Bremmer Calmont may not mean anything to most people, but all those who love wine are aware of the magnitude of the vineyard I am referring to. Of course, it does not have the fame of the mythical Romanee Conti, Hermitage or Monprivato, to give some relevant examples, but, without a doubt, Bremmer Calmont is one of the most impressive vineyards in existence.
The vineyard is located in Bremm, before reaching Ediger Eller, in an imposing and characteristic curve formed by the river, covering around thirty-three hectares of mineral slate, mixed with quartzite and sandstone. Naturally, the predominant grape variety is Riesling, the great white lady of the Moselle. It faces south-east, south and south-west and, quite possibly, it is the vineyard with the steepest slopes in Europe, with inclines of up to sixty-eight percent. With these characteristics, it is obvious that the work is eminently manual, as the only help comes from the rails that allow the grapes and work equipment to be raised and lowered.
The spectacular nature of the vineyard is such that there is a hiking trail with majestic views of the Moselle River, especially on the steep curve between Bremm and Ediger Eller, with the ruins of the 18th century monastery of Klosterstuben in the foreground.
Bremmer Calmont also reflects man’s striving for self-improvement. During the 1980s, Ulrich Franzen was committed to the revival of this impossible vineyard, which had been abandoned since the Second World War. After his unexpected death, his son Kilian, with his wife Angelina, have continued his father’s work, making the wines of Weingut Kilian Franzen the most representative of the whole vineyard.
To be fair, I must admit that, without being negligible, Bremmer Calmont wines are not among the top Mosel wines, but the magic of the place alone justifies their presence in this blog. Moselle is one of the most important areas in the world of wine, especially when it comes to white wines, but no visit is worthwhile without a visit to this exceptional vineyard.