Wine from the Steep Slate Slopes of the Mosel
Lesom Weine is one of the most exciting and dynamic new wineries in Germany's Mosel Valley — a young, uncompromising project run by the duo Jessika Reis and Philipp Musevi that has quickly established itself as a leading voice in the region's natural wine renaissance. [^220^] [^223^] Based in Traben-Trarbach, their 1.3 hectares of vineyards are spread across 20 kilometres of the Mosel river, from Briedel to the steep slate slopes below the three castles of Pünderich. [^226^] [^228^] The wines are biodynamically cultivated, hand-harvested, and fermented in old 1000-litre wooden barrels typical of the Mosel — a traditional vessel that Jessika and Philipp have reclaimed as the heart of their minimal-intervention philosophy. [^218^] [^234^] With holdings that include old vines in Briedel and high-altitude parcels directly below the Marienburg, Lesom produces Rieslings of startling purity, energy, and slate-driven minerality — wines that dance on the tongue with exciting and surprisingly fruity aromas. [^234^]
From the Mosel Valley to a New Generation
Jessika Reis and Philipp Musevi are part of a new wave of winemakers transforming the Mosel — a region famous for centuries of Riesling tradition but now experiencing a creative explosion of natural, biodynamic, and low-intervention projects. [^229^] Theirs is not a family estate inherited through generations; it is a deliberately chosen path, a collaboration between two individuals who share a vision for what Mosel Riesling can be when freed from the constraints of conventional winemaking.
The name "Lesom" carries the weight of their ambition. It is a young project, but one rooted deeply in classic Mosel terroir — the steep slate slopes, the winding river, the dramatic castles that crown the hillsides. [^220^] Jessika and Philipp have assembled 1.3 hectares of vineyards spread across an extraordinary 20 kilometres of river length — a fragmented but carefully chosen collection of sites that gives them access to the full diversity of the Mosel's microclimates and soil types. [^226^] [^228^]
Their holdings include old vines in Briedel — a village known for its distinctive terroir — and high-altitude parcels directly below the three castles of Pünderich (the Marienburg, the Niederburg, and the Oberburg). [^225^] These sites, with their exposed slate and cooler temperatures, produce Rieslings of exceptional acidity and mineral tension. The lower slope vineyards add richness and fruit depth, creating a palette of terroirs that Jessika and Philipp blend or bottle separately depending on the vintage.
The project has quickly gained recognition within the natural wine community. Lesom is listed in the RAW WINE directory, featured by leading natural wine retailers across Europe and the United States, and praised by critics for its authenticity and energy. [^231^] [^235^] A visit to their cellar reveals a hands-on, intimate operation — "both he and she have directions on some of their wine and her take (and nose) is cool," notes one visitor who spent time with the duo in Traben-Trarbach. [^235^]
"Our wine Tal, which dances on the tongue with exciting and surprisingly fruity aromas, is fermented in old 1000 liter wooden barrels typical of the Moselle."
— Lesom Weine
Biodynamic, Hand-Harvested & Old Vines
Lesom's farming is biodynamic — not merely organic, but guided by the principles of Rudolf Steiner, with preparations, composting, and a holistic view of the vineyard as a living organism. [^224^] The steep slate slopes of the Mosel make mechanisation impossible, so all work is done by hand: pruning, canopy management, and harvesting. This manual care is not a romantic affectation but a practical necessity — and a quality advantage. Hand-harvested grapes arrive at the winery intact, with stems and berries undamaged, ready for gentle pressing and spontaneous fermentation.
The vineyards are planted to Riesling — the undisputed king of the Mosel — on the region's characteristic blue Devonian slate. [^227^] This slate is millions of years old, formed from compressed ocean sediments, and it gives the wines their signature minerality: a stony, saline, almost salty character that is unmistakably Mosel. The steepness of the slopes — often exceeding 45 degrees — ensures excellent drainage and sun exposure, while the river below moderates temperature and reflects light back onto the vines.
Jessika and Philipp work with a mix of high-altitude and lower-slope vineyards. [^224^] The high sites — directly below the castles — are cooler, windier, and produce wines of razor-sharp acidity and pronounced slate character. The lower sites are warmer, more sheltered, and give wines with greater fruit richness and body. By blending or separating these parcels, Lesom creates wines that express either the full spectrum of Mosel terroir or the specific character of a single site.
The old vines in Briedel are a particular treasure. Older plants have deeper root systems that penetrate the fractured slate, accessing water and minerals that younger vines cannot reach. [^226^] This translates into greater complexity, more pronounced minerality, and a textural depth that sets old-vine Riesling apart. Jessika and Philipp treat these vines with special care, knowing that they are the backbone of their most serious cuvées.
Beyond organic — guided by Steiner's principles, with preparations, composting, and a holistic view of the vineyard as a living organism. No synthetic chemicals, no shortcuts. [^224^]
A deliberately fragmented collection of sites from Briedel to Pünderich, giving access to the full diversity of Mosel microclimates, exposures, and slate types. [^226^] [^228^]
Deep-rooted old plants that penetrate fractured slate, accessing minerals and water unreachable by younger vines. Greater complexity, pronounced minerality, textural depth. [^226^]
Parcels directly below the three castles of Pünderich — cooler, windier, razor-sharp acidity. The dramatic terroir that defines Mosel's most thrilling Rieslings. [^225^]
1000L Barrel Fermentation & Native Yeasts
Lesom's winemaking is a deliberate return to tradition — and a rejection of the technological shortcuts that have dominated modern Mosel winemaking. The grapes are hand-harvested and directly pressed, with the juice transferred to old 1000-litre wooden barrels — the traditional "Fuder" of the Mosel, a vessel that has been used in the region for centuries. [^218^] [^234^] These large barrels are neutral, adding no oak flavour but providing a gentle, slow oxygen exchange that rounds the wine and builds texture without masking the fruit or the slate.
Fermentation is entirely spontaneous — driven by native yeasts present on the grape skins and in the winery environment. [^223^] Jessika and Philipp do not inoculate, adjust temperature, or add enzymes. They monitor, taste, and wait. The cool cellar temperatures of the Mosel naturally slow fermentation, extending the process over weeks or months and allowing for the development of complex, layered aromatics that rapid, temperature-controlled fermentation cannot achieve.
Sulfur is used sparingly — typically only a small addition at bottling to ensure stability during transport. [^218^] The wines are not filtered or fined unless absolutely necessary, preserving the living character of the wine and allowing it to evolve in the bottle. The result is a range of Rieslings that are vibrant, energetic, and unmistakably of the Mosel — but with a freshness and immediacy that sets them apart from more conventional, polished expressions.
Jessika and Philipp produce both single-vineyard and blended cuvées. The "Tal" (valley) wines combine fruit from multiple sites to create a complete portrait of the Mosel — from the high, windy slopes to the lower, warmer valleys. [^234^] The "Berg" (mountain) wines focus on the high-altitude parcels below the castles — steeper, more exposed, and more mineral. [^225^] Each wine is a different window into the same landscape, and together they form a mosaic of Mosel terroir as seen through the eyes of two young, uncompromising winemakers.
"Tal" Riesling — The Valley in a Bottle
The "Tal" Riesling is Lesom's signature wine — a blend of biodynamically cultivated grapes from both high-altitude and lower-slope vineyards, hand-harvested and directly pressed into 1000-litre wooden barrels for spontaneous fermentation. [^218^] [^224^]
"Our wine Tal, which dances on the tongue with exciting and surprisingly fruity aromas, is fermented in old 1000 liter wooden barrels typical of the Moselle," Jessika and Philipp explain. [^234^] The wine captures the full spectrum of Mosel terroir: the floral, citrus aromatics of the lower slopes, the stony, saline minerality of the high slate, and the creamy, textural weight that only large-barrel fermentation can provide.
The 2022 vintage — described as "a natural white wine from the steep slate slopes of the Mosel Valley" — shows the characteristic Lesom profile: bright acidity, ripe stone fruit, a hint of petrol, and a long, slate-driven finish that lingers on the palate. [^218^] It is a wine that demands food — spicy Asian cuisine, fresh seafood, or simply a plate of aged cheese — but is equally compelling on its own. Serve at 10–12°C to allow the aromatics to fully express themselves. ~€18–€24 / ~$20–$26.
The Lesom Range
Lesom Weine produces a focused range of Rieslings from their 1.3 hectares of biodynamically farmed vineyards across the Mosel Valley. All wines are hand-harvested, spontaneously fermented in old 1000-litre wooden barrels, and bottled with minimal sulfur. [^218^] [^223^] The portfolio includes both valley blends and single-vineyard expressions, each capturing a different facet of Mosel slate terroir. Prices are approximate and in EUR/USD.