Your wine & architecture experience: Saar & Upper Mosel!

Away from the more well-known Mosel holiday locations, the Upper Mosel and Saar regions have plenty to offer. Plus, Luxembourg and France are reachable in next to no time at all. The advantages of a unified Europe are particularly evident here. There are no border barriers or customs checkpoints; instead you get the famous Luxembourg winegrowing village of Schengen, the cradle of a borderless Europe!

The Upper Mosel borders directly on the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It’s only the Mosel itself that divides the river valley into a Luxembourg side and a German side. Bridges ensure cross-border travel. The architecture of the winegrowing villages reflects the cultural differences between the countries, which adds to their special charm. Language-wise, the Mosel people have so much in common that they can communicate without any difficulty. The vines that grow on dolomite rock on both sides of the valley are mainly of the Burgunder variety. The traditional Elbling grape variety is a speciality along the Upper Mosel and you should definitely give this wine a try!

Only a narrow and very scenic ridge, known as the Saargau, separates the Upper Mosel from the Saar. World-famous Riesling wines grow on the steep slopes of the Saar Valley, and the magnificent architecture of the vineyards bears witness to the economic success of the estate owners. Saar Riesling wines are characterised by their elegance and minerality. These wines are considered to age well and can often still surprise you with their freshness decades later.

There are some very impressive historic wineries along the Saar and Upper Mosel, whose architecture and grounds can only be described as “stately”. A clear sign that their wines have enjoyed popularity in the past and continue to do so today! The following five wineries stand out with their distinctive architecture, which ranges from ultra-modern to baroque in style:

Just 2.5 km away is Weingut und Gästehaus Cantzheim. The elegant baroque building was constructed in 1740 as a monastery winery and was then owned by the Episcopal Seminary of Trier for many years. Georg Thoma bought the estate in 2007, hired the renowned architect Max Dudler and had the historic manor house renovated as well as two new buildings added. Today, the late Baroque manor house is flanked by a monolithic outbuilding made of stamped concrete and an orangery made of steel and glass.

About 6 km further on is Weingut Dr. Wagner in Saarburg. Built in 1898, complete with turret, sweeping staircase and balcony, the winery stands proudly in the middle of park grounds. The wines mature in old oak barrels in the Saar’s largest vaulted cellar. Today, the stately winery is run by Christiane Wagner, who is the fifth generation of her family to continue the business. You can taste her wines and sparkling wines in all comfort in the winery’s inviting vinothek.

The town of Saarburg is pretty unusual: a broad stream flows through the centre of the old town and cascades down into the valley in a large waterfall. It’s the perfect place to sit and enjoy a coffee or ice cream. Overlooking the town is the Saarburg (built in 964), one of western Germany’s oldest hilltop castles and once the seat of a powerful noble dynasty. Its commissioner, Count Siegfried of Luxembourg, also founded the town and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg! During the 14th century, the Saarburg became property of the church and was, for a time, the preferred residence of the archbishops of Trier.

Tip: Visit the Mabilon Bell Foundry Museum (Museum Glockengießerei Mabilon) located at Staden 130. Dating back to 1770, the family-run business produced bells that were sold all over the world for almost three centuries. Today, the museum is part of the KulturGießerei sociocultural centre, which also provides a great setting for cultural events.

You can find even more tips for your next visit to Saarburg in our City Experience Saarburg.

The Saar and Upper Mosel are also within easy reach of Trier so you can easily plan in a day trip to the Roman city. You can find out more about Trier in our City Experience Trier.