2023 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: A Riesling Race Against Rain

BY ANNE KREBIEHL MW | DECEMBER 17, 2024

The slopes that drop steeply to the meandering Mosel in the Rhenish Slate Massif received their fair share of sunshine and rain in 2023. While the first half of the growing season made many fear a repeat of the drought conditions of 2022—even resulting in dry stress for younger vines and some sunburn—summer rain arrived with all its concomitant factors. Initially welcomed with relief, ripening soon accelerated, splitting berries and attracting the wrong kind of rot. Nonetheless, a handful of growers managed to craft stonking TBAs. While there are many brilliant and downright juicy dry wines, expressive and exuberant even at entry level, it was Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese that shone.

Not all slopes were equally affected. While some producers had to pause their picking due to rain, others harvested in blissful sunshine. Once again, adaptability and agility were of the essence, and selection was the name of the game. Those who had both manpower and flexibility were the winners in 2023.

Late-afternoon sun on a Mosel riverbend.

Sunshine and Rain

What is unusual about 2023 is that both sunshine and rain were plentiful. Many describe the start of the year as relatively relaxed, with good flowering and generous fruit set. Tightly packed bunches came to haunt some winemakers later in the year as berries swelled with rain and had little room to expand, leading them to burst. June was dry and hot, but notably lacked the heat spikes of 2022. It remained dry until July, when welcome rain arrived to relieve some younger vineyards. The weather turned as August became overcast, cooler than average and rainy, just as the grapes were softening. The weather turned again in September, which went on to become the hottest on record in Germany. In combination with sufficient water in the soils, ripening accelerated, and so did disease pressure.