Der Winzer im Weinkontor in Mertesdorf

Winegrowing in the Moselle region has been documented as early as the first century AD, shortly after the Romans took possession of Gaul and the area west of the Rhine. The southern slopes along the Ruwer were likely already utilized for viticulture during this time.
The earliest evidence of winegrowing in the Ruwer valley is represented by the block of a gravestone found near Grünhaus in the last century. This gravestone features a relief depiction of a wine office. A vintner, likely a Treveran in a long robe, sits at a trestle-like table, seemingly monitoring payments or the inventory in his ledger. On the table lies a money bag, and next to it stands a type of ink pot. In the background, five wine barrels are clearly stored on a sturdy rack made of thick beams, supported by three strong posts. It appears that wine was sold here even in small quantities.
The circumstances of the find suggest that this is the gravestone of a local vintner from the Ruwer area. The artistic execution of the relief corresponds to the magnificent grave monuments of Trier and Neumagen, which vividly depict scenes from the everyday life of the deceased, and can therefore be dated to the 2nd century AD.
Unfortunately, the original, which is housed in the State Museum in Trier, is heavily weathered. A reconstruction drawing of this relief can be seen in the wine cellar of the Hotel Karlsmühle.
The diligence and aspiration of the vintners in the post-Roman period significantly expanded the winegrowing area along the Ruwer. Today, three million vine stocks of the oldest and finest German white wine grape variety "Riesling" are planted on weathered slate soils in sunny slopes and steep terrains of the Ruwer valley. As a specialty among German wines, Ruwer wine has greatly contributed to the global reputation of the Moselle winegrowing region.