The German wine region of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer has officially changed its name to, simply, Mosel in an effort to become more consumer friendly.
The new name became official on August 1 and will apply to all wines starting with the 2007 vintage.
The Mosel-Saar-Ruwer growers’ organization won approval in August of 2006 for the name change to go ahead. It’s now official.
The move follows several years of lobbying by the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer growers’ group – which also has changed its name to Moselwein – which felt the longer name was too complicated and led consumers to believe the wine was a three-region blend.
Wineries may still include references to Saar and Ruwer on their labels, but the main regional designation henceforth will be Mosel.
In another change, the designation Qualitatswein mit Pradikat has
been simplified to Pradikatswein. The term designates the level of ripeness — of which there are six, ranging from Kabinett to Trockenbeerenauslese, based on the natural sugar level in the grapes at the time of harvest.
