Sub-region · Germany
Saar
A cold tributary valley south of Trier, the most marginal part of the Mosel and the source of its most piercing wines.
Extremely light-bodied Riesling with searing acidity, green apple, lime and a smoky edge. Frequently off-dry to balance the acid.
About Saar
The Saar joins the Mosel near Trier, and its valley is colder and more exposed than the main river. In poor years the grapes simply do not ripen.
When they do, the wines are the most electric in Germany — very light, with acidity so high it defines the wine, and a smoky, flinty character tasters report consistently.
Scharzhofberg, above Wiltingen, is the most celebrated vineyard, and its wines are among the longest-lived white wines made anywhere.
No authority delimits this name or attaches rules to it. A named division within a wine region that carries no geographical indication of its own. That does not make it less real or less useful — it means nothing legal follows from it, and you will not generally find it on a label as a controlled designation.
Grapes
Wines from here
What to eat, and how to serve it
Derived from this region’s signature styles. Each is listed separately, because a region does not have one serving temperature.
Where to go next
Places worth trying if you like this one — neighbours, rivals, and the obvious step across.
- Ruwer — A tiny, cold side valley near Trier, producing delicate Riesling of exceptional longevity.
- Mittelmosel — The middle stretch of the river, where the slopes are steepest and the great Riesling vineyards are.
- Mosel — Extremely steep slate slopes above a winding river, producing the lightest and most delicate Riesling in the world.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Moselwein e.V. — Moselwein e.V.
- Deutsches Weininstitut (German Wine Institute) — DWI