Erdener Treppchen
Viticulture since Roman times
The small wine village of Erden lies in an oxbow, between Bernkastel-Kues and Traben-Trarbach, on the right bank of the Mosel River, where the land is flat while the valley widens towards the Hunsrück. On the opposite side of the river are the steep slopes of the Eifel.
Erden is surrounded by vineyards on the fertile alluvial banks of the Mosel. The best sites of the village, however, are on the steep slate slopes on the other side. These sites are among the steepest in the Mosel. Records show that the Romans, who knew a little about the great sites when they saw them, already farmed vineyards here over 2,000 years ago.
Profile
| Total area | 53.4 hectares on the steep slope across Erden, of which 1.6 hectares are farmed by Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier |
| Height | 100–250 meters above the sea level |
| Orientation | Southeast to southwest |
| Inclination | 50–65 % |
| Soils | Stony, red to brown-gray clayey slate soil |
| Particularities | Since the Romans, vineyards have been farmed in the steep Erdener hillsides. A Roman press house at the foot of the steep slope bears testimony |
| Type of wine | Elegant with delicate flowers and good acidity, spicy |