Wine and its history

500 B.C.

Even the Celts consumed wine on the Moselle

1st century after Christ

The cultivation of wine in the Moselle valley is mentioned in Roman sources. The first archaeological finds date from this period.

2nd century after Christ

The wine presses in Erden and Piesport were probably built during this period.

The Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, viticulture was mainly practised by monasteries and abbeys.

18th century

Archbishop Clemens Wenzelslaus ensures a qualitative reorientation of Moselle viticulture. In 1787 he decreed that only "good vines" should be planted - he meant to plant primarily Riesling.

1802

Under Napoleon the nationalization of the monasteries begins - a 1,500 year history of monastic viticulture comes to an end.

1899

The Bernkasteler Ring is founded by wineries.

Early 20th century

The light, fruity Moselle wines are in vogue. The demand at home and abroad is great. The wines of the Moselle belong to the most expensive white wines of the world.

1933

From 1933 onwards, red wine may no longer be grown on the Moselle. This ban was valid until 1986.

50s and 60s

Rising demand for Moselle wine provides for an upswing in viticulture.

1980's

The wine scandals of the 1980s are causing a decline. Especially the sweet wine that is frequently found on the Moselle is less in demand. As a result, many small businesses are giving up.

Nowadays

Today the Moselle is known above all for renowned and quality wineries.

© Susanne Schug

Whether at dinner, together with friends, alone in front of the TV or at a romantic sunset: there are countless occasions where a good wine is simply a must. The grapevine is one of the oldest plants in the world, fossil findings date back to the Cretaceous period (140 million years ago). After the last Ice Age (end of about 10,000 years ago), wild vines advanced into the Rhineland via the Rhone Valley and along the Danube. Prehistoric findings prove that man has been able to extract at least the juice of the grapes since that time. More recent finds prove that the Celts already cultivated wine. After the decree of the Roman emperor Probus, born in 232 died in 282, viticulture gained significantly in importance in the 3rd century. In the oldest preserved Germanic legal text, the Lex Salica around 507-511, a punishment for the robbery of vines is already established.

The Moselle wine region

The Roman heritage on the Moselle

Wine and sparkling wine tasting

The Moselle is the oldest wine-growing region in Germany, several Roman wine presses from the 3rd century are still witnesses of this long past time.
After the end of the Roman Empire, wine was primarily cultivated in and by monasteries. It was not until 1803, after secularisation, that viticulture passed into private ownership and experienced a slow but steady upswing, from which many of the wineries still renowned today emerged.
In 1899, the top wineries joined together to form the Bernkasteler Ring. During the First World War and because of the world economic crisis, the winegrowers got into economic difficulties.
During the 3rd Reich, the cultivation of red wine on the Moselle was completely forbidden, but later resumed.
Today, the Moselle, with 8% of the German wine-growing area, is extremely advantageous for renowned and up-and-coming quality wineries as self-marketers..