Elbling & Muschelkalk
Elbling from Nittel: The honest face of the Upper Moselle
Elbling is more than just a grape variety—it is our identity. Here in Nittel, where shell limestone shapes the landscape, this 2,000-year-old grape variety has found its perfect home. At the Apel Winery, we cultivate this tradition with a modern approach: for wines that impress with their clarity, freshness, and pure drinking pleasure.
Why Elbling from Muschelkalk is so special
Our vines grow on the southern Moselle around Nittel, on soil that was once a primeval sea millions of years ago. This shell limestone gives Elbling its characteristic, delicate minerality. While Riesling often seeks full fruitiness, Elbling remains what we love about it: lively, uncomplicated, and honest.
With its moderate alcohol content, it is the ideal companion for long summer evenings, light cuisine, or simply as a "quarter liter" in between meals.
Fossil diversity.
Mineral elegance.
The shell limestone soil around Nittel formed over 200 million years ago, when the region was still covered by a primeval tropical sea. What remained was a massive foundation of limestone, interspersed with fossilized marine remains—a soil that today shapes the character of the wines. This unique subsoil imparts a distinct minerality and an almost salty finish to the wines. At the same time, it fosters a delicate, lively acidity and brings out the clear fruit character of the grape varieties—such as in the Elbling—to particular advantage. A true terroir experience found only here in the Upper Mosel.
Elegant, delicate and charming.
The Elbling Classic is the modern interpretation of an ancient grape variety. Grown on sparse shell limestone soil around Nittel, this wine presents itself with clear fruit, delicate acidity and fine minerality. With a moderate alcohol content, it is the perfect companion for summer and light meals - fresh, delicate and wonderfully uncomplicated.
Whether as an aperitif or with light dishes such as asparagus, fish, pasta or salads: This wine brings freshness to the glass.
Clear, dry. Unmistakable.
The Elbling Bone Dry combines the heritage of the grape variety with a special style.
Fine bubbles. Mineral. Full of character.
The Elbling sparkling wine extra brut is a real highlight for lovers of fine sparkling wines. Produced using the classic method of bottle fermentation and aged on the lees for 36 months, it impresses with its freshness, elegance and mineral depth. The Extra Brut impresses with its even drier style and salty precision.
As a brut or extra brut, a real aperitif - or the perfect accompaniment to seafood, salmon or special occasions.
Discover all Elbling varieties
Elbling-Kapellenberg
Elbling
"The Elbling is our origin, the Muschelkalk our identity - both produce wines that inspire with clarity, freshness and character."
Philip Apel - Winemaker at Weingut Hubertus M. Apel
