Grape Varietals / Wine Basics

Wine Baby’s Guide to: Riesling

Riesling may not be as popular with consumers as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, but wine nerds just love it.

It’s a very unique grape, that thrives in cooler climates and can be used to make a huge range of wines.

A common misconception is that all Riesling’s are sweet, but this is far from the case. The trick is knowing what to look for on the bottle. We will cover this later, under the Shopping for Riesling section.

In reality, Rieslings can range from bone dry to sticky sweet, super light and lean, to fuller bodied.

With it’s markedly high acidity and powerful fruit flavours, it’s also a great candidate for aging. Some people think you should only age reds, but Riesling is a prime example of a white that can sit in a cellar for decades.

TASTING RIESLING

Depending on where your Riesling was grown, and what style it was made in, there’s going to be a fairly wide range of what you’ll get in the glass.

The key difference though is going to be on the palate though, as most of the distinct aroma and flavour characteristics are going to stay fairly similar.

Colour

Both the intensity and colour are going to be completely dependent on the style. An extremely light and crisp Riesling from Mosel, Germany will be much lighter in colour, even nearly transparent, whereas an icewine made with Riesling can be an incredibly rich amber colour, and appear syrupy in the glass.

Nose

There are a few key notes to look for in a Riesling that set it apart from other whites.

The first is petrol, or gasoline. I find this to the be the most distinct of the aromas associated with Riesling because it’s not commonly found in many other grapes. This may be an unpleasant smell to some, but I promise it doesn’t taste like you’re drinking from a gas station.

That petrol smell is usually balanced out by the smell of incredibly fresh and bright fruits. Due to the high acid content, citrus and green fruit notes are the most common. Think super zesty lemon and lime, and crisp green apple.

Stone fruit characteristics are also very common, with notes of peaches and apricots.

If grapes are harvested later, or the climate is a bit warmer, we will even tip toe our way into tropical fruits like green papaya, melon, pineapple and mango.

And if we are lucky enough to have a bottle with a bit of age on it, all of those fruit notes are going to move in the direction of dried fruit, add a touch of honey, and increase that petrol.

Additionally, very delicate and pretty floral aromas are present in lighter Rieslings. Think fresh spring blossoms or jasmine.

And there is mineral quality as well. Think gravel, slate, or smoke.

As you can see, there’s a wide range of sensory goodies to look out for when you are tasting a Riesling. That’s why wine snobs love it so much! Complexity is a good indicator of quality.

Palate

High acidity is the most notable of the characteristics on the palate. Unlike other grapes, Riesling’s acidity doesn’t drop off as it grows. It stays high the whole time.

The other two consistent factors is that it is generally lower in alcohol, and always low in tannin.

But as for sweetness and body, we’ve got a smorgasbord of possibilities.

We can range from bone dry to fully sweet, and light as a feather, to full and heavy. It’s a good idea to try a few different styles and see which you prefer, and then look for wines that are made in a similar style so you aren’t caught off guard.

PAIRING RIESLING

Because of the huge range we are dealing with, I can’t conclusively say what pairs well with Riesling – it depends what style!

But if you’re looking for something to pair with spicier fare like Indian food, wines with a bit of sweetness are a great match, and Riesling would be a great option.

SHOPPING FOR RIESLING

Did you know there’s actually an International Riesling Foundation (IRF)? And that they have a scale that can be found on some bottles to help you figure out if the wine is sweet or not?

I didn’t until I did my research for this article, so we are both learning something new! I happened to have a bottle of Mosel Riesling on my shelf so I just checked it, but it’s not on that particular bottle. Definitely something to keep an eye out for though if you are totally lost in the wine aisle!

Important to note though is this distinction: the IRF rates wines based on how sweet they appear on the palate. Not on the actual residual sugar levels left in the wine. A Riesling could be fermented totally dry, but because of the powerful fruit flavours, our taste buds get tricked into thinking they are sweet when they are not “sweet” by the wine industry definition.

If you’re buying a German Riesling (which I recommend as a great starting point, since it is Germany’s specialty grape), you’ve got another list of labelling terms to look out for. I’ve simplified them here for you:

• Kabinett = lightest and most delicate style; notes of citrus and green fruit
• Spatlese = grapes harvested later; medium bodied; notes of citrus and stone fruit
• Auslese = fuller; from extra-ripe grapes; notes of stone fruit, tropical fruit and dried fruit; most have some sweetness
• Eiswein = icewine; these grapes were frozen on the vine; notes of stone fruit and tropical fruit; sweet
• Beerenauslese (BA) = botrytis (noble rot) affected grape bunches; notes of stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit, honey; sweet
• Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) = similar to BA but with individually selected berries affected by botrytis; similar notes to BA but more intense; sweet

Side note: Did you just read “noble rot” and think “Gross! The grapes are mouldy??” Well I promise you that this is entirely intentional and that the result is highly concentrated and powerfully delicious flavours. They don’t taste funky in the slightest.

While we are still on the topic of Germany, wine regions to check out include Mosel (a very Northerly region with super high acidity, usually has a bit of sweetness to balance it out), Rheingau, Rheinhessen, and Pfalz (closest to Alsace, France).

Alsace, France, is also renowned for it’s Riesling. It’s climate is basically an extension of Pfalz, and the region itself is rich in history from the wars in that territory.

Sweet versions from Alsace will be labelled “Vendanges Tardives” (VT) meaning “late harvest”. Premier and Grand Cru titles signal quality growing sites.

Australia is also making a name for itself in the Riesling world, which may come as a surprise because of it’s warmer climate. However, the high altitude regions of Clare and Eden Valley are notable for their cooler climates. Rieslings from here have distinct petrol aromas, minerality, citrus and tropical fruit, blossoms, and are fermented dry.

And of course, I have to mention Canada’s Niagara region. It’s known for it’s ice wine in particular. I went on a recent trip and really regret not tasting more of their Riesling ice wines, so definitely check them out if you make the trip.

Need some recommendations? Check these out:

• Wine Review: 2019 Dr. Loosen Riesling

Are you a sweet Riesling, or dry Riesling fan? Let me know in the comments!