Harvesting riesling grapes on the slopes of Bremmer Calmont vineyards that rise above Bregg village, beside the Mosel River between Cochem and Zell. Grapes have been continuously planted on these slopes since Roman times. They are the steepest vineyards in Europe, some on over 45° slopes. The rocky slopes are made of slate, which absorbs the heat of the sun and keeps the grapes warm for much of the night. Many of the steepest areas are now accessed by motorized monorail to carry grapes and equipment.
This section of the Mosel River valley is planted entirely in riesling grapes, all privately owned by local owners in small plots averaging no more than a few hectares.
This particular vineyard is owned by Günter Leitzgen, and has been in his family for four generations. The highest sections are 380 feet above the river. He installed the monorail in 2004 to ease the tasks of mainenance and harvest. He only has 1 hectare of Bremmer Calmont, but it takes a team of locals four days to harvest it. He will get about 3,500 bottles from this hectare, and it will sell from Euro 9-20/bottle depending on quailty.
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