Regions

Mosel

MOH-zel

Considered Germany's oldest wine region: vertiginous slopes, steep slate above the meandering Mosel River, and fine, racy Rieslings at all sweetness levels.

Mosel takes in the valleys of the Mosel River and its tributaries the Saar and Ruwer, and is considered Germany's oldest wine region. The vineyard covered 8,536 hectares in 2023, with Riesling on 62.4 percent, and 8,287 hectares in 2025. Jancis Robinson characterises the region by its vertiginous slopes and fine, racy Rieslings at all sweetness levels. The region's name changed from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer to Mosel, applying to wines from the 2007 vintage.

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History & Heritage

The wine region along the Moselle, Saar and Ruwer rivers is considered Germany's oldest wine region, and the Romans brought viticulture to the Moselle on a grand scale; countless finds include several wine presses from Roman times. The Celtic inhabitants valued wine by around 500 BC, although whether they grew vines is not documented. Roman legions conquered the Mosel region around 50 BC and founded Augusta Treverorum, today's Trier, in 17 BC, and the growing military and civilian population's demand led to vineyards being planted on a large scale. After the end of the Roman Empire, monasteries, as the largest landowners, took a central role, and in the High Middle Ages Cistercian monks from Burgundy brought their viticultural knowledge to the region. In the 18th century the last Elector of Trier, Archbishop Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony, had inferior vines grubbed up and replaced with better varieties, above all Riesling. Toward the end of the 19th century, helped by support from the Prussian state, Mosel viticulture enjoyed a new golden age, and Riesling's share grew to almost 90 percent before the First World War; according to Moselwein e.V., the regional wine association, the best Mosel Rieslings were up to five times as expensive as the top wines of Burgundy. After the Second World War the vineyard grew from 7,500 hectares at the end of the 1950s to 12,400 hectares at the end of the 1980s, before shrinking again.

Augusta Treverorum, today's Trier, was founded in 17 BC; rising demand from the city led to large-scale vineyard planting
The Neumagen wine ship, a Roman stone funerary monument, survives as a relic of Roman winegrowing, alongside the remains of Roman wine presses
Monasteries were the largest landowners after the Roman era; the confiscation of church estates after the French Revolution ended monastic winegrowing
Before the First World War Riesling reached almost 90 percent of plantings, and Moselwein e.V. says the best Mosel Rieslings were up to five times as expensive as top Burgundy

Key Facts

Vineyard area: 8,536 hectares in 2023; 8,287 hectares (2025) across 125 wine towns; the Mosel is the fifth largest wine-growing region of Germany
Riesling covered 5,330 hectares, 62.4 percent of the vineyard, in 2023, followed by Müller-Thurgau (9.0 percent), Elbling and Spätburgunder (5.0 percent each) and Weißburgunder (4.3 percent)
The Mosel has about 3,000 hectares of steep-slope vineyards (no year given), and Moselwein e.V. calls it the largest steep-slope wine region in the world; the Calmont between Bremm and Ediger-Eller reaches up to 68 degrees, and Wines of Germany calls the Bremmer Calmont the steepest vineyard in Europe
Augusta Treverorum, today's Trier, was founded in 17 BC, after which vineyards were planted on a large scale; the Romans brought viticulture to the Moselle on a grand scale
The region's name changed from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer to Mosel, official on 1 August and applying to all wines from the 2007 vintage onward
Soils: clayish slate and greywacke in the lower Mosel, Devonian slate in the steep sites of the middle Mosel, and primarily shell limestone in the upper Mosel parallel with the Luxembourg border
The Weingesetz names six Prädikate: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein

Geography & Climate

The Mosel Valley is a gorge the river carved between the Hunsrück and Eifel hills; the region also takes in the valleys of its tributaries, the Saar and Ruwer. The river changes direction so often that it meanders nearly 250 km to cover about half that distance as the crow flies. Vineyards run along the Mosel between Perl and Koblenz, on the Saar between Serrig and Konz, and on the Ruwer between Riveris and the Trier district of Ruwer, as well as on the lower reaches of the Sauer and Lieser; more than 98 percent of the vineyards lie in Rhineland-Palatinate. Under wine law the region is divided into six Bereiche: Burg Cochem (the Terrassenmosel from Koblenz to Zell), Bernkastel (the Mittelmosel from Briedel to Trier), Saar, Ruwer, Obermosel and Moseltor, the Mosel area in Saarland up to the French border. The Mittelmosel is the heart of the growing region, with most of its vines, and the Ruwertal is its smallest part. The protected valley location makes the region one of the warmest climates in Germany, and the steep slate slopes above the rivers store the sun's heat during the day and release it again at night.

Six Bereiche: Burg Cochem (Terrassenmosel), Bernkastel (Mittelmosel), Saar, Ruwer, Obermosel and Moseltor; Obermosel and Moseltor form a single geological and landscape unit, the Südliche Weinmosel
Soils: clayish slate and greywacke in the lower Mosel; Devonian slate in the steep sites and sandy, gravelly soil in the flatlands of the middle Mosel; primarily shell limestone in the upper Mosel, parallel with the Luxembourg border
Half of the vineyard area lies on Devonian slate in blue, grey, brown and reddish tones, rock around 400 million years old, and rhyolite of volcanic origin occurs only in the commune of Ürzig
Jancis Robinson writes that Riesling ripens only on the sunniest south- and south-west-facing sites near the river, on porous slate soils that drain surplus rainfall and retain daytime heat

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Key Grapes & Wine Styles

Riesling covered 5,330 hectares, 62.4 percent of the Mosel's 8,536 hectares, in 2023, and the region's white-to-red split was 91:9. In the same year Müller-Thurgau covered 743 hectares (9.0 percent), Elbling 446 hectares (5.0 percent), Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) 435 hectares (5.0 percent) and Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) 373 hectares (4.3 percent). In 2025 the vineyard totalled 8,287 hectares, with 405 hectares of Elbling; Riesling is planted on 5,156 hectares and Müller-Thurgau on 679 hectares. Riesling is well suited to the slate steep slopes of the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer, where its very long ripening period tends to give mineral, finely fruity, elegant and long-lived wines, and it makes wines of every sweetness level and quality tier, from fruity-light Kabinett to noble-sweet Eiswein. Elbling, which may have been cultivated on the Upper Mosel for 2,000 years, typically gives fresh, fruity and uncomplicated dry and sparkling wines. Red wines, especially Pinot Noir and Dornfelder, have been available on the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer since the late 1980s.

Riesling: 62.4% of plantings in 2023, with relatively low alcohol; Jancis Robinson credits Saar and Ruwer wines with intensely fruity acidity, and Moselwein e.V. says Riesling reflects its origin in its character like no other white variety
Prädikat tiers named in the Weingesetz: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein; Trockenbeerenauslese sits at the top of the quality pyramid
Many Saar and Ruwer wines reach barely 8 or 9% alcohol yet can age extremely well
Müller-Thurgau is the second most important variety; the Obermosel's shell limestone and marl soils suit Elbling and the Pinot varieties

Notable Producers & Vineyard Sites

A one-hour boat ride from Bernkastel-Kues passes the Bernkasteler Doctor, Graacher Domprobst and Wehlener Sonnenuhr before reaching the steep red slates of Ürziger Würzgarten and Erdener Prälat, and Decanter describes the Mosel's Grosse Lagen as equivalent to grands crus. Jancis Robinson says the Middle Mosel stretch including Klüsserath, Trittenheim, Piesport, Brauneberg, Bernkastel, Graach, Wehlen, Zeltingen, Ürzig and Erden produces some of the valley's most complete, longest-lasting wines, and that the Ruwer and Saar valleys produce some of the world's finest low-alcohol wines. For best value in single-site Riesling Kabinett and Spätlese, Jancis Robinson lists producers including Clemens-Busch, Fritz Haag, Karthäuserhof, von Kesselstatt, Schloss Lieser, Dr Loosen, Egon Müller, J J Prüm, Selbach-Oster, Van Volxem and Zilliken. Joh. Jos. Prüm in Wehlen sources some of its most sought-after wines from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Grosse Lage, and Decanter calls its Rieslings classic, off-dry expressions. About one fifth of the region's grape harvest is handled by the regional cooperative cellars in Bernkastel-Kues.

Bernkasteler Doctor, Graacher Domprobst, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Ürziger Würzgarten and Erdener Prälat lie along the Middle Mosel, the last two on steep red slate
The rhyolite found only in Ürzig gives Rieslings from those sites a distinctive spice
Jancis Robinson's best-value list for single-site Kabinett and Spätlese includes J J Prüm, Egon Müller, Dr Loosen, Selbach-Oster, Fritz Haag, Karthäuserhof, Van Volxem and Zilliken
Wines of Germany says the region's noble-sweet wines attain record prices at auction every year; producers of bottled wine are cooperatives, estates and commercial wineries

Wine Laws & Classification

Classification ladders

Ripeness scale

German Prädikat

Germany Full article 6 tiers, lowest to highest

6Trockenbeerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), the pinnacle, requires a minimum of 150°Oe from individually selected, botrytis-shrivelled, raisin-like berries.
min 150 Oe
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), the pinnacle, requires a minimum of 150°Oe from individually selected, botrytis-shrivelled, raisin-like berries.
From German Prädikatswein Classification
5Eiswein
Eiswein, at the same ripeness level as Beerenauslese (minimum 110-128°Oe), requires only healthy, botrytis-free grapes frozen naturally on the vine to at least -7 degrees Celsius and pressed while frozen.
min 110 Oeharvested at minus 7 degrees Celsius or colder
Eiswein, made from grapes as ripe as Beerenauslese (minimum 110-128°Oe by region), must be harvested and pressed while frozen; at least -7 degrees Celsius is required before the grapes can be harvested, and growers aim for healthy grapes without botrytis, which gives a fresh, concentrated fruit taste with relatively stable acidity.
From German Prädikatswein Classification
4Beerenauslese
Under the Weingesetz, if, exceptionally, no noble rot has occurred because of the variety or the weather, overripeness of the shrivelled berries is enough, and hand harvesting is required for both Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese.
Under the Weingesetz, if, exceptionally, no noble rot has occurred because of the variety or the weather, overripeness of the shrivelled berries is enough, and hand harvesting is required for both Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese.
From German Prädikatswein Classification
3Auslese
Auslese ('selected harvest') requires 83-100°Oe, with grapes hand-selected from very ripe bunches, sometimes touched by botrytis.
min 83 Oe83 to 100 degrees Oechsle
Auslese ('selection') requires 83-100°Oe; the Weingesetz allows only fully ripe or nobly rotten grapes, unripe berries are separated out, and the wines are often intense in aroma and taste but not always sweet.
From German Prädikatswein Classification
2Spätlese
Spätlese, meaning 'late harvest,' requires a minimum of 76-90°Oe, with the grapes picked after the main harvest.
min 76 Oe
Spätlese, meaning 'late harvest,' requires a minimum of 76-90°Oe depending on region; the Weingesetz allows only fully ripe grapes picked in a late harvest, and the wines tend to show more intense flavor and concentration, though they too can be vinified dry.
From German Prädikatswein Classification
1Kabinett
Kabinett is the entry level of Prädikatswein, made from ripe grapes at 67-82°Oe depending on region.
min 67 Oe67-82°Oe depending on region
Kabinett is the entry level of Prädikatswein, made from ripe grapes at 67-82°Oe depending on region.
From German Prädikatswein Classification

A Prädikat indicates the ripeness of grapes at harvest, not the sugar remaining in the wine; Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese can all be vinified fully dry.
Eiswein was used in conjunction with other Prädikate before 1982, when it became its own independent category.
There are no upper ripeness limits for any Prädikat level, so a producer may harvest at Spätlese ripeness but label the wine as Kabinett.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from German Prädikatswein Classification own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Geographic tiers

German Wine Quality Categories

Germany Full article 4 tiers, lowest to highest

4Prädikatswein
Prädikatswein, the top tier, cannot be chaptalized and must meet specific minimum Oechsle readings depending on region and grape variety.
100% from named areaKabinett 70 - 85, Spätlese 76 - 95, Auslese 83 - 105, Beerenauslese and Eiswein 110 - 128, Trockenbeerenauslese 150 - 154 Oechsle
Prädikatswein, the top tier, cannot be chaptalized and must meet specific minimum Oechsle readings depending on region and grape variety.
From German Wine Classification
3Qualitätswein
Qualitätswein must originate entirely from one of Germany's 13 designated regions and is wine with a protected designation of origin that has passed an official analytical and sensory quality examination, with chaptalization permitted.
100% from named area
Qualitätswein must originate entirely from one of Germany's 13 designated regions and accounts for the vast majority of German production.
From German Wine Classification, read from two or more sentences
2Landwein
Landwein, equivalent to a protected geographical indication, requires at least 85 percent of grapes from the named region.
85% from named area
Landwein, equivalent to a protected geographical indication, requires at least 85 percent of grapes from the named region.
From German Wine Classification
1Deutscher Wein
Deutscher Wein is the basic table wine category requiring only that grapes be grown in Germany, with a minimum of 8.5% alcohol and total acidity of at least 3.5 g/l and no geographic designation required on the label.
minimum 8.5% alcohol and total acidity of at least 3.5 g/l
At the base sits Deutscher Wein, the basic table wine category requiring only that grapes be grown in Germany.
From German Wine Classification, read from two or more sentences

The Prädikat describes ripeness at harvest, not sweetness in the finished wine; wines up to and including Auslese can be vinified dry, off-dry, or sweet.
The top category was known as Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) until officially renamed Prädikatswein on August 1, 2007.
The 2021 Wine Law, in force from 27 January 2021 and binding from the 2026 vintage, added a parallel geographic pyramid of Anbaugebiet, Region, Ortswein and Lagenwein.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from German Wine Classification own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Geographic tiers

VDP Classification

Germany Full article 5 tiers, lowest to highest

5Grosses GewächsGrosses Gewächs (GG)
The article names this tier without stating its criteria.
Grosses Gewächs must contain no more than nine grams of residual sugar and are released no earlier than September 1 of the year following harvest for whites, and a year later for reds.
From VDP Classification, read from two or more sentences
4Grosse Lage
Grosse Lage (grand cru equivalent) represents Germany's finest sites: yields are limited to 50 hl/ha, harvesting must be done selectively by hand, and dry wines from these sites carry the Grosses Gewächs (GG) designation.
yields limited to 50 hl/ha
Examples Erbach
Grosse Lage (grand cru equivalent) represents Germany's finest sites: yields are limited to 50 hl/ha, harvesting must be done selectively by hand, and dry wines from these sites carry the Grosses Gewächs (GG) designation.
From VDP Classification
3Erste Lage
Erste Lage (premier cru equivalent) requires optimal growing conditions, hand harvesting, and a yield ceiling of 60 hl/ha.
yield ceiling of 60 hl/ha
Erste Lage (premier cru equivalent) requires optimal growing conditions, hand harvesting, and a yield ceiling of 60 hl/ha.
From VDP Classification
2Ortswein
Ortswein (village wine) must originate from a single village using regionally defined varieties.
same yield ceiling as Gutswein (75 hl/ha)
Ortswein (village wine) must originate from a single village using regionally defined varieties.
From VDP Classification
1Gutswein
Gutswein (estate wine) forms the base, with grapes from estate-owned vineyards and a maximum yield of 75 hl/ha.
maximum yield of 75 hl/ha
Gutswein (estate wine) forms the base, with grapes from estate-owned vineyards and a maximum yield of 75 hl/ha.
From VDP Classification

The four-tier classification was unanimously adopted at an extraordinary general meeting in 2012, building on the Grosses Gewächs concept first defined in 2002.
The tiers are based purely on vineyard origin, paralleling the Burgundian approach of Premier Cru and Grand Cru.
VDP standards consistently exceed German wine law, mandating lower yields, hand harvesting at top tiers, and strict tasting panel approval.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from VDP Classification own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Sweetness levels

German Sweetness Designations

Germany Full article 4 tiers, lowest to highest

4Süß
Süß is the German label term for any wine whose residual sugar exceeds the Halbtrocken threshold of 18 g/L, with no legal ceiling imposed on sweetness.
above 18 g/L RS with no upper legal limit
Süß is the German label term for any wine whose residual sugar exceeds the Halbtrocken threshold of 18 g/L, with no legal ceiling imposed on sweetness.
From Süß (Sweet: No Legal Maximum RS)
3Lieblichlieblich
The article names this tier without stating its criteria.
An informal intermediate term, lieblich, sometimes describes wines in the 18 to 45 g/L RS range, while süß in the strictest EU sense refers to wines above 45 g/L.
From Süß (Sweet: No Legal Maximum RS), read from two or more sentences
2Halbtrocken
Halbtrocken (off-dry) is the legally defined sweetness category with a maximum of 18 g/L residual sugar.
maximum 18 g/L RS
German wine law establishes three legally defined sweetness categories based on residual sugar in the finished wine: Trocken (dry, maximum 9 g/L RS), Halbtrocken (off-dry, maximum 18 g/L RS), and Süß (sweet, above 18 g/L RS with no upper legal limit).
From Süß (Sweet: No Legal Maximum RS)
1Trocken
Trocken (dry) is a legally defined sweetness category with a maximum of 9 g/L residual sugar (up to 4 g/L strictly, with an acidity-based allowance to 9 g/L).
maximum 9 g/L RS
Trocken: maximum 9 g/L RS (up to 4 g/L strictly, with acidity-based allowance to 9 g/L); Halbtrocken: maximum 18 g/L RS; Süß: above 18 g/L RS with no ceiling
From Süß (Sweet: No Legal Maximum RS)

The sweetness designations operate on an entirely separate axis from the Prädikat ripeness system, which measures must weight at harvest.
Lieblich is an informal term, not a legally defined category; EU regulation formally defines süß as above 45 g/L RS, though German labeling practice uses Süß for the entire above-Halbtrocken range.
The Weingesetz of 14 July 1971 codified the Trocken/Halbtrocken/Süß framework that still governs German labeling.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from Süß (Sweet: No Legal Maximum RS) own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Mosel is one of the 13 specified growing regions (bestimmte Anbaugebiete) for quality and Prädikat wines listed in § 3 of Germany's Weingesetz, and wines of the Protected Designation of Origin (g.U.) Mosel are offered at every quality level. Under § 20 of the Weingesetz, a German wine may be labelled with one of the Prädikate Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese or Eiswein only once the Prädikat has been awarded with an official test number. Kabinett may not be enriched; Spätlese must come from fully ripe grapes picked in a late harvest, Auslese from fully ripe or nobly rotten grapes, Beerenauslese from nobly rotten or at least overripe berries, Trockenbeerenauslese from largely shrivelled nobly rotten berries, and Eiswein from grapes frozen at harvest and pressing, with Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese hand-picked. Each Prädikat has a defined minimum must weight depending on grape variety and growing region, and Spätlese and Auslese are not necessarily sweet. The Weingesetz sets a minimum of 7 percent actual alcohol for Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese and 5.5 percent for Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein, and allows the natural minimum alcohol content for Prädikatswein to be lowered to 9.0 percent for certain varieties and sites in the Ahr, Mittelrhein, Mosel and Saale-Unstrut. The term Qualitätswein mit Prädikat was simplified to Prädikatswein with effect from 1 August, the date the region's change of name became official.

Weingesetz § 3 lists Mosel among Germany's 13 bestimmte Anbaugebiete for quality and Prädikat wines
Prädikate under Weingesetz § 20: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein; Prädikat wines may not be enriched
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer became Mosel, official on 1 August and applying from the 2007 vintage, after the growers' organisation won approval on 9 August 2006
Kabinett grapes are picked earlier, with lower must weight, for wines with low alcohol and a fresh acid structure

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The reference I check before I say it.

The Oxford Companion to Wine, by Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, is where I look before I say anything with confidence, from malolactic conversion to what a cru means.$65.

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Visiting & Culture

Moselwein e.V. calls the Mosel region the best-known German wine travel destination. Signposted routes through the wine country include the Mosel Weinstraße (driving), the Moselhöhenweg (hiking), the Römische Weinstraße (driving) from Leiwen to Schweich, and the Elbling Route (driving) from Konz to Perl, parallel to the Luxembourg border. Wine-culture highlights include the Roman Wine Ship of Neumagen, the Cusanusstift (St. Nikolaus Hospital) and the Sundial Vineyards around Bernkastel-Kues. Decanter recommends Bernkastel-Kues as a base; the town has half-timbered architecture and a market square, sits in the shadow of the ruins of Landshut castle, and is the starting point for a one-hour boat ride that leaves almost hourly in high season. Decanter also advises visitors not to arrive at estates without a prior appointment. William Turner painted watercolours and gouaches here, and Goethe described the area in his works.

Signposted routes: Mosel Weinstraße, Moselhöhenweg, Römische Weinstraße (Leiwen to Schweich) and the Elbling Route (Konz to Perl)
Wine-culture highlights: the Roman Wine Ship of Neumagen, the Cusanusstift and the Sundial Vineyards around Bernkastel-Kues
Decanter recommends Bernkastel-Kues as a base and a one-hour boat ride past the Middle Mosel's famous vineyards
Decanter advises booking estate tastings in advance rather than arriving without an appointment

Sources and last verified

Primary sources (Deutsches Weininstitut / Wines of Germany, the Weingesetz on gesetze-im-internet.de, and Moselwein e.V. at weinland-mosel.de): https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-regions/growing-area/72/mosel, https://www.winesofgermany.com/fileadmin/DWI/News_Medien/PDF/Statistik_2024-2025.pdf, https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-wine/quality-standards/quality-standard/449/pr%C3%A4dikat-categories, https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/weing_1994/BJNR146710994.html, https://www.weinland-mosel.de/de/die-region/daten-fakten, https://www.weinland-mosel.de/de/die-region/die-teilregionen, https://www.weinland-mosel.de/de/die-region/historie, https://www.weinland-mosel.de/de/die-region/wurzeln-geologie, https://www.weinland-mosel.de/de/wein-sekt/rebsorten, https://www.weinland-mosel.de/de/wein-sekt/qualitaetsstufen. Secondary sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/wine-regions/germany/mosel, https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/mosel-saar-ruwer-shortens-name-to-mosel-88185/, https://www.decanter.com/wine-travel/the-middle-mosel-for-wine-lovers-520200/. Last verified 2026-10-05

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Flavor Profile

The Mosel is characterised by mineral, fruity white wines with moderate alcohol. The aromas and flavours of Mosel Riesling often recall apple, pear or herbs. Alcohol tends to be relatively low, and many Saar and Ruwer wines reach barely 8 or 9% alcohol. Jancis Robinson writes that Mosel Riesling can be racy, nervy, tingling and long-lived. Moselwein e.V. credits the weathered Devonian slate with shaping Rieslings it calls as mineral as nowhere else, and the region's noble-sweet wines carry exotic fruit aromas.

Food Pairings

Spicy dishes and intense saucesAromatic cheeses and dessertsFoie gras or gameFish and seafoodAsparagus, poultry and SchnitzelBeef or game

How to Say It

RieslingREEZ-ling

TrockenbeerenausleseTROK-en-bay-ren-OWS-lay-zeh

Rheinland-PfalzRYN-lahnt-PFAHLTS

PrädikatPRAY-dee-kaht

Kabinettkah-bee-NET

SpätleseSHPAYT-lay-zeh

AusleseOWS-lay-zeh

ScharzhofbergSHAHRTSS-hohf-behrk

Exam Study NotesWSET / CMS

Mosel: 8,536 ha in 2023, 8,287 ha in 2025; six Bereiche (Burg Cochem, Bernkastel, Saar, Ruwer, Obermosel, Moseltor); renamed from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer to Mosel, applying from the 2007 vintage.
Riesling 5,330 ha = 62.4% (2023); Müller-Thurgau 9.0%, Elbling 5.0%, Spätburgunder 5.0%, Weißburgunder 4.3%; white to red 91:9. Elbling suits the Obermosel's shell limestone and marl.
Steep slopes: about 3,000 ha of steep sites (no year given), which Moselwein e.V. calls the largest steep-slope wine region in the world; the Calmont (Bremm/Ediger-Eller) reaches up to 68 degrees, and Wines of Germany calls the Bremmer Calmont Europe's steepest vineyard.
Soils: clayish slate and greywacke in the lower Mosel, Devonian slate in the middle Mosel's steep sites, shell limestone in the upper Mosel; rhyolite occurs only in Ürzig.
Weingesetz § 20 Prädikate: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein; Kabinett may not be enriched; minimum actual alcohol 7% (Kabinett to Auslese) and 5.5% (BA, TBA, Eiswein).

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