Location and Topography
Ritsch, also known as Thörnicher Ritsch, is an officially listed wine-growing site in Thörnich on the Mosel. It lies on the left bank of the Mosel opposite the built-up part of the town. The central part runs parallel to the river on a slope facing the Mosel.
Slate and Terraces
The steep slope has an average incline of more than 65%; individual parcels reach around 70 to 75%. The main aspect is south, with boundary areas that turn slightly towards the south-west or south-east. The site is shaped by Devonian slate, including red and grey slate with quartzite. Terraces, dry-stone walls and rock walls structure the 9.7-hectare wine-growing site.
Vines and Wines
In the Ritsch, Riesling is grown there for a long time. Historically and to the present, old vines are documented, partly with their own roots; one parcel has Riesling vines that are around 80 to 100 years old and own-rooted. Depending on the producer and vintage, the Rieslings range from dry to fruit-sweet with Prädikat. Both are described: dense, finely spiced wines with slate-influenced, smoky or ethereal notes, as well as lighter, finely structured expressions.
Cultivation and History
The individual parcels are cultivated specifically for their site characteristics due to their differing exposure, slope gradient and soils. Documented are single-vine training on traditional vineyard stakes and the Trierer Rad. To manage the steep slopes, dry-stone walls were renewed and monorack railways were built. A land consolidation in the years 2015 and 2016 created units that could be worked more easily and, in parts, made possible a renewed provision of access and planting. Viticulture was carried on despite rockfalls, wars and economic crises.
