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81-594: The generic label Liebfraumilch is typically used to market vintages from anywhere in most of the major wine growing areas of Germany, the notable exception being Mosel . Wine with very similar characteristics but made from higher quality grapes can be labeled as Spätlese or Auslese . In the US and the UK, perhaps the best known example has been Blue Nun , which no longer uses the Liebfraumilch designation. The term Liebfraumilch

162-530: A referendum except those in the administrative district of Palatinate won the necessary majority; however, almost 20 years passed before the referendums finally took place. On 19 January 1975, none of the regions concerned returned a majority for being transferred to another state. This put an end to decades of discussion. Only the AKK conflict , a dispute over the districts of Mainz-Amöneburg , Mainz-Kastel , and Mainz-Kostheim , has continued to exercise politicians up to

243-445: A recent cultivar , is the leading red grape cultivated on 7,626 hectares (18,840 acres), which is more than a third. Blauer Portugieser (4,446 hectares (10,990 acres)) and Spätburgunder (3,867 hectares (9,560 acres)) show also appreciable cultivated shares. In addition, Pinot blanc , Pinot gris , Chardonnay as white varieties and Regent and St. Laurent as red varieties have been increasing their share, as

324-528: Is a common occasion. The deep Valleys of Rhine and Moselle with an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb ). Summers are hot and moist, while winters are cool. Freezing temperatures are rare and snow usually melts within hours. The mild climate allows palm trees , fig trees , stone pines , oleander shrubs, olive trees , almond trees and other exotic plants to be grown in this area. The forests in this region are home to common pests such as Melolontha Hippocastrani , that cause damage to

405-646: Is a separate Bereich is that it, in contrast to the other 99% of Mosel's vineyard area, is located in the state of Saarland , and therefore is supervised by this state's government. All of Moseltor is located within the borders of Perl . The wines of the Upper Mosel, especially along the Saar and Ruwer tributaries, are characterized by their low alcohol content in the 6-9% range with intense fruity notes and high acidity. An obscure local poet once described them as 'Sonnenfeuer, Sternengold, Kühlen Mondlichtschein' - The fire of

486-491: Is a western state of Germany . It covers 19,846 km (7,663 sq mi) and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are Ludwigshafen am Rhein , Koblenz , Trier , Kaiserslautern , Worms , and Neuwied . It is bordered by North Rhine-Westphalia , Saarland , Baden-Württemberg and Hesse and by France, Luxembourg and Belgium . Rhineland-Palatinate

567-560: Is associated with low quality wine , and, consequently, the German wine classification requires it only to be at the Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) level—the third rank out of ten. However, it must also be from Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Nahe, or Rheingau, and the grapes must be at least 70% Riesling , Silvaner , or Müller-Thurgau , and it must have 18–40 grams per litre (0.00065–0.00145 lb/cu in) residual sugar . German wine

648-815: Is believed that viticulture was brought to this area by the Romans who planted vineyards along the Mosel and the Rhine in order to have a local source of wine for their garrisons . The cost of transporting wine up from the Italian Peninsula or across the Vosges Mountains and the Roman vineyards in Gaul was very high and impractical. The Romans considered creating a canal between the Saône and

729-451: Is centered on the city of Trier. The Middle Mosel or Mittelmosel is the main wine growing region and includes the villages of Bernkastel and Piesport . The Middle Mosel begins at the village of Zell and extends south to just north of the village of Schweich . The slate-based soil here is said to have one of the most recognizable terroir with the wines, especially Riesling, displaying slatey mineral notes. The Lower Mosel includes

810-465: Is classified roughly into ten categories: Tafelwein (dining wine), Landwein , QbA (as mentioned above), followed by QbP (with predicate), followed by Kabinett , Spätlese (late harvest), Auslese (special selection), Beerenauslese (lit. berry selection), and Trockenbeerenauslese (dry berry selection). Somewhat apart sits the Eiswein (ice wine), which is generally understood to be at least on par with

891-470: Is derived in the main from various kinds of slate deposits, which tend to give the wines a transparent, mineralic aspect, that often exhibit great depth of flavor. In the current era of climate change much work has been done to improve and gain acceptance for completely dry ("Trocken") Rieslings in this region, so that most of the more famous makers have found acceptance for such wines, particularly in Europe. It

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972-468: Is home to some of the steepest vineyards in the Mosel planted on soil composed of blue devonian slate, red slate and quartzite . Many of the vineyards of the lower Mosel are terraced, which has led many producers to adopt the name Terrassenmosel, which sounds nicer than Untermosel in German. This district produces a higher proportion of dry wines than the rest of the region. A well known vineyard from this area

1053-482: Is primarily lesser sites previously planted with "low quality" varieties that have been abandoned in this process; during the 20-year period from 1988 to 2008, plantings of Müller-Thurgau decreased by 55% and those of Elbling by 49%. However, in 2007 and 2008, the negative trend in total plantations has been broken, and the Mosel vineyard surface has seen a small increase of 59 hectares (150 acres) in two years. The projected Mosel High Bridge will cross and affect some of

1134-405: Is that the wine produced from these sites are typically of a lower quality than Riesling wines which in turn has a depressing economic effect on the prices of all Mosel wines. While consumers have benefited with top quality Riesling wines being underpriced in comparison with some of the world's other great wines from places like Bordeaux , Burgundy and California , the economic hardship created by

1215-452: Is the Juffermauer located near Treis-Karden , whose name means "Virgin-Wall" in the local Franconian dialect/language. This is the central district of the region. One of the most notable vineyards in this area is known as Doctorberg , and its wines as Bernkasteler Doctor . An apocryphal story of how the vineyard got its name originated in the late Middle Ages when a local archbishop

1296-785: Is the most forested state along with Hesse. The state's major rivers are the Rhine, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Middle Rhine , and the Moselle . Several crater lakes of volcanic origin are in the Eifel , the largest of which is the Laacher See . Climatically, Rhineland-Palatinate can be divided into two areas: The Rhenish Massif with a typically humid continental climate (Dfb). Summers here are usually warm with much precipitation and winters tend to be dry and cold. Snowfall

1377-564: Is the renowned Schloss Wachenheim Group. This company is headquartered in Trier, with operations in several locations in Rhineland-Palatinate and three sites in France (Compagnie Française des Grands Vins (CFGV)). Other renowned sparkling wine producers such as Kupferberg , Deinhard , and Henkell also had their roots in the region, but now belong to companies outside the state as

1458-472: The Beerenauslese , but helped with both Botryitis (as is the Beerenauslese ) in conjunction with natural cryo extraction (icewine grapes have to be processed at -7 °C). Overall, these quality levels are following extract per litre measures (density levels) as these are indicative of sugar levels. Blue Nun, as a result, sits at level 1 out of 8 and, despite its international success, is rarely considered in

1539-747: The Pennsylvania Dutch , Maryland Palatines , Ohio Rhinelanders , and Missouri Rhinelanders . The state of Rhineland-Palatinate was founded shortly after the Second World War , on 30 August 1946. It was formed mainly from the southern part of the Prussian Rhine Province (the Regierungsbezirke of Koblenz and Trier ), from Rhenish Hesse , from the western part of Nassau and the Bavarian Rhenish Palatinate minus

1620-612: The Saar Protectorate until the latter was returned to German control in 1957. Rhineland-Palatinate's natural and cultural heritage includes the extensive Palatinate winegrowing region, picturesque landscapes, and many castles and palaces . Rhineland-Palatinate is currently the only federal state in Germany where nuclear weapons are stored extraterritorially under the responsibility and supervision of US forces . Several German-American ethnicities originated from this state, such as

1701-526: The Saarland from joining Rhineland-Palatinate. Mainz was named as the state capital in the regulation; the "Mixed Commission" ( Gemischte Kommission ), named as the highest organ of state charged with the administration of the new state and with the preparation of an advisory state assembly, started its work in Mainz. However war damage and destruction meant that Mainz did not have enough administrative buildings, so

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1782-682: The minister president of the new state by the French military government. Adolf Süsterhenn submitted to the Advisory State Assembly a draft constitution, which was passed after several rounds of negotiation on 25 April 1947 in a final vote, with the absolute majority of the CDU voting for and the SPD and KPD voting against. A point of contention involved the draft constitution providing for separate schools based on Christian denomination. On 18 May 1947, 53% of

1863-514: The "backbone" of the economy in Rhineland-Palatinate. The principal employer is the chemical and plastics processing industry, which is represented by BASF in Ludwigshafen . Boehringer , BioNTech , Joh. A. Benckiser , SGE Deutsche Holding, and Schott Glassworks conclude the top five companies in the state. Rhineland-Palatinate is Germany's leading producer of wine in terms of grape cultivation and wine export. Its capital, Mainz, may be called

1944-456: The Americans to the French. To begin with, the French divided the region provisionally into two "upper presidiums" ( Oberpräsidien ), Rhineland-Hesse-Nassau (for the hitherto Prussian government districts and regions of Koblenz , Trier , and Montabaur ) and Hesse-Palatinate (for the hitherto Bavarian Palatinate and old Hessian-Darmstadt province of Rhenish Hesse ). The formation of the state

2025-683: The Constitutional Court and the State Archives. In addition, the German Federal Archives and Federal Office of Hydrology were established in Koblenz in 1952. A sense of community developed only very gradually in the "land of the retort", which had been established largely without regard to the historical affiliations of its inhabitants. It was given little chance of survival, especially as it had very few large industrial centres. However,

2106-681: The Destil , in Burgen and Kochem one half of the city and many vineyards more along the Mosel. In order to create more suitable land for vineyards, vineyard owners in the 16th century used explosives to break up the vertical spurs of rock along the rivers. Towards the end of the 17th century, the Kunda began to be identified more with wine made from the Riesling grape. The St. Maximin's Abbey in Trier owned 74 vineyards and by 1695 had over 100,000 Riesling vines. Today

2187-455: The Mosel region are traditionally packaged in a long green colored "hock style" wine bottle . Historically the green color distinguished Mosel wines from the brown bottles of the Rheinhessen . Plantings of Müller-Thurgau accounts for more the 20% of the Mosel wine production and is typically used for basic quaffing wine or sweet wine. The Elbing grape accounts for a little more than 9% of

2268-1089: The Mosel region, the Großer Ring , which is a regional section of the VDP , and the Bernkasteler Ring . They both arrange annual wine auctions of top wines. Producers can submit their wines to the VDP for taste testing to qualify as reserve wines known as Erste Lage (meaning first site). These wines are subject to several regulations; for example, the harvesting must be by hand and the yield must not exceed 220 cases per acre (50 hl / ha ). Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( / ˌ r aɪ n l æ n d p ə ˈ l æ t ɪ n ɪ t , - l ə n d -/ RYNE -land pə- LAT -in-it, -⁠lənd- , US also /- ɪ n eɪ t / -⁠in-ayt ; German: Rheinland-Pfalz [ˈʁaɪnlant ˈpfalts] ; Luxembourgish : Rheinland-Pfalz [ˈʀɑɪnlɑm ˈpfɑlts] ; Palatine German : Rhoilond-Palz )

2349-474: The Mosel than in flatter terrain such as the Médoc . Grapevines are individually staked to the ground without connecting wires so that vineyard workers can tend the plants going horizontally across the vineyard rather than vertically , which would be more treacherous and tiring. Safety is a priority for many Mosel vineyard owners with the area having a documented history of fatalities among workers while tending

2430-563: The Mosel would see. By the 1850s, wine-makers in the Mosel had discovered the benefits of chaptalization in helping to compensate for bad weather vintages and under ripened grapes. Another significant boom came a couple decades later when the British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone lowered the duties on light wine which opened up the British market to lower cost Mosel wines. This increased prosperity had

2511-655: The Prussian Rhine Province ), the parts of the Province of Rhenish Hesse ( Rheinhessen ) west of the River Rhine and belonged to the People's State of Hesse ( Volksstaat Hessen ), parts of the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau ( Montabaur ), and the former Oldenburg region around Birkenfeld ( Principality of Birkenfeld ). On 10 July 1945, the occupation authority on the soil of the present-day Rhineland-Palatinate transferred from

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2592-415: The Rhine before ultimately deciding to plant vines in the area. Trier (founded 16 BC) was a major Roman outpost and it is likely that the first Mosel vineyards were planted in the surrounding hillsides sometime in the 2nd century. Viticulture was certainly flourishing in the area by the 4th century when the Roman poet Ausonius wrote a poem about the beauty of the land at harvest time. The Mosel wine of

2673-577: The Riesling grape will even ripen at all. A positive characteristic of the Riesling grape is that despite less than perfect ripeness it can still create a wine of finesse and elegance that would escape most other grape varieties . In place of Riesling, the easier cultivated Müller-Thurgau grape (14.7%) and other Riesling crossings like Kerner (4.6%) were planted in large quantities on the sites that were not suitable for Riesling, and which in many cases had been previously used for other agricultural purposes. A negative consequence of these large-scale plantings

2754-420: The Roman period was described as light bodied and "austere". It was said to be an easier drinking wine than that of other Roman areas. In the winter time, the wine was heated in a kettle and drunk like a tea (a practice that still has some tradition among modern vineyard workers who drink it like coffee , often with a little sugar added). In warmer vintages the wine was noticeably more fruity and sweet . This

2835-576: The Sun, the gold of the stars, and cool moonlight. The wines of the Middle Mosel are considered the most complete examples of German wines with some of the finest examples being able to age gracefully for 50–100 years. Mosel Rieslings rely on a strong presence of tartaric acid to balance the grape's sugar and to help impart its fruity notes. A characteristic of all Mosel wines is their normally high acidity and transparency of clearly defined flavors. The wines of

2916-424: The area's production and is often used as a low-cost riesling alternative in the production of sparkling Sekt . The Mosel is also well known for its Eiswein production with the area's characteristic high acidity coupled with the sweetness produced by the concentration of the sugars in the frozen grapes. The most cultivated grape varieties, by area in 2008, were: There are two major wine growers' associations in

2997-764: The capital of the German wine industry, being the home of the German Wine Institute, the German Wine Fund in the Haus des Deutschen Weines (House of German Wine), and the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) Wine Bourse, which brings together the top winemakers of Germany and the wine merchants of the world. Of 13 wine regions producing quality wine in Germany, six ( Rheinhessen , Pfalz , Mosel , Nahe , Mittelrhein , and Ahr ) are located in Rhineland-Palatinate, with 65 to 70% of

3078-497: The center of Jewish life during medieval times. The Takkanot Shum ( Hebrew : תקנות שו"ם ), or Enactments of ShU"M were a set of decrees formulated and agreed upon over a period of decades by their Jewish community leaders. Today, there are approximately 20,000 Jews (0.5% of the population) living in the state. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the state was 147.0 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 4.4% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power

3159-736: The control of the Franks , to the control of the Holy Roman Empire , and saw fighting during the First and Second World Wars. The present state of Rhineland-Palatinate formed part of the French Zone of Occupation (1945–1949) after the Second World War. It comprised the former Bavarian Palatinate, the Regierungsbezirke ("government districts") of Koblenz and Trier (which formed the southern part of

3240-460: The county of Saarpfalz . The Joint German-Luxembourg Sovereign Region ( Gemeinschaftliches deutsch-luxemburgisches Hoheitsgebiet ) is the only unincorporated area of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. This condominium is formed by the rivers Moselle , Sauer , and Our , where they run along the border between Luxembourg and Rhineland-Palatinate or the Saarland. The region has a vast history, from

3321-467: The domestic market. When a rack of wine topples over in the 1932 Hollywood film Downstairs , the wine cellar caretaker Otto ( Otto Hoffman ) laments a broken bottle of Liebfrauenmilch , very likely to be a subtle joke. In the book Desert Solitaire , by Edward Abbey , the author stops at a liquor store to purchase a bottle of liebfraumilch on his way to Mount Tukuhnikivatz . In the episode of Only Fools and Horses , "Dates", Del Boy mentions to

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3402-684: The electorate adopted the Constitution for Rhineland-Palatinate in a referendum . While the Catholic north and west of the new state adopted the constitution by a majority, the majority in Rhenish Hesse and the Palatinate voted against it. On the same date the first elections took place for the state parliament, the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate . The inaugural assembly of parliament took place on 4 June 1947 in

3483-500: The end of the work day. Since these vineyards receive the most exposure to the sun, many of the wines produced from these vineyards are richer and more full-bodied than wine produced from other vineyards. In a similar way to many of Burgundy's Grand Cru vineyards , the Sonnenuhr vineyards are highly parceled with multiple owners of individual plots or rows of vines. The Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard alone has more than 200 owners. Located to

3564-414: The entire German wine industry) has dedicated itself to reversing the reputation it gained during these years and focus on the quality of the area's dry wines. The Mosel wine region has northernly continental climate that is marked by cool temperatures. The best producing vineyard sites are located along the Mosel river and its tributary where the heat from the sun can be maximized by reflection up from

3645-574: The establishment of numerous military bases, both Allied and Bundeswehr , helped to some extent to boost the economy. In 1956, under Article 29 of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany , petitions were made in the regions of Koblenz, Trier, Montabaur, Rhenish Hesse, and Palatinate for their separation from the state and incorporation into the respective states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg. All petitions for

3726-572: The federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate . The area is known for the steep slopes of the region's vineyards overlooking the river. At 65 ° degrees incline , the steepest recorded vineyard in the world is the Calmont vineyard located on the Mosel and belonging to the village of Bremm , and therefore referred to as Bremmer Calmont . The Mosel is mainly famous for its wines made from the Riesling grape , but Elbling and Müller-Thurgau also contribute to

3807-623: The foliage and soil. The Rhenish Massif forms roughly the northern half of the state, including the regions Eifel, Moselle Valley , Hunsrück , Westerwald , and parts of the Taunus . The Palatinate forms the biggest part of the southern half along with Rhenish Hesse . The Nahe Valley separates both parts. Rhineland-Palatinate is divided into 24 districts ( Landkreise ), 12 independent cities ( Kreisfreie Städte ). Listing with Vehicle registration plates of Germany Listing with Vehicle registration plates of Germany The following table shows

3888-547: The grapes can develop enough sugar to produce floral and honeyed notes. This wine district is composed of a thin strip of land along the Luxembourg border. The region starts just north of Igel and continues south to the village of Palzem where it meets the Moseltor district. Elbling, Müller-Thurgau, and Auxerrois Blanc are some of the region largest plantings. Obermosel and Moseltor contain very few notable vineyards compared to

3969-535: The growing conditions improve in Rhineland-Palatinate. The state supports the wine industry by providing a comprehensive consultancy and education program in the service supply centers (German: DLR ) of the land. The Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding is fully financed by the state. Many well-known new varieties such as Morio-Muskat , Bacchus , Optima , and Regent have been created in these institutes. The worldwide leader in sparkling wine production, producing 224,4 million bottles in 2017/18,

4050-562: The headquarters of the state government and parliament was provisionally established in Koblenz . On 22 November 1946, the constituent meeting of the Advisory State Assembly ( Beratende Landesversammlung ) took place there, and a draft constitution was drawn up. Previously, local elections had been held. Wilhelm Boden was (after a short term of office as the Oberregierungspräsident of Rhineland-Hesse-Nassau) nominated on 2 December as

4131-562: The large city hall at Koblenz . Wilhelm Boden was elected the first minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate. Just one month later, Peter Altmeier succeeded him. The constitutional bodies – the Government ( Landesregierung ), the Parliament ( Landtag ) and the Constitutional Court ( Verfassungsgerichtshof ) – established their provisional seat in Koblenz. In the following period, Koblenz and Mainz each emphasized their suitability as

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4212-490: The matchmaker that he would like a "refined" woman that can tell the difference between "Liebfraumilch and a can of Tizer ". “…Soon she did return with a bottle of liebframilch…” in the song lyrics of "Spill the Wine" by Eric Burdon and War (live video version, 1970. Note that various words throughout the live video version song differ from the original recorded version). In the book Confessions of Felix Krull by Thomas Mann ,

4293-699: The most delicate and perfumed expressions of German wines. Like the Ruwer region, wine from the Saar district (along the lower course of the Saar River , in Rhineland-Palatinate ) is particularly dependent on the overall quality of the vintage typically only 4 years out of every 10 producing a worthwhile set of wines. The wines that do come out of these warm vintages are noted for their apple-like freshness and steely mineral notes. The most ideal vintages allow harvest to take place between late October and mid November when

4374-416: The most famous vineyards prompting international wine critics and oenologists to oppose its construction. Within the Mosel region, there are the following six districts ( Bereiche ) and 19 collective vineyard designations ( Großlagen ), plus 524 single vineyard ( Einzellagen ) designations. Four of the six districts are situated on the river Mosel, and one each on rivers Saar and Ruwer. The Cochem district

4455-415: The net effect of encouraging more quantity in production rather than quality. Many areas that were not ideal for Riesling were soon planted with the easier to grow Müller-Thurgau and other Riesling crossings. In the 20th century, a North American taste for sweet wines saw the prominence of Liebfraumilch and brands like Blue Nun dominate the German import wine market. In recent times, the Mosel (as well as

4536-427: The option open of annexing further areas west of the Rhine after the Saarland was turned into a protectorate . When the Americans and British, however had led the way with the establishment of German states, the French came under increasing pressure and eventually followed their example by setting up the states of Baden , Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and Rhineland-Palatinate. However the French military government forbade

4617-463: The other districts of the region. The Moseltor area is the most southern area of the Mosel region, and is located together with the Obermosel along the Luxembourg border. The Elbling grape is the most commonly planted here producing a thin, rustic wine with high acidity. Sparkling wine production is growing in this area. The reason why tiny Moseltor with its around 110 hectares (270 acres) of vineyards

4698-518: The present day. Rhineland-Palatinate shares international borders with France ( Grand Est ), Luxembourg ( Clervaux , Diekirch , Echternach , Grevenmacher , Remich , and Vianden ), and Belgium ( Wallonia ). Within Germany, its neighbours are Baden-Württemberg , Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia , and the Saarland . It is the ninth-largest state by area. Rhineland-Palatinate is part of the SaarLorLux euregion. With 42% of its area covered by forests, it

4779-535: The prices has caused some of the smaller Mosel vineyards to go out of business. In 2008, the Mosel vineyards covered 9,034 hectares (22,320 acres), making it the fifth-largest of Germany's 13 wine regions. White grape varieties cover 91 percent of the region's total vineyard surface. The trend in total vineyard area has until recently been slightly negative over a longer period of time, down from 12,760 hectares (31,500 acres) in 1988 to 9,533 hectares (23,560 acres) in 2003 and to 8,975 hectares (22,180 acres) in 2006. It

4860-475: The priest of the main character which described as a man who loves life, drinks Liebfraumilch with a portion of Fines Herbs omelet for breakfast. Mosel (wine region) Mosel ( German: [ˈmoːzl̩] ) is one of 13 German wine regions ( Weinbaugebiete ) for quality wines ( Qualitätswein , formerly QbA and Prädikatswein ) , and takes its name from the Mosel River ( French : Moselle ; Luxembourgish : Musel ). Before 1 August 2007

4941-399: The production of wine grapes in Germany having their origin within the state. About 13,000 wine producers generate 80 to 90% of the German wine export. The total estimated production from the six Rhineland-Palatinate regions was nearly 7 million hectoliters in 2018. Traditional grape varieties and a wide range of varieties developed during the last 125 years are characteristic for

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5022-527: The production, among others. In the past two decades red wine production, especially from the Spätburgunder ( Pinot noir ), has increased in the Mosel and throughout the German wine-growing regions and has become of increasing interest to the international wine community. Because of the northerly location of the Mosel, the Riesling wines are often light, tending to lower alcohol , crisp and high in acidity , and often exhibit "flowery" rather than or in addition to "fruity" aromas. Its most common vineyard soil

5103-419: The region south of the city of Koblenz to the village of Alf near Zell. It is the most northern wine region of the Mosel and includes the area's confluence with the Rhine river. The steep river bank slopes that are scattered around the Mosel region are considered some of the most labor-intensive vineyards in the world. Mechanical harvesting is impractical and nearly seven times more man hours are needed in

5184-417: The region was called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer , but changed to a name that was considered more consumer-friendly. The wine region is Germany 's third largest in terms of production but some consider it the leading region in terms of international prestige. The region covers the valleys of the rivers Mosel, Saar , and Ruwer from near the mouth of the Mosel at Koblenz and upstream to the vicinity of Trier in

5265-415: The region's cultivated vineyard surface in 2008, is widely considered the most prestigious and highest quality wine grape of the Mosel but it cannot be planted on every vineyard site due to difficulties the grape has in ripening in particularly cool climates. Factors such as altitude , aspect and sunlight exposure can have a pronounced effect not only one the resulting quality of the wine but also whether

5346-426: The region's wine, the Prussian government lowered the tariffs for the import of Mosel wines to other regions of the Prussian kingdom. The development of the Zollverein customs union even further benefited the Mosel by reducing the customs on their wines traveling to other regions of the German Confederation . A string of bad weather vintages in the late 1830s and early 1840s would dampen the extent of prosperity that

5427-448: The region. Classical white varieties are cultivated at 63,683 hectares (157,360 acres). These comprise the famous Rieslings 14,446 hectares (35,700 acres), Müller-Thurgau (8,663 hectares (21,410 acres)), Silvaner (3,701 hectares (9,150 acres)), and Kerner (3,399 hectares (8,400 acres)). The share of red varieties grew constantly during the last decades and amounts to 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres). Dornfelder ,

5508-465: The southeast of Trier, this region includes the vineyards around Waldrach and Kasel . The region is home to many vineyards in Alleinbesitz ( monopole ). At Mertesdorf , there is a subterranean Roman aqueduct that connects the Grünhaus vineyard with the city of Trier. The quality of Ruwer wine is particularly dependent on the quality of the vintage with cool vintages marked by sharply acidic wines that quickly fade and warmer vintage producing some of

5589-500: The state capital in a public debate. From the beginning, Minister-President Altmeier pressed for Mainz as the capital because he knew that the south of the country, especially the Palatinate, would not accept Koblenz, which was far to the north and formerly Prussian. On 16 May 1950, the Landtag decided to relocate itself and the Landesregierung from Koblenz to Mainz. After the government and parliament moved to Mainz, many state authorities and courts remained in Koblenz, including

5670-441: The ten largest cities of Rhineland-Palatinate: In 2018, 40.3% of the population of the state adhered to the Roman Catholic Church and 26.8% to the Protestant Church in Germany ; 32.9% of the population was irreligious or adheres to other religions. Muslims made up 5.0% of the total. The league of ShUM-cities in the later Rhineland-Palatinate comprised the Jewish communities of Mainz, Speyer , and Worms , which became

5751-420: The town center up to the area's vineyards. At the center was a community wine cellar where all the area's growers could store their wines. Probably most well known among the Winzerdörfer was the village of Bernkastel which was granted town rights in 1291. In 1435 when Count Johann IV of Katzenelnbogen planted Riesling in the nearby town of Rüsselsheim the first time he owned vineyards in Winningen like

5832-411: The vines. A benefit of the steep Mosel vineyards is that the incline allows for more direct sunlight to have contact with the vines. During the winter, rain often causes some soil erosion , especially of the vital slate chips that are needed for their heat retaining properties. Many vineyards will gather these eroded sediments and carry them back up the hillside. The Riesling grape, grown on 59.7% of

5913-618: The vineyard of Maximin Grünhaus is considered one of the best Riesling vineyards in all of Germany. In the 18th century, the Prince-elector of Trier, Clemens Wenceslaus of Saxony , mandated that over a seven-year period every vine in the Mosel area was to be Riesling only. The rise of the House of Hanover in Great Britain saw a period of increase exportation of "moselle wine" to England. However,

5994-409: The water. South and southwest facing slopes are even more sought after because of the increased exposure to direct sunlight that can aid in ripening of the grapes. The soil of the area is dominated by porous slate which has ideal drainage for the regions heavy rainfall and good heat retaining properties. Many of the best vineyards have no topsoil at all, just broken slate. During the summer months

6075-447: The weather is warm but rarely hot with July's average temperatures around 64 °F (18 °C). The Mosel river dominates the geography of the region which is typically divided into three main sections. The Upper Mosel is the southernmost section located closest to the river's origins along the French and Luxembourg border. The region includes the Saar and Ruwer river tributaries and

6156-471: The wine's high price kept the wines mostly in the hands of the Royal court and English nobility rather than replacing claret in the village taverns. The 19th century saw an unprecedented era of prosperity for the Mosel wine industry under the rule of Prussia starting with the historic vintage of 1819. For the rest of the 1820s, there was a succession of outstanding weather and sterling wines produced. To promote

6237-524: Was 33,100 euros or 110% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 102% of the EU average. Rhineland-Palatinate leads all German states with an export rate around 50%. Important sectors are the winegrowing , chemical , pharmaceutical , and auto parts industries . "Distinctive regional industries" includes gemstones , ceramics and glass, and leather. Small and medium enterprises are considered

6318-478: Was because the warmth allowed the grapes to more fully ripen and develop more sugars . During the cold autumn the fermentation process would not be fully complete because of the low temperature, thus leaving the wine with high levels of residual sugars . In the Middle Ages , villages sprung up that were centered on the region's wine industry. These "wine villages", known as "Winzerdörfer" , included paths from

6399-545: Was established in 1946 after World War II , from parts of the former states of Prussia (part of its Rhineland and Nassau provinces ), Hesse ( Rhenish Hesse ) and Bavaria (its former outlying Palatinate kreis or district), by the French military administration in Allied-occupied Germany . Rhineland-Palatinate became part of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949 and shared the country's only border with

6480-510: Was miraculously cured of a terminal illness by drinking wine made from the grapes of this vineyard. Other notable vineyards of the Mittelmosel include the Sundial (German Sonnenuhr ) vineyards; Brauneberg Juffer-Sonnenuhr, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. In the 19th century, large sundials were built in these vineyards so that the workers would know what time to break for lunch or

6561-535: Was ordained on 30 August 1946, the last state in the Western Zone of Occupation to be established, by Regulation No. 57 of the French military government under General Marie-Pierre Kœnig . It was initially called Rhenish-Palatinate ( Rheinpfälzisches Land or Land Rheinpfalz ); the name Rhineland-Palatinate ( Rheinland-Pfalz ) was first confirmed in the constitution of 18 May 1947. The provisional French government at that time wanted originally to leave

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