Wine tasting in the Moselle region of Luxembourg

As we’re wine tasting in the Moselle region of Luxembourg, the figure of St Willibrord looks down at me, his three fingers raised. In this corner of Europe, St Willibrord is seen as the protector of the grapes and his three raised fingers mean; “drink three glasses a day and you will be fine”!

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The growers here know that saintly patronage plus nearly 2000 years of expertise will ensure the continued success of wines grown on the banks of the Moselle in Luxembourg. History, tradition and continuous dedication from family businesses are as constant as the Moselle River that runs between the vineyards.

You can also read about our gourmet walking tour of Luxembourg Old Town here

If you have an interest in wine you’ll know of the Moselle river that forms the border between Luxembourg and Germany. You’ll probably also know the grapes; Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and for the specialist the intriguing Elbling, Rivaner and Auxerrois.

But almost nobody has heard of Luxembourgeois wine, since 66% of the annual production is sold within Northern France, Germany and Belgium, where fine food and wines are truly appreciated. The Luxembourgeois I meet over our long weekend are, for good reason, very supportive of the wines produced in the Grand Duchy.

The wine museum in Ehnen

Our wine tasting tour of the Moselle valley begins at the wine museum in Ehnen where we look around the old stone buildings and barns, filled with agricultural implements that were once used in the cultivation of the vineyards.

The figure of a lady is dressed in the costume of yesteryear, with her basket ready to hoist on her back and drop in the bunches of grapes as they are picked.

At the back of the buildings, vines are planted to show us the different varieties and the shell of a tiny helicopter, once used for crop spraying, sits like a relic from a James Bond film.

Domaines Vinsmoselle winery in Luxembourg

At the Domaines Vinsmoselle we enjoy meeting Stephen De Roy, a gentleman of extraordinary knowledge who guides tours at the winery. Founded in 1921, Domaines Vinsmoselle encompasses more than 300 winemakers.

They sell their grapes to the business, producing rich and varied wines with distinct flavours. Spread over 42 kilometres along the Moselle, the Luxembourg vineyards produce mainly white wines, with a particularly mild microclimate and a rainfall that is spread evenly over the year.

Moselle wine facts

• Phylloxera disease was introduced to Europe when avid botanists in Victorian England collected specimens of American vines in the 1850s. When the disease struck the European vines, school boys were despatched to remove the aphids and galls on the affected vines.
• Belgium used to grow its own vines but Napoleon had them all destroyed in 1804 to protect the French market.
• In the expansion of the processing plant at Domaines Vinsmoselle, a Roman frieze depicting grape production was unearthed dating from AD 800. The Romans loved good wines too!

During our wine tasting we learn the differences between a Pinot Noir “élevé en barrique” (aged in an oak barrel) and one aged in a stainless steel tank. Stephen comments “If I want to taste oak I go to the forest. Why do I want oak in my wine?”

The sparkling Cremant

A big speciality of the Moselle region is the sparkling Cremant, a welcome alternative to the ubiquitous Prosecco we often drink at home. We sample the secret distillation of spirit, which when added to the Reisling produces the delicious Cremant sparkling wine. It is also available in many different grape varieties.

For non-drinkers there’s a fresh grape juice called Tam Tam, which paradoxically is made from only the finest grapes. There is no fermentation to remove the taste of bruised or bad grapes which you can get away with even in the grandest of the grand crus.

When we ask Stephen for his favourite wine he is quick with his choice, a 2009 Riesling from the Charte Schengen prestige brand. The only grapes used are from vines over 30 years old, with roots up to 40 metres deep. They are from the steep and ordered slopes that run down to the Moselle river.

These come from just twelve selected growers in close proximity to the winery. Including four growers from France, four from Luxembourg and four from Germany.

In this multi-national wine co-operation we are reminded that the Grand Duchy was a founder member of NATO. The Schengen agreement covering free movement within Europe’s borders was signed in 1985 just down the road from here.

We don’t have time to visit the European Museum in Schengen. However, we do see a little of the town from the river, when we take a Moselle boat trip from Remich, to while away a rainy Sunday morning.

Dinner at Pundel winery

There’s another opportunity to try the 2013 Riesling from Charte Schengen at dinner that evening. We enjoy a gastronomic barbeque at the winery Pundel.

It’s known as the king of wines in Luxembourg and is sensational. There’s a balanced bouquet of citrus fruits, apricot, apple, peach, pear and lime with notes of eucalyptus and bizarrely, petrol.

The Pundel winery is a modern glass building. From the rooftop terrace where dinner is served we have a fabulous view of the vines running down to the river.

Sadly it’s raining tonight so we collect our dinner of steak and seafood brochets from the gourmet barbeque. We head inside to help ourselves to salads and side dishes.

The grape and wine festival at Grevenmacher

Our wine tasting tour of the Moselle Valley ends with an evening at the Grape and Wine festival at Grevenmacher further along the river. We wander from one end of the high street to the other.

Stages play rock music to appreciative teenagers and stands selling every kind of local wine. We stopped for a late night snack of sugary waffle piled high with cream.

We followed the parade of marching bands, headed by the princess of the wine festival and her attendants. These are chosen from local families. Later we watched the grand finale firework display over the Moselle river.

As we leave the Moselle Valley of Luxembourg to head home, I’m quite prepared to adopt St Willibrord’s motto of three glasses a day in the interests of good health and wellbeing. With a glass of Luxembourg sparkling Cremant or vintage Riesling in my hand I’ll happily raise a glass and drink to that!

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Where to stay in the Moselle Valley of Luxembourg

Heather and Guy stayed in the Villa Welcome annex of the Mondorf Parc Hotel, a leading spa hotel in Mondorf-les-bains. We had a very comfortable modern suite with a large bedroom, separate seating area and en suite shower room.

The Villa Welcome was a short walk from the main hotel building where we had breakfast and guests can make use of all the hotel facilities.

The main hotel building is quite modern but the angular design softened by plenty of large glass windows looking out onto beautifully maintained gardens with seasonal floral displays.

The hotel is well known for its spa, with warm indoor and outdoor pools that are fed from the thermal springs. These springs have a high mineral content for good health and wellbeing.

The spa can also be visited for the day, if you are staying in the area and want an opportunity to relax and unwind. There is plenty of parking space at the hotel. The bus stop is situated on the road just outside the hotel, with connections to Luxembourg city.

Compare prices and book for Mondorf Parc Hotel

Looking for Airport Parking?

Heather used the Meet and Greet Parking Service at Heathrow, booked through Airport Parking and Hotels (APH). They offer airport parking at a range of airports across the UK as well as travel extras such as airport lounge booking and airport hotel stays.

Plan your wine tour of the Moselle Valley in Luxembourg

For more information to plan your visit to Luxembourg check out the Visit Luxembourg Website

For more information on the Moselle Region of Luxembourg check out the Welcome to Moselle website

The wine museum is at 115 route du Vin, Ehnen, Luxembourg. Open daily April – October

Domaines Vinsmoselle – Caves de Wellenstein at 37, rue des Calves, Wellenstein, Luxembourg. Guided tours of the Caves are available by arrangement and include a glass of wine.

We took a boat trip on the Moselle river from Remich with Navitours. The tour took 1 hr 45 and took us down to Schengen and back to Remich. Most of those on board were having a buffet lunch although we opted for the cheaper ticket without lunch and just had a snack in the bar area.

Our gastronomic barbeque was at winery Pundel at Wormeldange-Haut. The winery is open for special events through the summer season which can be booked in advance. Check the website for more details.

Read More: You can also read about our gourmet walking tour of Luxembourg Old Town

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Thanks to Visit Luxembourg who *hosted Heather and Guy’s weekend stay in Luxembourg

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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