Ellenz-Poltersdorf Germany Rhineland-Palatinate
Frequently Asked Questions
At the very foot of the vineyards, on the left bank of the Moselle, seven kilometres upstream of Cochem. The twin villages of Ellenz and Poltersdorf sit in the great loop Germans call the Cochemer Krampen.
Essentially wine and walking, and it is better to know it: this is not a call for monuments. Winegrowers' houses cluster around the cellars, old presses decorate the courtyards, and a stroll through the lanes leads from one cellar to the next.
The Riesling born on these slate slopes: dry, mineral, with a freshness that always surprises anyone new to Moselle whites. The hillsides carry parcels with jealously kept names, including the well-regarded Ellenzer Goldbäumchen. Growers readily open their doors.
Yes, and it is the great asset of this call: the St Josef ferry crosses the Moselle in barely three minutes, from April to October, carrying pedestrians, cyclists and a few cars. You land in a setting almost untouched since the 18th century.
One of the most photographed villages in the valley: cobbled lanes climbing in steps, half-timbered houses, a miniature market square. Above the village, the ruins of Metternich castle repay a short climb with a plunging view over the river's loop and the vineyards.
An interpretive path starting from Ellenz-Poltersdorf and winding through the valley's characteristic landscape. Panels, viewpoints and passages between the vine rows explain the growers' work on these steep slopes where almost everything is still done by hand. An hour's walk is enough to grasp the essentials.
Yes, the region's small capital lies seven kilometres downstream, reachable by excursion or by launch. It is dominated by its neo-Gothic castle perched above the slate roofs. The launches run downriver and pass through the Fankel lock.
Partly. The village lanes and the riverbank are manageable, but the hillsides, the Moselkrampen trail and above all the climb to Metternich castle in Beilstein demand stamina and a sure step. The ferry itself is easy to board.
April through October, when the St Josef ferry runs and the cellars are open. September and October add the bustle of the harvest on the slopes, a spectacle in itself on hillsides worked entirely by hand.
The euro and German. In two villages this size, cash is considerably more practical: the family cellars and the ferry do not all take cards. Bring a few euros ashore.
