So they came back to the Mo­sel to their family businesses and did as their fathers had done: produce world class Ries­lings. The wines from the Mosel region are unrivalled and unique, nowhere else can the natural combination of river, cool climate and steep slopes with barren slate soil be found.

The young wine makers are highly capable but they don’t want to change anything, they just want to improve on it. And then a journalist from the Frank­fur­ter All­ge­mei­nen newspaper writes about the Mosel, a bril­liant and also exposing article in which he says that the famous wine villages along the river are archetypes of old German and old fashioned comfort and the inhabitants, the “Mo­se­loch­sen” (Mosel oxes), are stubborn and professionally blinkered – they drink a beer or sometimes even a glass of their own wine, but never from the neighbours.

At that time, four years ago, they were somewhat affected by this image, remembers Christ­opher Loe­wen, but they were also ‘sharpened’. Their ambition was awakened. Now it was all about showing just how open minded they really are and how the members of the young generation support each other, how much they enjoy drinking and celebrating together and how beautiful their homeland really is. The Mo­sel­jün­ger or­ga­ni­sed a big party. 100 wine growers came, Mosel oxes were sym­bo­lically roasted and they thought about how the community spirit could be revived and spread to others. It shouldn’t remain just one party, it should become a proper festival which would be newly defined by the Myt­hos Mo­sel. Five of the Mo­sel­jün­ger took on this task, among them Christ­opher Loe­wen from Lei­wen. And they created a successful concept. This year sees the fourth Mythos Mosel festival which is running from 9to 11 June 2017.

On Friday evening, 9 June, the opening party is taking place, this time on a mini cruise on the Mosel. There will be a ‘Fly­ing-Cap­tains-Din­ner’ and all wine growers are bringing a magnum with them. This is an event which has become so popular during the last three years that it is already sold out. But the biggest gathering is taking place on the following two days: 92 wine estates are showing 552 wines on Saturday and Sunday and every visitor has, at least theoretically, the chance to try them all.

But how does this work? By joining together! The Mosel river is actually around 150km long, it curves deep in the valley from the Luxembourgish border up to Ko­blenz, flanked to the left and the right by steep vineyards. The route goes up and down, over bridges and through twisty villages. A difficult path when you want to visit as many wine estates as possible in a short time and taste lots of wines. The solution: the Mo­sel­jün­ger divided the wine region into smaller sections of around 20km. Each year the Myt­hos Mo­sel takes place in a different section. This year the Myt­hos Mo­selzo­ne stretches from Det­zem/Thör­nich to Pie­sport/Min­heim. 25 wine estates located in this 20km area take on the role of host for an additional three wine estates located further away. Each wine grower may bring up to six wines to serve.

Mythos Mosel: Programme

Small family wine estates are taking part, such as the one run by Mat­thi­as Meie­rer, who together with his father belabours six hectares in Kes­ten. Meie­rer is guest at the Grans-Fass­ian estate in Lei­wen. Or Da­ni­el Twar­dow­ski, who produces only one spectacular Spät­burg­un­der on three hectares of land in Neu­ma­gen Dhron, which he is serving this year at the Lehn­ert-Veit estate in Pie­sport. The stars of the Mo­sel-Saar-Ru­wer are also there: Mar­kus Mo­li­tor from Weh­len for example, who is offering his internationally acclaimed wines at his colleague Nik Weis’ estate St. Ur­bans-Hof in Lei­wen. Or Ro­man Nie­wod­nic­zans­ki from the Van Vol­xem estate in Wil­tin­gen, one of the most committed wine growers from the Saar, who will be represented at the Kirs­ten wine estate in Klüs­se­rath.

The weekend doesn’t have to be limited to one station and four wine estates (making 24 wines in total), as the visitors can move on: from wine to wine and from estate to estate. By foot or by bike. Or even easier with one of the shuttle buses which will be running between the estates. The organisers say that a bus will visit each stop at least every 30 minutes. So with good stamina and drinking ability, you can visit half of the estates on Saturday and the others on Sunday.

Last year over 2500 people came from 11 different countries. At the end of the day the visitors can of course return home. Or they can prepare themselves for the evening events. At 4pm on Saturday a quarter marathon is being held, a friendly non-competitive run along the panoramic route around Tritt­en­heim. The around 10km route should be do-able in a good hour, so there’s still enough time to shower and exchange your running gear for your party outfit. From 6pm the Mo­sel­jün­ger invite you to join the Rhythm & Wi­ne event at the Clüs­se­rath-Wei­ler wine estate in Tritt­en­heim, where a live band will be playing in the vaulted cellars. Or you can visit the ‘Nacht-Myt­hos’ (Night time Mythos) to test out “the shadows cast by Ries­ling, sparkling wine and cham­pa­gne” at a party at the Sekt­gut in St. Lau­rent­ius­hof.

By this time at the latest everyone will have to admit: over this weekend the Mosel may be essentially German but not at all stuffy. And the wine growers are certainly not too stubborn to enjoy a glass of wine with their colleagues. (Original text: Ca­ro Mau­rer, Translation: Caroline Payne)