Valentine’s Day just past and it got me thinking about one of my favorite wines, Riesling. This versatile wine is a favorite of novices and experts alike for its ability to pair with several types of cuisine and its range of styles, from dry to sweet. This crisp aromatic wine originally from Germany is also one of most collectible vintages among wine connoisseurs. Interestingly, aged Rieslings can have aromas of gasoline, kerosene, or burnt rubber. While that seems very off putting, the scent of petrol indicates a higher quality wine. But don’t worry the, the aroma is subtle and you won’t taste any hints of petrol. The flavor of Riesling wine ranges from fruits like nectarine, apricot, apple, pear, to jasmine, and honeycomb.
Riesling is the most famous German grape and likely the oldest. In 1435 there is a record of Riesling vines sold to a German count. In 1787 the Archbishop of Trier decreed all bad vines be replaced with Riesling and in the 1850’s the wine commanded higher prices than French Bordeaux and Champagne! Wines from the slopes of the Mosel region are regarded as the best. However, the rising cost of labor has led some vineyards to reduce staff and production. Meaning it can be more difficult to find quality Mosel Rieslings at your favorite wine shop.
While most Riesling comes from Germany, you can find varietals from Alsace France, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. California, Washington and the Finger Lakes region of New York produce excellent Riesling wines. American wines tend to be sweeter but since Riesling is a very aromatic wine, the strong aromas can give the impression of sweetness even if the wine is actually dry. Grown in cooler climates, Rieslings are lower in alcohol and can even be six percent., while even to fourteen percent is the average global alcohol content of wine.
So how do you choose which is best for you? If you are pairing with spicy food, try a sweeter wine, but remember the strong aromas will make it seem the wine is sweeter than it is. When purchasing a German Riesling you will notice the sweetness levels rated from Trocken (dry) to Süss (sweet). You might also see labels such as Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese. These describe when the grapes were harvested. Kabinett is made from normal ripe grapes and each subsequent designation is for a later harvested and therefore sweeter grape. Eiswien (Icewine) is also usually made from Riesling grapes and is harvested after the first freeze. These wines are sweet and due to the difficulty and smaller production, come in a half bottle.
So next time you have Thai or Indian try paring it with a Riesling. Or when you just need a nice crisp wine, open a bottle. Its good all year round! Cheers or Prost as they say in Germany!
