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Introduction

Lars Carlberg: Mosel Wine is an online guide to the wines of the Mosel and provides an insider’s view of the region, with in-depth producer profiles and articles, as well as an extensive glossary of terms. To read a sample producer profile, see Weiser-Künstler.

You can also sign up for free to read an introduction to the Mosel wine region, along with other articles in front of the paywall, such as Kevin Goldberg’s “First as Tragedy, then as Farce?: A Short Story about Natural Wine” or Joachim Krieger’s “Mosel: Taking the Long View.”

(Full disclosure: I work in the vineyards and cellar at Hofgut Falkenstein, where I was previously an apprentice winegrower.)

Praise

“Lars Carlberg is the rare intellect in this modern, hyper-speed, 140-character world. He is more scholar than critic, eschewing simple ideas (such as ascribing points to wines!) in favor of complicated and ever-changing truths. For those who want to really understand Mosel wine, as well as the terroir and culture behind these wines, larscarlberg.com is indispensable.” —Stephen Bitterolf, founder of vom Boden and Rieslingfeier, NYC

“This isn’t a consumer review site that assigns point ratings—Carlberg goes only so far as to give some wines one, two, or three hearts. His goal is appreciation and understanding.” —Edward Behr, editor and publisher of The Art of Eating

“Lars is doing superlative work on the subject that simply can’t be found anywhere else.” —John Ritchie, vom Boden and Chambers Street Wines, NYC

“Anyone with a serious interest in German Riesling will profit from and delight in the on-the-scene insights into Mosel wine that Lars Carlberg offers his subscribers. The wealth of viticultural, oenological, historical, geographical, and human interest detail to be found on his website reflects his long experience and scrupulous standards, as well as benefiting from frequent contributions by other experts and from civil, informed polemics and discussion.” —David Schildknecht, wine critic for Vinous

“Lars Carlberg shines a soft, refreshing light on the Mosel’s fascinating wine treasures. Yes, the Mosel is the modern wine world’s sleeping beauty. Blond, prone to shyness—but a rewarding, entertaining and vibrant guest awaits discovery. If like me, you crave stylish, architectural pureness and grace in your white wines, the Mosel is for you and Lars Carlberg is without doubt a deeply knowledgeable and essential key.” —Mark Williamson, owner of Willi’s Wine Bar and Macéo, Paris

“On his website, Lars Carlberg provides a wealth of information of one of Europe’s most storied wine regions: the Mosel. Based out of Trier, Lars is a true local, and shares his insider’s perspective on some of the Mosel’s most exciting producers. Lars has a keen interest in the region’s history and a thorough understanding of its wines, which makes the content on his site rich and educational. I was lucky enough to have Lars guide me through during my visit to the Mosel in 2011. He pointed out key landmarks and vineyards, shared stories about winemaking practices in the region, and introduced me to both established and up-and-coming producers. I’m glad that I can continue to learn about the Mosel through larscarlberg.com.” —John Trinidad, SF Wine Blog

“[Lars] addresses the complexity of these wines and the laws and history surrounding them without over-simplifying the topic. For any serious lover of Mosel wine, this site is an invaluable resource.” —Gabriel Clary, Terry Theise Portfolio Manager

Acknowledgments

My warm thanks go to family, friends, and the growers for their help and support. I would also like to single out Yong Truong, who designed my website, and Jakob Drangmeister, who did the nuts and bolts. In Trier, Yong and his wife, Esther, run an excellent Indochinese soup bar, called Yong Yong. Special thanks go, as well, to Peter Liem for his advice and encouragement.

Ratings

In addition to my producer profiles, I’ve included some short tasting notes to go along with a three-heart system, to highlight wines that I find particularly impressive for their category, regardless if the wine is an entry-level Mosel Riesling or a high-end bottling. Wines with no hearts shouldn’t be ignored, however. The hearts are only my personal picks with a focus on non-dessert wines.

I avoid point scores, especially ratings based on one-time tasting events or annual visits, as tastes differ and wines evolve. Ideally, wines need to be re-tasted at different points in time and, if possible, sampled over a few days at home. (I'm no longer rating wines.)

One heart is very good, a wine of character and balance that I would seek out and buy.

♥♥ Two hearts mean excellent—a wine of purity, finesse, and length.

♥♥♥ Three hearts is outstanding, a rare rating.