Riesling

The History of the Riesling Grape Variety

Riesling is not only one of the most popular white wine grapes, but also one of the most ancient. People have grown the aromatic varietal as early as the 15th century, and it has always enjoyed a noble status.

There was a time when Riesling grew wild, the offspring of lesser-known Gouais Blanc and a Traminer crossing. It is easy to see why grape growers began cultivating the grape — it withstands the cold and ripens despite adverse climatic conditions. Although Riesling is probably a native German variety, it has deep roots in neighbouring Western European regions, including Alsace and Austria.

Riesling might have been known once as Ritzing and Rissing, but its current name has gained international recognition. Today, Riesling grows widely in the old and new world, especially in northern latitudes where few other varieties thrive.

We can also attribute Riesling to the world’s first late harvest, noble rot and ice wines. Unsurprisingly, some of the rarest and most expensive sweet wines are made with the golden grape.

Wine Regions

Riesling is the queen of cold-climate wine grapes. It is the most planted white grape in Germany and Austria’s most prestigious white variety. However, only some countries can produce wine with this noble varietal, as the weather and climatic conditions must suit the golden-skinned grape’s growth — Riesling enjoys plenty of sunlight, cold air and varied soils, ranging from slate to volcanic rock.

Alsace, a prestigious source of fine white wine in France, is also one of the best sources of Riesling worldwide, along with Germany. Here, Riesling is considered a noble variety and perhaps the noblest. The best plots overlooking the Rhine are planted with Riesling, similar to what happens on the other side of the river in Germany. Germany has championed Riesling as their flagship grape for centuries. And although German Riesling is traditionally sweet, dry examples prevail today.

Grape growers also produce Riesling successfully in the New World, mainly in New York, Washington, Canada, coastal Chile, Australia and New Zealand. However, Riesling can produce both affordable, uncomplicated wines and age-worthy examples, but the finest still come from the old world.

Wine Styles & Tasting Notes

Winemakers use Riesling to produce wine in widely different styles. The late-ripening grape accumulates large amounts of sugar, mainly when late harvested. Riesling is also susceptible to noble rot in the right climatic conditions. A third style, ice wine, requires grape growers to pick the grapes when frozen solid. This has made Riesling an ideal grape to make sweet and semi-sweet wines.

Dessert wines made with Riesling can be incredibly rare and expensive, and they’re amongst the most age-worthy wines on the planet. Candied fruit, honeycomb and flowers are typical descriptors of these sweet specialities.

Riesling also produces elegant dry wine. The finest examples come from Grand Cru vineyards in Alsace and Germany’s Mosel and Rheingau regions. These wines feature enticing acidity and low alcohol, together with complex aromatics redolent of white flowers, peaches, citrus peels and petrol.

Riesling can also be used to craft aromatic sparkling wine. It adds elegance and floral aromas to German and Austrian Sekt, some Crémant d’Alsace, and many New World sparklers.

Food Pairings

Despite its versatility, Riesling is a delicate wine, so food and wine pairings with Riesling must be carefully considered. When dry, Riesling can replace any light-bodied, low-alcohol white wine, so it pairs well with fish and shellfish, light vegetarian dishes, and fresh cheese.

If Riesling is sweet, it can balance spiciness in the food, so it is common to pair sweet and semi-sweet wines with spicy cuisines like Mexican, Thai, or Chinese. Of course, sweet Riesling also pairs well with pungent cheese and desserts, provided the wine is sweeter than the dish.

Riesling from prestigious sites, such as Grand Cru vineyards, is more concentrated and, therefore, ideal for pairing with white meat and veal. These wines can also age, sometimes for decades, and well-aged Riesling is best enjoyed on its own as a meditation wine. Riesling has no equal; it is delicate but, at the same time, larger than life.