The steepest vineyard in Europe - Mosel’s Bremmer Calmont vineyard
The famous Bremmer Calmont vineyard in the spectacular Lower Mosel and one of the best vineyard hikes in Germany
The spectacular Mosel loop at Bremm Calmont - Source: Winekeller
During a recent visit to Germany’s beautiful Mosel wine region, specifically the spectacular Lower Mosel or ‘Terrassenmosel’, we pondered over how to spend the day. We already had a wine tasting booked in the afternoon at one of the top 10 best Mosel wine producers - Weingut Clemens Busch in the village of Pünderich - see article here - so we already knew it was going to be a good day!
Looking at the map we realised we had the opportunity to also experience one of the top vineyard hikes in Germany as well as the steepest vineyard in Germany and in Europe, the Bremmer Calmont vineyard.
From our accommodation in Reil an der Mosel it was just a 20 minutes drive along the Mosel Valley to the wine village of Bremm and Germany’s steepest vineyard, the Bremmer Calmont. We had visited before but didn’t have the opportunity then to hike up the vineyard, from where we knew the views would be spectacular across this incredible stretch of the Mosel.
Read here about our previous visit to Bremm for a wine tasting with Weingut Franzen, one of the top wine producers in the Terrassenmosel wine region.
Also learn more about the beautiful village of Reil an der Mosel here - a great location for exploring both the Lower Mosel and the Middle Mosel.
The beautiful and dramatic landscapes on the Lower Mosel region: Source - Winekeller
The Lower Mosel - or Terrassenmosel
The Mosel wine region is home to some of the best wines in the world, as well as some of the most stunning vineyards, beautiful wine towns and villages and scenery in the world.
What the Mosel wine region is perhaps most famous for though, is its steep vineyards and the steepest are to be found in the northern-most part of the region, in what’s called the ‘Lower Mosel’ or the ‘Terrassenmosel’. This is where the scenery is the most dramatic and where the steepest vineyard slopes in Europe are to be found!
The Lower Mosel region extends, following the flow of the river, from the town of Koblenz in the north, down to Zell - just over 80km away. Some fantastic wines are being produced here, notably Mosel Riesling wine, despite the most challenging of viticulture conditions, due to the very steep and dramatic vineyard slopes.
The Calmont region
The Mosel’s Calmont region is one of Germany’s most beautiful holiday destinations, especially popular for hiking, climbing, cycling and water sports and for its superb Mosel Valley wines. It is also known for its dramatic and steep vineyards, which are in fact the steepest vineyards in Germany and in Europe and where you can witness viticulture at its most extreme.
Calmont lies in the region of Rheinland-Palatinate and the county of Cochem-Zell and comprises three picturesque Mosel villages: Bremm, Ediger-Eller and Neef, which all date back to the Middle Ages. A stroll around these lovely villages is definitely recommended with their attractive half-timbered houses, small alleyways and historic buildings.
The way of life and cultural heritage here has been shaped for centuries by wine, which has attracted both aristocratic wine estates and the building of many significant religious sites, including the spectacular Stuben Monastery near Bremm, which dates back to 1137.
The Mosel River and the Moselschleife Bremm Calmont
The Mosel River forms the sinuous spine of the Mosel wine region and although it flows for some 250km it covers only half that distance as the crow flies. This is because it changes direction frequently and features some dramatic horseshoe-shaped loops called a ‘Moselschleife’.
One of the Mosel’s most dramatic loops is the Moselschleife near Bremm, where the hard, steep, rocky slopes have forced the Mosel River here into a tight loop, creating a unique, incomparable landscape.
See also the incredible Moselschleife at Trittenheim.
The Moselschleife at Bremm, Calmont - Winekeller
Moselschleife looking towards Ediger-Eller - Winekeller
The Calmont vineyards
The most famous vine terraces in the Calmont region include the Calmont, Frauenberg and Elzhofberg vineyards, where the slopes reach up to an incredible 65 degrees. It's hard to believe that vines can be cultivated on these steep inclines and small terraces, but these are top vineyard sites which produce exceptional quality wines - mainly Rieslings. Viticulture is so challenging in this environment that only 13 of the 22 hectares of vineyard space are still planted with vines.
The use of machinery is impossible and all vineyard tasks need to be executed manually. As well as tending to the vines there is a never ending cycle of maintaining and reconstructing the vital terrace walls.
The grapes are harvested into buckets that are then carried down to trolleys at the foot of the slopes, via monorail trains. These have been in place since the 1990s and are an important element of the wine culture here.
What is the Bremmer Calmont?
With a gradient of up to 65%, the Bremmer Calmont vineyard is the steepest sloped vineyard in all of Europe and counted among the steepest classified single sites anywhere in the world.
The village of Bremm is overlooked by this spectacular mountain slope that is about 2km long and rises at an incline of some 65 degrees to a height of 300m above the Mosel River.
The Bremmer Calmont was formed 400 million years ago and consists of slate rocks and weathered graywacke stones. The vineyard also enjoys a very special micro-climate. Forests and hedges on the summit of the mountain serve to protect the vines from the cold air and the warming effects of the water are intensified by the natural loop of the Mosel River at the foot of the mountain. Additionally the steep slope causes an ideal angle of sun radiation thereby providing an optimal temperature for the growth of Riesling.
The incredible Bremmer Calmont in the Autumn - Source: Weingut Franzen (Max Adams)
The best vineyard hike in Germany
The best way to appreciate this incredible, natural site is from above, by climbing along this rugged steep slope through the Bremmer Calmont vineyard - said to be one of the best vineyard hikes in Germany.
From various points, particularly at the summit and the Bremm Calmont viewpoint, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the circular loop of the Mosel River, as well as the ruins of the 17th century ‘Kloster Stuben’ Monastery on its peninsula. You can also appreciate first-hand the incredibly steep vineyard slopes and small terraces of this unique and world-famous vineyard.
The Bremm Calmont Klettersteig
The Calmont region is a true hiker's paradise and in addition to the numerous hiking trails, there are special cultural and nature themed trails. The most well known climb however is the ‘Bremm Calmont Klettersteig’ - or the ‘Calmont via Ferrata’, built in 2002, offering a significant challenge for hiking and climbing enthusiasts.
The trail takes climbers between Ediger-Eller and Bremm at an altitude of 200 to 300 metres above the Mosel River and features narrow rocky paths equipped with steel safety cables, iron step pins, handrails, and a few ladders over tricky passages. To hike the Bremm Calmont Klettersteig you need to be physically fit and confident and it certainly requires sturdy footwear and a head for heights!
Our Bremmer Calmont vineyard hike
Our route took us from the centre of Bremm and up past the beautiful St. Laurentius Church, a notable landmark, built around 1480 but featuring an impressive 12th century tower.
Rather than taking the challenging Bremm Calmont Klettersteig route we opted to hike up the more gentle trails, winding up and across the vineyard terraces. We enjoyed the many rest areas and viewpoints along the way and were rewarded with stunning, panoramic views of the famous Moselschleife, the ruins of Kloster Stuben, and the Mosel valley below.
This is a vineyard hike we can highly recommend and it’s certainly the best way to enjoy and appreciate this incredible site on the Mosel River. Try to also make time to enjoy a bite to eat afterwards in Bremm and of course a glass of Bremm Calmont Riesling!
Conclusion
There are several reasons why the Mosel is Germany’s most famous wine region - but in particular, its stunning Riesling wines and the incredible landscapes and scenery of the Mosel Valley are what attracts its many visitors. With this in mind, exploring the Mosel’s Terrassenmosel - or Lower Mosel - with the breathtakingly steep vineyard slopes and the big loops in the course of the Mosel, is a must-do for any wine tourist - and getting your walking boots on is definietely the best way to experience it!
