The Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2025 was released recently, presenting Vinum's choice of Germany’s best 1,000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10,500 wines on 1,080 pages.

5 out of 5 stars („world class“) was awarded to 26 estates. In addition, there are 36 estates with 4.5 stars, and 77 estates with 4 stars.

Top Winemaker in the Mosel Region and ombiasy WineTours

Mosel - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024

In the Mosel, there are 7 producers in the 5/5 points category of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024. Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, and I have met five of them at various occasions over the past years, often at their estate during a Germany wine tour by ombiasy WineTours, which is owned and run by Annette Schiller and based in Washington DC, USA.

Mosel

(London Wine Competition)

The name of the famous German wine producing region Mosel comes from the Mosel River, which winds through this part of Germany. Three river valleys – the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer – account for the unique topography and growing conditions of the Mosel region, which is world-famous for its production of Riesling wines.

One of the defining characteristics of wine production in Mosel is the steeply sloped vineyards, which overlook the three rivers. At one point of the Mosel river, vineyards are arranged at a steep, 65-degree incline. As might be imagined, that significantly increases the difficulty of wine production. In fact, Mosel is widely considered to have some of the most labor-intensive vineyards in the world.

Despite the difficulty of production, winemaking has been going in Mosel since the ancient Roman era. At that time, the Romans planted vineyards along both the Mosel and the Rhine. By the Middle Ages, there were wine villages along the Mosel. And by the end of the 17th century, Riesling had established itself as the dominant grape varietal of Mosel.

In terms of overall production, Riesling wines account for nearly 60% of all wine produced in Mosel. In addition, Müller-Thurgau (14%) and Elbling (6.3%) also play a role. Wines of the region are known for being light, low in alcohol, crisp and high in acidity. While many Rieslings are characterized as being “fruity,” the wines of Mosel are more often characterized as having floral notes.

In the 1920s, Blue Nun became arguably the most famous German wine from Mosel in the world. By the 1950s, Blue Nun was being exported to North America, and until the late 1980s, Blue Nun was a huge commercial hit with the American wine- drinking audience, which enjoyed the sweeter, lighter wine.

The Mosel wine region is divided into 6 districts, as well as 19 collective vineyard designations and 524 single vineyard designations. The wines of Mosel are often bottled with very distinctive long, green-colored “hock style” bottles that help them stand out on wine retailer shelves.

Visiting Mosel Producers

Clemens Busch 5 Stars

Pictures: At Weingut Clemens Busch with Rita and Clemens Busch. See:Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Clemens Busch– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller and Clemens Busch at Panda Gourmet, Washington DC. See: Wine-pairing Dinner with Clemens Busch, Weingut Clemens Busch, Mosel, at Panda Gourmet in Washington DC, USA

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller at the Rieslingfeier 2017 in New York City with Clemens Busch. See: The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, USA

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Clemens Busch and Christian Schiller in Washington DC, USA in 2014. See: German Star Winemaker Clemens Busch, Weingut Clemens Busch in the Mosel Valley, in Washington DC, USA

Picture: Gernot Kollmann, Weingut Immich-Batterieberg, Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, Dominik Sona and Franzi Schmitt, Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht and Clemens Busch, Weingut Clemens Busch, at Bart Vandaele's BToo in Washington DC. See: Post-Rieslingfeier and Pre-Big Glou Dinner with 3 Top Winemakers from Germany at BToo in Washington DC: Clemens Busch, Immich-Batterieberg and Koehler-Ruprecht, USA

Picture: In Seattle, Washington State, in 2013, during the 4th Riesling Rendezvous: Clemens Busch, Christian Schiller and Hermann Wiemer, founder of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyards in the Finger Lakes Region in New York State. See: The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA

Hofgut Falkenstein 5 Stars

Pictures: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA

Markus Molitor 5 Stars

Weingut Markus Molitor
60 hectares
92% Riesling

Pictures: Tasting with Markus Molitor at Weingut Markus Molitor in Haus Klosterberg, Mosel - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schloss Lieser 5 Stars

Pictures: With Lara Haag at Rieslingfeier January 2025 in New York City, USA: Gränd Tasting (with 12 German and 3 Austrian #worldclass Winemakers)

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Schloss Lieser in Lieser with Owner/ Winemaker Thomas Haag– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Picture: Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, and Christian Schiller in Mainz. See: Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Picture: Annette Schiller, Thomas Haag with his Son (Weingut Schloss Lieser) and Stephen Bitterolf at the 2017 Rieslingfeier in NYC. See: The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, USA

Joh. Jos. Prüm 5 Stars

Picture: Christian Schiller and Joh. Jos. Prüm at Weingut JJ Prüm (2016). See: See: Tasting at the Legendary Weingut J.J. Prüm with Amei Prüm– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Picture: Christian Schiller with Manfred Pruem (2011)

Picture: Annette Schiller and Manfred Prüm (2011)

Pictures: Katharina Pruem (Weingut J.J. Pruem) and Christian G.E.Schiller with Achim von Oetinger (Weingut Detlev Ritter und Edler von Oetinger - Zum Jungen Oetinger) at Gallery Buchmann. See: 70 Galleries – 200 Praedikat Wine Estates – 1000 Wines: Art and Wine in Berlin (2010)

Picture: Christian Schiller with Katharina Pruem at Wegmans in Virginia. See also: JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans (2011)