Riesling 101
Riesling is one of those grapes that is in a world all its own. Primarily grown and produced in Germany, France and the US. Riesling seems to be every sommelier’s favorite grape at some point in time. Here are a few explanations for Riesling’s super star status:
Riesling has the potential to be the perfect trifecta of wine lovers paradise: Tropical fruit ripeness, Mouth puckering Acidity, and perfectly sweet or dry- whatever your preference, Riesling can be it. The Riesling grape grows in small, light green bunches and in the right climate, can achieve a very high brix (residual sugar) level while still maintaining a high acidity that balances the sweetness perfectly. The uniqueness of this varietal is responsible for giving many winlovers their ‘aha!’ moment. Personally, I can remember my very first sip of Auslese Riesling. I remember seeing the puzzle light up in front of me, like unlocking a hidden level on grand theft auto San Andreas , as if this was the missing piece and all of a sudden, I realised what made wine so good. In general Riesling exhibits flavors of juicy sweet stone fruit, white flowers, meyer lemon, tropical fruit (and some say gasoline or pool toy) . It’s fruity, ripe, tart and satisfying. .
Riesling is well-known in Germany’s Mosel region where the wine laws are structured, strictly adhered to. The German Riesling is generally accessible in the United States follows the German wine law called “The Pradikat System” . The Pradikat is based on a pyramid of Pradikat levels that designate the “must weight” at harvest, sweetness and time spent on the vine among other things. In order for a Rieslings to qualify for the Pradikat, that are designated they must be made without added sugar, acid, or sulfites.
Riesling is different! While some people fear what they do not know, wine lovers thirst to dive into the world of unique, different, unusual and rare and always pleasurable experiences. Riesling is one of those wines that can surprise, entice and delight a wine-lover by providing variation within a world of general sameness among wines and wine lists. We wine people grow tired of the boring “big bold” Cabs, “same-old” Pinots, “sing song” Chardonnays ( California’s primary grape varietals) and often thirst for something hard to come by or exciting. Now, don’t get me wrong, this would not be a valid perspective for a wine-lover living in Germany or Alsace, France. But, here in the States, Riesling has yet to be truly mastered. This is because the grape’s optimal climate, where the truest expression of the varietal can really shine, is located in the rocky schist soils of the riverbanks in Mosel Germany and regions where the latitude rests neatly around 50°N in Longitude.
