Riesling
Riesling Wine
What kind of wine is Riesling?
Riesling is a light-bodied white wine characterized by its high acidity, low alcohol content, and intense aromatics. Depending on the ripeness of the grapes and winemaking style, the color of Riesling wine can range from pale straw to deep golden yellow.
Riesling grapes have naturally high levels of tartaric and malic acid, which give the wines their signature crisp and refreshing taste. The sweetness in Riesling comes from residual sugar left over after fermentation is stopped. Riesling wines can be fermented to be totally dry with no residual sugar or with varying amounts of residual sweetness.
What does Riesling wine taste like?
One of Riesling's most prized characteristics is its aromatic nature. Classic fruit aromas found in Riesling include green apple, lime, lemon, apricot, nectarine, and peach. With age, Riesling wines can develop petrol, honey, and lanolin aromas.
Riesling wines often have a pronounced minerality, with wet stone, flint, or slate flavors. The acidity is always high, giving a mouthwatering and refreshing quality.
The overall taste profile of a Riesling depends mainly on its level of sweetness:
- Dry Rieslings have tart and citrusy flavors with a bone-dry, crisp finish.
- Off-dry Rieslings balance sweetness and acidity with ripe fruit flavors and some residual sugar.
- Sweet Rieslings have ripe, candied fruit flavors and high levels of residual sugar.
Where is Riesling wine made?
While Riesling originated in Germany, it is now grown worldwide, notably in Alsace, Austria, Australia, and the United States. However, Germany still produces some of the most renowned Riesling wines.
The top Riesling-producing regions and their wines include:
- Mosel, Germany: Known for its steep slate slopes and mineral-driven Rieslings.
- Rheingau, Germany: A warmer region producing fuller-bodied Rieslings.
- Alsace, France: Wines are usually dry with smoky minerality.
- Clare and Eden Valleys, Australia: These cool-climate regions produce dry, limey Rieslings.
- Finger Lakes, New York, USA: This region is known for its ice wines, but it also produces high-quality dry Rieslings.
Is Riesling sweet?
Riesling can be made in various sweetness levels, from bone dry to lusciously sweet. However, even the sweeter styles of Riesling have enough acidity to balance the sugar, keeping the wines refreshing rather than cloying.
Serving suggestions
Riesling is a versatile wine and can be served in various situations. Here are some general serving suggestions:
- Serving temperature: Aim for around 45-50 °F (7-10 °C) for dry styles and 43-45 °F (6-7 °C) for sweeter styles.
- Glassware: A tall, slender white wine glass is ideal for concentrating the aromatics.
- Decanting: Not necessary for young wines, but older Rieslings may benefit from 30 minutes in a decanter.
Food pairings
One of Riesling's superpowers is its ability to pair with various foods, from delicate, raw fish to spicy curries. The high acidity, aromatic nature, and varying sweetness levels make it an excellent match for many difficult-to-pair foods.
Classic Riesling pairings include:
- Spicy Asian cuisine: the sweetness in off-dry Rieslings balances spicy heat perfectly.
- Salty foods: dry Rieslings are great with salty dishes like cured meats, oysters, or fried foods.
- Light seafood: delicate fish and shellfish are wonderful with a light Kabinett Riesling.
- Pungent cheeses: a sweet Auslese or Beerenauslese is delicious with strong, pungent cheeses.
- Fruit-based desserts: pair late-harvest Rieslings with fruit tarts, cobblers, and pies.
Riesling alternatives
If you enjoy Riesling but want to branch out and try something new, here are a few other aromatic white varieties to explore:
- Gewürztraminer: highly aromatic with lychee, rose, and spice notes. It can be dry or sweet.
- Chenin Blanc: a high-acid variety that can be dry to sweet, with apple and honey notes.
- Pinot Gris: lightly aromatic with ripe stone fruit flavors. More full-bodied than Riesling.
- Torrontés: aromatic Argentine variety with floral and citrus notes, typically made in a dry style.
- Grüner Veltliner: Austria's signature white grape with savory white pepper and lentil flavors.