The wine village Leiwen at the Mosel river
Last November I had the opportunity to visit Leiwen just about 30 minutes down the Mosel river from my hometown Trier.
Grape press
Leiwen (about 1,600 inhabitants) is not only a village known as a holiday destination but it is also a famous wine village. Here quite a few of the top Mosel wineries and members of VDP, the association of the top producers are located.
Leiwen got it’s name from Livia, the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus and has a long tradition in grape growing and wine making.
Riesling vineyards
Vineyards on the flats
Riesling, the aromatic grape of the Mosel, is the dominant variety here. Many of the vineyards are located on extremely steep slopes which are hard to cultivate. The ground is mainly gray, blue and sometimes red slate.
Many signs indicate the way to the various wineries
Many, mainly small and family owned wineries call Leiwen their home. The tasting rooms and wine cellars are usually located in the middle of the village. Space is certainly an issue.
On a quiet Saturday morning, the village was almost deserted. No tourist can be found during these times of the year. Vintners were in the vineyards busy pruning their vines. But I went to taste some wines of which I will tell you more soon.
But visit if you can, next spring or summer, any time is a good time. The wines are worth it.
The Man from Mosel River 
FYI this Augustus is the same Augustus (Octavian) who murdered Cleopatra. Good to see he had the good sense to have his wife revered.