Reil

Reil lies in the deeply incised Moselle valley between the upland ridges of the Hunsrück and Eifel. The village belongs to the Moselle wine-growing region. The local wine-growing climate is mild in winter and warm in summer and autumn, showing a relatively continental influence. Open slate absorbs the sun’s warmth and releases it again in the evening and at night, which contributes to a sheltered microclimate in the Moselle valley.

The Reil vineyard area is assigned to the Großlage Heißer Stein, which locally is referred to as “Reiler vom heißen Stein”. The Falklay lies on the left bank of the Moselle and encompasses the vineyards around Reil. Opposite, on the right bank of the Moselle, is the Goldlay, with slopes exposed to the west to partly south-west and inclines of around 50 to 70 percent. The Moullay-Hofberg lies about three kilometres upstream along the Moselle and has south-facing terraces on slate outcrops. The Sorentberg is located in a side valley of the Alfbach within the municipality of Reil.

Slate is the characteristic rock of the Reil vineyard sites; “Lay” or “Ley” denotes slate locally. In the Goldlay there is bluish-grey slate, red loam and, in isolated places, gravel. The Moullay-Hofberg has finely weathered grey and red slate soils, whereas in the Sorentberg Wissenbacher slate occurs with shell inclusions.

Riesling is grown in Reil. The municipality attributes its cultivation to the heat-storing properties of slate and the late ripening in autumn. For the Goldlay, both a late Riesling ripeness and fully ripe aromas are described. Wines from the Moullay-Hofberg are described as aromatic and rich in extract, with fresh citrus notes; from selected parcels a dry wine is also produced there.

The Moullay-Hofberg is documented in a deed of grant from 1143 under the name “Molun”, along with adjoining vineyards. The Mullayer Hof has been mentioned as early as the twelfth century. Historical wine-growing and wine-trading buildings in Reil, including former wineries, wine cellars and wine merchants’ houses, date from the 18th century to the early 20th century.

The slate terraces of the Moullay-Hofberg, which are built by hand, cannot be reached by vehicles. Vineyard work and the transport of materials and grapes are carried out there manually along paths and slate stairways. In the Sorentberg, in 2012 restoration began of the area that had previously been largely fallow for around 25 years; during this process an old vineyard with around 1,000 vines was rediscovered and new plantings were laid out on three hectares. Wine from Reil is permitted to bear the protected geographical indication “Landwein der Mosel”.