In his latest piece for WSG, Matt Walls considers whether the recent renaissance of Mosel Riesling has a modern trend to thank. If you want to find the best value wines on the planet, here’s a tip: choose a style with a long history that’s currently unfashionable. You can pick up wonderful bottles of sherry and Sauternes right now at indecently low prices simply because, through no fault of their own, they’re no longer in vogue. German wines have also seen huge swings in popularity over the years, particularly off-dry and sweet Rieslings. Today, German producers are reporting a renewal in interest in some of these styles. Many wine lovers are no doubt attracted by their natural brilliance; they are and have always been, among the finest white wines in the world. But their resurgence is also in part thanks to their naturally low alcohol levels. Is the modern trend for lower-alcohol wines giving this ancient region an unexpected boost?

Germany’s most mythic and misunderstood wine region has always balanced on a knife’s edge. Today is no different. Only the elemental forces have changed. To understand the Mosel requires an appreciation of what animates — and challenges —  it. There is a sense of urgency to preserve what has long felt timeless and immutable, but is proving all too susceptible to market and climate shifts. Overall, the current dynamic is one of pressured if positive convergence. There are peerless steep slopes where growers set global benchmarks for Riesling. There are forgotten side valleys. There is virtuosic skill honed over generations. There is raw, fresh talent. For decades, these existed in a hierarchy of tested value. Today, the deck is shuffled. Wines from a 14th-century estate may be as coveted as those of a start-up. In some cases, the ancient winery and the start-up are one in the same.