Weingut Markus Molitor

Markus Molitor - Noble wines from the Mosel

In 1984, at just 20 years of age, Markus Molitor took over his father's estate as the eighth generation. With the golden era of Mosel Riesling in mind, his vision is to reconnect with that period through long-lived wines that showcase the unique characteristics of their sites. Molitor’s fundamental philosophy is the careful and uncompromising craftsmanship of the vintner’s trade, whether in the vineyard or in the cellar.

The typical terroir of the Mosel region is the slopes along the river, which consist largely of slate. The wines of Markus Molitor grow in a wide variety of sites stretching along the Mosel from Brauneberg to Traben-Trarbach. This gives the estate a broad range in terms of precise soil composition and the microclimate of each site. In this way, the perfect foundation can be chosen for each grape and ultimately each wine. 

The top sites of Markus Molitor on the river

The sites of Markus Molitor rank among the best that were evaluated in the world’s oldest vineyard classification from 1816 to 1832. Among them are names such as:

• Bernkasteler Doctor
• Graacher Himmelreich
• Wehlener Sonnenuhr
• Ürziger Würzgarten
• Brauneberger Klostergarten

In total, the vineyard area of Markus Molitor adds up to over 700 ha. The vineyards are cultivated very gently, and targeted yield reduction is carried out to further increase quality.

Craftsmanship at the highest level at Molitor

To guarantee the quality of the wines right from the start, harvesting is done exclusively by hand and in several passes. This ensures the optimum degree of ripeness for each grape. Afterwards, the grapes are sorted again in the cellar to have the best grapes available for the finest wines, such as Beerenauslesen. In the cellar, wooden casks are used for fermentation, which are stored in a three-storey vaulted cellar. The cool, humid cellar provides ideal conditions for the fermentation process, which takes place exclusively naturally and spontaneously. No additional enzymes, cultured yeasts or fining agents are used. Fermentation is followed by ageing on the fine lees to give the wines their final polish and elegance.

The capsule color system of Markus Molitor

A typical distinguishing feature of the individual wine styles at Markus Molitor is the capsule color. White capsules stand for classically fermented wines, which are the dry representatives. A green capsule indicates a slightly higher residual sugar content; this is where you will find the off-dry wines of the estate. Incidentally, off-dry wines are the traditional Mosel Rieslings. The golden capsule, finally, adorns the nobly sweet variants. To help with the "Molitor system", a small scale with the three colors is printed on the back of each wine. A marker shows the position of the individual wine on the "sweetness scale". This is why you will not find the designation "trocken" or similar on any Molitor wine.