Grapes meet slate in powerful, rich, complex Mosel rieslings

Viticulture in the valley extends back to the Romans, who introduced vines and the area’s heart-shaped, single-post trellising system. No wires are used, which makes the vines easier to prune and gives the grapes maximum sun exposure. Vines are closely planted at one per square metre, or about 10,000 vines per hectare. Weis says this dense planting leads to low grape yield, owing to competition for water and nutrients. This produces more concentrated fruit and powerful wines.