Wine lovers looking for a quick getaway to one of Europe’s most beautiful regions should consider the Mosel Wine Region of Germany.

The heart of the region is a mere 3 ½ hour drive from Amsterdam and a short 1 ½ hour drive from Dusseldorf.  A rental car is highly recommended to fully enjoy all that Mosel has to offer.  The region is filled with neat little towns, country roads lined with castles and vineyards on steep hills overlooking the beautiful Mosel River.

For those who have not been exposed to German wines or think of German wines as overly sweet, a 3-day visit to the Mosel region will provide a new perspective.

Day 1:

An ideal place to start this short wine tour is in Cochem.  Cochem is an attractive town famous for 1,000 year-old, late-Gothic Cochem Castle.  Cochem is a great place for wine enthusiasts to lunch on traditional local fare before heading south to begin wine touring.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N8TPhN0cok&feature=player_embedded] After lunch, travelers can head south to Briedern where they’ll find a charming inn named Mosel Landhaus.  The inn is small and inviting and the hosts, Sylvia and Jan, offer warm hospitality and well-appointed, newly renovated rooms.  This inn is centrally located within a short distance of popular vineyards and attractions and is quite affordable.

The hosts of Mosel Landhaus will make insightful recommendations for places to have afternoon drinks and dinner.

Day 2:

Weingut Lipmann in Beilstein.

Riesling tasting at Weingut Lipmann in Beilstein

After a lovely breakfast at Mosel Landhaus, a short drive east to Beilstein offers cute shops to visit and the welcoming Weingut Lipmann for a tasting of the region’s best whites.  The friendly staff at this cozy winebar, also known as a Weingut, offers a cheese course to pair with the wonderful Mosel wines.

Day 3:

Vine-covered village in Bernkastel

Weingut Friedrich Storck

A trip to Bernkastel begins a full day of wine tasting.  The drive to Bernkastel offers beautiful views of the regions’ most expansive vineyards.  A great place to stop for a first tasting is a quaint wine bar named Weingut Friedrich Storck in Traben-Trarbach.  The place offers a vast selection of German whites and modest selection of reds.

Steep vineyard in Wehlen near SA Pruem Winery

After lunching and visiting Traben-Trarbach, it’s only a short drive to Wehlen, home of well-known SA Pruem Winery, with its breathtaking vineyards spread over steep hills.

Cellar tasting at Mosel Landhause in Briedern

On the last evening at Mosel Landhaus, guests can participate in a wine tasting in the inn’s wine cave.  I strongly urge patrons to partake in this activity as the wine cave is full of charm and the inn’s hosts are proud to share their love of Mosel wines with guests.