We have wanted to visit the Mosel Valley ever since we were preparing for our Wine and Spirits Education Trust Certification test in 2015. In our intensive 4 day tasting training at the Napa Valley Wine Academy, we had an instructor who was extremely partial to highly acidic wines. It was there that we first tasted beautiful Rieslings from Germany’s Mosel Valley and discovered one of our favorite expressions of this important grape.
In past years, we visited the Alsace region of France, another important area in the production of Riesling. We were anxious to compare what we tasted there with the Mosel wines. In general the German wines have a little more residual sugar but the acid levels are so high they are well balanced and never cloying. Even the sweetest examples we tried were bright and fresh tasting and never reminded us of “Blue Nun,” the wine so popular in the 70s and 80s which gives this grape a bad name. If you haven’t tried Riesling lately, do yourself a favor and try an Alsace or Mosel Riesling with your next dinner. It pairs exceptionally well with spicy foods but is an incredibly versatile food wine.
In addition, Chelsea and her husband Sam visited the Mosel Valley several years ago and fell in love with the area. They stayed in Cochem and traveled the 45 minutes to Bernkastel for wine tastings. We have learned that if they love a place, we are going to love it too.
The reasons to visit the Mosel include tasting wine, visiting castles, hiking, biking, and enjoying truly spectacular landscapes. You can learn a little history too if want! We were hooked.
Making Plans for Visiting the Mosel Valley
It was really lovely to be so relaxed while we were in this area. We expected to drive from quaint village to lovely town, experiencing what each one had to offer, and moving on to the next one. Instead, our car never moved until the morning we checked out of our accommodations.
We got around by bicycle and by foot. It was so great! There was plenty to do right there in the Middle Mosel. We did not find the need to go beyond where we were. There was plenty to do right there. We do, however, want to return, and continue to explore. There is a lot more to see!
Our plans really consisted of renting the car and making a reservation for a place to stay. We also did reach out to some wineries so that we would be able to visit some special places. Beyond that, we took each day as it came along, talked to the outstanding representatives in the tourist information office and to locals at the wineries, and made plans on the fly. It was great! You can certainly make more concrete plans if you want, but because we were visiting in the off season, making decisions at the last minute was much easier.
When we create custom itineraries to Europe for our clients, we sometimes book activities for each day of the trip. And sometimes we leave their itinerary open for several days with recommendations based on their particular interests. It all depends on the client, who they are traveling with, what they are most excited about, and the pace they want to enjoy while they explore.
