What makes it great and why you need to try it today!

My first blog on a single wine varietal! Why Riesling? I recently had some inspiration and it reminded me why I love the grape and wine so much. Are you thinking that you don’t like sweet wine and are only a red wine drinker? Keep reading! Riesling is a very versatile wine and is made in many different styles, from late harvest ice wines, to semi sweet to dry, it does it all. Where I find each style of wine has its place and time I feel you could have Riesling at least once a week to go with spicy dishes, chicken and herbs, desserts, Indian curries, seafood, and much more. So bring on the Riesling!

Where is Riesling from?

No one can be 100% sure but there is evidence that Riesling did in fact originate in Germany, where it is still the most popular grape in the country. For me this makes sense, Riesling is extremely adaptable and thrives in the cooler wetter climates of that part of the world. You know, like it evolved there or something haha. There are even records dating transactions of the vines in the 15th century. So Riesling is from Germany and it is the country’s crowning grape and represents 40% of the vineyards in Germany.

For one reason or another it was discovered that this grape can be made into excellently sweet wines. One reason why Riesling makes such great sweet wines because the grape has extremely high tartaric acid levels. The acid in the wine balances the sweetness giving the wine a balanced mouthfeel. So, even when the wine is sweet it doesn’t feel like your drinking maple syrup, it is still bright and sharp on the palette.

German Rieslings

Germany got so into their Rieslings that they established their own classification system for it! Okay this can be a bit complicated and I could probably talk for days about it but let’s keep it short and sweet. I am referring to their original and still widely used classifications system. This little bit of info will help you a lot next time you’re at the wine shop! First there are two main types, Qualitatswein and Pradikatswein. Pradikatswein is considered the higher quality of the two with 100% of the grapes being from a single region and the sugar that is in the wine must come from the ripeness of the grape itself. In a nutshell, the Pradikatswein classification system is based on ripeness from when the grapes were picked. More ripe equals more sugar in the grapes.  For Rieslings, predominantly in the Mosel, they are ranked as follows:

• Kabinett – a light and delicate style. Here the grapes are fermented with the lowest amount of sugar, These wines will be dry in style or slightly off dry. Very Fresh, just ripe enough, plenty of acidity
• Spatlese – the next level of ripeness. Sweeter and richer than Kabinett, expect dry to semi dry to semi sweet. Meaning “late picked” the grapes will have fuller flavor, more concentration, but does not necessarily sweeter. The higher sugar levels may have been converted to alcohol.
• Auslese – meaning “selected”. Some bunches of grapes will have been effected with the fungus Botrytis, resulting in wines that are intense in aroma and taste. Usually sweet style and occasionally will be dry.
• Beerenauslese – “selected berries” are very overripe berries with extensive botrytis. Wines made from grapes are very rich and luscious.
• Trockenbeerenaulese- getting even sweeter now. These grapes should show heavy botrytis and also be raisened producing an extremely ripe and sweet berry. It gets extremely tricky and expensive to make these wines as they need to be left on the vine till November or December. That seems incredible to me!
• Eiswine or Icewine. Here grapes need to be left on the vine for extreme ripeness to set in (until November-December time frame) and then the grapes must be exposed to temperatures of 17.5 F or lower for at least 6 hours, then they are picked. Literally picking frozen grapes! But it gets even trickier. At least in Germany for it to be a true Eiswine the berries can show no signs of botrytis or rot, I have no idea how that is even possible but they seem to get the job done. These bottles along with Trockenbeeraulese are rare and kind of pricey. If someone pours one of these for you it is your lucky day!

Where does Riesling grow?

Germany 

Alsace, France

Austria

Canada and United States

Australia and New Zealand

While Riesling grows in many parts of the world I wanted to talk about a region I am very excited about. New York! Near the Finger Lakes to be precise. The vines are planted on the stony banks of the Cayuga, Keuka, and Seneca lakes. Young winemakers are coming in and making a big impact. Inspired to make a wine that is not the norm, Rieslings have been making a name for themselves among the great wines of the world. Wines from the region are clean, intense, and interesting. Most are made in a drier style but some are definitely still made sweet. This area is new and exciting, I am always on the lookout for more bottles from this region.

What are Rieslings aromas and flavors?

Depending on where the grapes were grown has a direct impact on the flavor profile of the wine. Since it varies so much it is hard to generalize it to a single set of flavor components but most commonly you will taste and smell flavors of lemon, lime, or grapefruit, peach, pear, and most likely someone limestone or other minerals. One very distinct aroma that is quite perceptible for certain regions of the world is gasoline or petrol. Sounds crazy but it’s true!

What makes Riesling unique?

The quintessential trademark of a high quality Riesling is dramatically high acid levels. The part of the wine that makes your mouth water and feel refreshing. While you might not think white wines were made to age, the surprising fact about Rieslings is the high acid content actually allows for extended aging. When the wine is also sweet it can be common to drink a riesling 10, 20, or 30 years past its vintage date.

Speaking of aged Rieslings I was lucky enough to try this beauty here …

Good friends of mine have been holding on to this one because I recommended it. Now it was finally a good time to try it out. A 35 year old Riesling! From the Nahe region in Germany and an Auslese to be precise, you know what this means now ;). Okay so this wine wasn’t exactly aged perfectly for its 35 years but it was still pretty good. Pretty good meaning drinkable, full of flavors of dried apricot, honey, and candied hazelnuts. Flavors of fresh lemon peel were still dominant giving the wine a great bite of acidity, just had a hint of dirty leaf aftertaste haha. We still enjoyed it and made for a fun afternoon!

Best Food Pairings for Riesling

• Thai Spicy Red Curry
• 5 Chinese Spice Pork
• Peanut Satay
• Spicy Tuna Roll
• Drunken Noodles
• Spicy BBQ Chicken or Pork Ribs
• Havarti or Chevre Cheese

Those would be some yummy dinners or appetizers to try with the dry to semi dry Rieslings. But what about the sweeter ones? Make sure and save room for dessert!

Best Desserts for Rieslings

• Crème Brule
• Fruit or Custard Tart
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Pear Clafoutis recipe here

Best Rieslings to Try Right Now

Can’t wait to try a riesling now? But where to begin? Best place to start is with the classic Mosel, Germany

Mosel,  the biggest producing region of Rieslings in Germany. Here is one from a great and well known producer. I’ve tried the Kabitnett, its delicious!

Want to compare a Kabinett to Spatlese, here it is!

Finger Lakes

While most of the producers are still small it might be a challenge to find a good bottle on the west coast.  Here are some that are readily available and easier to find. These wines are nicely balanced, just a tad sweet, and mineral driven.

Alsace

Honorable mention here! I am always very happy with the wines I taste from this region and Rieslings are no exception. Riesling is the most widely planted grape in the region and is considered to be some of the highest quality vineyards as well. We should see lovely balanced Rieslings from this region, high acid and lots of fruit character. A classic of the region, it is must try, especially if you prefer the dryer styles.

Didn’t like something? Let me know! I will find a wine you love!

Happy Tasting!