Location and categorisation
The Traben Würzgarten is a registered single-vineyard site in the Traben district of the municipality of Traben-Trarbach in the wine-growing region Mosel. The area located directly on the Mosel is on the left bank of the river and belongs to the collective site Schwarzlay. The 2024 vineyard register lists it under number 410945 with 28.1 hectares of planted vineyard area.
Relief and soils
The vineyard site, which is oriented towards the west to the south-west, features steep slopes with gradients of up to 44 per cent. Proximity to Traben and to the Mosel is described as a protected microclimate. The subsoil consists of blue-grey slate weathering material; parts of the soil are strongly weathered and comparatively loose.
Grape varieties and wine styles
Riesling is documented from the Traben Würzgarten. The corresponding wines are made dry, fine off-dry, and developed as Kabinett, Spätlese and fruity-sweet. Aromatic, spicy wines are described, with an influence of slate and lively acidity. For the 2023 vintage, a Chardonnay from the site is also documented.
History and cultivation
A historical Mosel map from 1897 records the Würzgarten at Traben. The name is associated with the tradition of herb and spice wines along the Mosel as well as with medieval herb gardens. Documented cultivation methods include sustainable viticulture, predominantly manual work, yield limitation, selective hand harvesting, and training on wire framework; one producer states that no herbicides are used.
A site-designated Riesling was fermented spontaneously and matured in a stainless-steel tank. The documented Chardonnay was fermented in stainless steel and stored for more than ten months in a 225-litre barrique.
