Eltz, an off-the-trodden-path castle, commands attention and piques curiosity. Built on a rock spur, within a tight bend of the Elzbach, a Mosel tributary, more stream than river, yet surrounded by higher ground. The Trutzeltz ruin, built in the 14th century to support the siege of Eltz, bears testament to the castle’s lower ground vulnerability. Why build a fortress here? What was the alcohol content of the Riesling, or the brew, at the time?

Walking the exterior perimeter rewards architecture nerds. In places, the slate that forms the outer walls is laid upon rock, in a series of sharp angles, similar to mountain trail switchbacks. Cooling one’s feet in the Elzbach enhances the experience. So does Spätlese :-).

The Mosel Valley, my favorite of the wine world, and Riesling, my favorite white wine, place Eltz in intriguing context, an attractive jewel in a gold mine, if you will. Most castles along with Mosel are ruins; a few have been rebuilt, but Eltz was never destroyed or left to ruin. Its placement, in the middle of a forest, alongside a non-navigable stream, considerably away from the Mosel, may have been central to its longstanding integrity.