While it may come to a surprise for many, that a country as small as Luxembourg even produces wine, the winemaking tradition is one that stretches just as far back as in the neighbouring Germany. Luxembourg wine is dominated by the wine region of the Moselle. While it is fairly small compared to most old-world wine countries, it produces a vast variety of different interesting cool-climate wines.

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Wine has been produced along the Moselle for millennia, with the Roman poet Ausonius describing in 370 A.D. how the slopes along the riverbanks were planted with vines.

This tradition of winemaking was kept up by the monasteries in the Middle Ages, where warmer weather saw the viticulture of the area expanding all the way north to the town of Ösling. This was then shortened back due to the great frost of 1709, where the milder climate in the river plains was the only place the vineyards survived, resulting in the wine region as it is today.

After the First World War and the end of the German Zollverein, Luxembourgish wine faced the loss of the German market, where it had previously sold large quantities of low-quality Elbling. To combat this, most of the existing vines were uprooted to make way for Riesling and Müller-Thurgau among others.

Winemaking cooperatives were established, an “Institut Vini-viticole” was created, and the label of Marque Nationale was introduced to guarantee a consistent quality. Following this shift in production, two thirds of the wines were now consumed in Luxembourg, while the rest was exported to Belgium.

While Elbling is still common to see in Luxembourg, nowadays varietals like Müller-Thurgau, often under the name Rivaner, and Auxerrois Blanc make up the majority of the production. Pinot gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling are also quite common along the Luxembourgish Moselle. As for red and rosé wines, Pinot noir is often the choice, and is by far the most common red variety, but not the only, as Pinot noir précoce, Saint Laurent and Gamay are cultivated in very small quantities.

White Wine Varieties

Elbling - Historically known to be a basis for sparkling wines, such as non-varietal Mosel Sekt, this variety produces light, refreshing still wines high in acid and somewhat neutral in character, sometimes compared to a Sylvaner, though lighter and often tarter.

Müller-Thurgau - A crossing of Riesling and Madeleine Royale, this early ripening variety makes pale yellow mildly acidic, and sometimes flowery wines. They are most often made in stainless steel to preserve their freshness, and are typically uncomplicated wines, made to be drunk within the first few years of storage.

Auxerrois Blanc - A sibling of Chardonnay, Auxerrois Blanc is, outside of Luxembourg most often found in the French nearby region of Alsace, and is known to make rather mellow, yet fruity wines, slightly more full-bodied than Pinot Blanc, which it is commonly blended with to make Crémant. Auxerrois Blanc can, especially if matured in oak, age quite well.

Pinot Gris - A grape variety that has gained quite a popularity in Luxembourg, so much so that the planting and production of it has doubled within the last 20 years. Fresh, mineral, and pleasantly acidic wines are typical of Luxembourgish Pinot Gris.

Pinot Blanc - An important base for the Crémant de Luxembourg, this varietal is known in Luxembourg for racy, fruity wines with higher acidity than most of the previously mentioned varieties.

Located just south of the 50^th degree latitude, the Moselle region is only slightly below the northernmost border of what is normally known as the border for commercial winemaking. The region is comprised of two different types of soil. Shell limestone dominates in the narrow valley between Greiveldingen and Grevenmacher, with its steep slopes made by slow erosion over millions of years.

Further south in the area around Remich, the soil is predominantly keuper and marl clay. In this part of the Moselle, the valley is much wider, and the slopes are much less steep. The altitude of the vineyards range between 150 to 250 meters above sea level. Around 323 hectares of vineyards are grown on slopes with an incline of at least 30%, and 32 hectares of which are grown on an incline above 45 degrees, all of which aiming to ensure optimal sunlight exposure of the grapes.

The only Protected Designation of Origin (PDO/AOC) for Luxembourg wine is the AOC Moselle Luxembourgeoise. It defines four different styles and sub areas. : 

Lieu-Dit - the single vineyard wines of the AOP, regarded among, if not the best wines of Luxembourg. Not only do the grapes need to stem from the same vineyard, low yields of a maximum 75 hectolitres and selective hand-harvests are also required for a wine to be considered Lieu-Dit.

Coteaux de - These wines fall just below in the designation of origin, stemming from either the canton of Grevenmacher or Remich, and showcase the two different soil types of the region. These wines are also required to be manually harvested with the same specifications as to maximum yield.

Côtes de - the entry level still AOP Moselle Luxembourgeoise wines, these wines have wider areas of origin than the beforementioned ones, with a max yield of 100 hectolitres per hectare for all grape varieties, except Elbling and Rivaner/Müller-Thurgau, which are allowed 115 hectolitres of yield per hectare.

Crémant de Luxembourg - in contrast to the Crémant of France, these sparkling wines do not have their own appellation, rather they are a subdivision of the larger AOP of Luxembourg. The grapes are harvested by hand, amounting to no more than 100 liters of must per 150kg of grapes. The wine is required to undergo the second fermentation in bottle and be stored at least 9 months on the lees before a required disgorging.

The specific grape varieties that are allowed under the AOP are listed here (please note that this document is in French).

Domaine Mathis Bastian (Remich)

Domaine Alice Hartmann (Grevenmacher)

Caves St. Martin (Remich)

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr (Ahn)

Vins Moselle (The largest cooperative of Luxembourgish wine)

The Wines of Tiny Luxembourg Make a Big Impression, Wine Enthusiast

Appellation D’Origine Protégée Moselle Luxembourgeoises official website

A Guide to Luxembourg’s Wines, The Luxembourg Times

Cahier des Charges de L’Appellation D’Origine Protégée Moselle Luxembourgeoise (Aforementioned pdf in French)