Viezstraße

In the Saarschleifenland region, this drink is known as ‘Viez’ and is produced in a wide variety of flavours. The Viezstraße runs between Merzig and Trier, taking in the open, garden-like landscape of the Saargau. Scattered orchards, vast fields and small villages along the route characterise the scenery. You can stop off at direct-sales outlets and restaurants along the route to sample the Viez and stock up for the journey home. An eventful tour.

The route
The Viezstraße is signposted throughout and is ideal for a varied car journey or a winding motorbike ride. There are many attractions along the route that invite you to stop off. The Werner Freund Wolf Park and the Garden of the Senses in Merzig, Siersburg Castle high above the Saar, the Haus Saargau Farm Museum, the sculptures from the ‘Steine an der Grenze’ sculpture symposium, the view of the Saar Loop with its spectacular treetop walk, the Roman Villa Borg, the Roscheider Hof open-air museum in Konz, and, at the end, the Roman ruins of Trier are just some of the highlights directly on the Viezstraße. And all set amidst the scenic landscape of the Saargau.

Shopping tip
A particular must-visit is the Regiothek in the Cloef Atrium in Mettlach-Orscholz, just a few metres from the famous viewpoint high above the Saar Loop. Alongside wine, fine spirits, honey and vinegar, there’s a lovely selection of regional Viez products to sample here. Historical equipment used in Viez and wine production provides an atmospheric backdrop.

The product
Viez is a tart, refreshing drink, fermented from the small apples of the orchard meadows. Traditionally, Viez is fully fermented with an alcohol content of around 5 to 7 per cent. It is drunk neat or as a spritzer. However, Viez specialities with higher residual sugar content are also increasingly being produced, such as the aromatic Eisleseviez. These high-quality products are, of course, best enjoyed undiluted. The name ‘Viez’ derives from its former significance as the most important alcoholic drink for the rural population of the Saargau. They drank the apple wine ‘vice vinum’, i.e. as a substitute for expensive grape wine. In most cases, people produced their own Viez.

The landscape
The landscape of the Viezstraße is the Saargau. It is an ancient cultural landscape on the border with France, which was already inhabited in Celtic times. The Saargau occupies the ridge between the Saar and the Moselle, stretching from Merzig in the south to the confluence of the Saar and the Moselle on the outskirts of Trier in the north. The Saargau is characterised by its varied orchard meadows. With their standard apple and pear trees, they traditionally form a ring around the small villages. Even today, they still offer protection from the wind and weather and give the landscape a park-like character. Many regional fruit varieties, particularly those suitable for making juice and ‘Viez’, are now found only in these orchard meadows.