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When I chat with clients at West Palm Wine Co. about their wine travels, the refrain is very similar across the board: Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne, Tuscany, etc. While we love wines from these benchmark regions, those looking for a more personal experience should consider visiting the overlooked underdogs of the wine world. In addition to providing incredible hospitality with an intimate, grateful touch, the small growers from these regions craft wines that can sit at the same table with the best.
In April, I visited Germany’s Mosel region, where vintners have been making wine for more than 2,000 years. In this bucolic setting of insanely steep, terraced vineyards perched above the Mosel River, you will find a diverse rainbow of wines from both red and white grape varieties. Don’t miss the Moselsteig Trail, which winds through vineyards and connects the adorable medieval towns that dot this region. Here, I spotlight a few of Mosel’s finest.
2023 Ulli Stein Rosé. In the charming town of Alf lives Ulli Stein, a talented farmer and cellar master, not to mention a passionate rabble-rouser and gracious host. He crafts this energetic, dry rosé using Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a great pairing for fresh sushi.
2023 Weiser-Künstler Dry Riesling. This micro winery is run by a husband and wife who have a magical touch with Riesling. Their wine is sparrowlike, angelic, and the perfect aperitif to open an alfresco meal. When visiting their winery in the river town of Traben-Trarbach, don’t miss the nearby wine bar and shop Die Mosel.
2020 Daniel Twardowski Pinot Noir. Yes, German Pinot Noir is a thing. With temperatures getting warmer, Pinot Noir is now a feasible enterprise in Mosel, and Daniel Twardowski is making benchmark examples (that are a wonderful marriage with an autumnal beef stew) from near the village of Piesport.
