One of the best and distinctive Riesling comes from Mosel Valley in Germany. This is the largest wine region in Germany in terms of production and it is situated part southwest of the country, following the Mosel River, which also includes the Saar and Ruwer tributaries, and was formerly known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region. Viticulture was practised there since the Roman times and in the Middle Ages from the Benedectine order. It is the land of Riesling with one of the most austere and steep vineyards in the world. The Riesling from Mosel is among the finest whites in the world, which are light and low in alcohol, intensely fragrant with beguiling floral and mineral notes, and an incredible balance between sweetness and acidity. The climate is one of the warmest in the country, where the Mosel river has a positive effect and creates the conditions for this by forming valley slopes. The region's viticulture profits from the ideal mixture of steep, sun-drenched slopes, sun-reflecting slate soils and maximum rainfall. A big disadvantage is the steep vineyards, which makes the usage of machinery impossible, meaning as much as seven times the amount of manual labour is required to manage them, matched to normal/level vineyards. The region is divided into four main areas accordingly in which part of the river they are including the Saar area with the very famous Scharzberg sites, the Ruwertal, the Upper Mosel, The Burg Cochem and the legendary Bernkastel or Middle Mosel each one of them has its unique terroir and microclimate. The region is planted around 70% with Riesling followed by Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as well as a little Pinot Noir. The Mosel also produces one of the finest expressions of the 'Eiswein' ice wine, with the area's characteristic high acidity combined with the sweetness given by the concentration of the sugars in the frozen grapes. The Mosel region is one of the most intriguing and interesting wine regions in the world.