Ice Wine Melon de Bourgogne Pinot Noir Germany Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Saar

One of the more unusual French grape varietals, Melon de Bourgogne has been grown in and around the Loire Valley for several hundred years. In fact, this grape was first planted in the Loire region of Pays Nantais back in the mid 17th century, after a devastating frost decimated most of the red grapes which were typical in the area. The winemakers of Pays Nantais were keen to cultivate vines which were hardy, high yielding, and capable of surviving another such frost, and so turned their attention to Melon de Bourgogne for this very reason. The native home of the varietal is actually in Burgundy, where it is still grown to a lesser extent.


Because Melon de Bourgogne produces naturally heavy yields, the vintners of Pays Nantais go to great lengths to reduce the amount of fruit the vines bear. This allows the finest characteristics of the grape to come forward, and also opens up the opportunity for it to express the wonderful granite and schist soils in which the vines are grown. Melon de Bourgogne is a minerally white wine grape varietal, with a very subtle set of fruit flavors. It is prized for its freshness and brightness, and is seeing a revival in the twenty first century as an excellent wine for pairing with a wide range of foods.

Regularly described as being the grape varietal responsible for producing the world's most romantic wines, Pinot Noir has long been associated with elegance and a broad range of flavors The name means 'black pine' in French, and this is due to the fact that the fruit of this particular varietal is especially dark in color, and hangs in a conical shape, like that of a pine cone. Despite being grown today in almost every wine producing country, Pinot Noir is a notoriously difficult grape variety to cultivate. This is because it is especially susceptible to various forms of mold and mildew, and thrives best in steady, cooler climates. However, the quality of the fruit has ensured that wineries and vintners have persevered with the varietal, and new technologies and methods have overcome many of the problems it presents. Alongside this, the wide popularity and enthusiasm for this grape has ensured it will remain a firm favorite amongst wine drinkers for many years to come.

As in many Old World countries, the rise of viticulture in Germany came about as a result of the Roman Empire, who saw the potential for vine cultivation in the vast flatlands around the base of the Rhine valley. Indeed, for over a thousand years, Germany's wine production levels were enormous, with much of the south of the country being used more or less exclusively for growing grapes. Over time, this diminished to make way for expanding cities and other types of industries, but Southern Germany remains very much an important wine region within Europe, with many beautifully balanced and flavorful German wines being prized by locals and international wine lovers alike. The hills around Baden-Baden and Mannheim are especially noteworthy, as these produce the high end of the characteristic semi-sweet white wines which couple so perfectly with German cheeses and pickled vegetables. However, all of Germany's wine producing regions have something special and unique to offer, and are a joy to explore and experience.

The beautiful German wine region of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (nowadays commonly referred to simply as ‘Mosel’) is surely the country’s star attraction when it comes to viticulture. Dramatic, historic and sensational, the wines which come out of this special region are renowned for their ability to beautifully express their unique terroir, as well as the fine, traditional methods which go into their production. One of the main features of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is the extremely steep slopes on which the vines are grown. They are perilous to negotiate, extremely difficult to maintain, but there’s no doubt in the local vintner’s minds that the results are absolutely worth the effort. The superb drainage these vineyards benefit from, along with the cool climate they receive, help to produce wines of remarkable character and balance which have an enormous global fanbase.

The most popular wine produced in Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is surely Riesling, the noble germanic grape which produces such fascinating, mineral characteristics in the bottle, and which can be drunk young or aged to create stunning results. Over fifty percent of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer’s fine vineyards are planted with Riesling, so popular are the wines made from this fruit. However, other white varietals such as Weissburgunder do very well here too, and red grape varietals like Pinot Noir also produce impressive wines.