Riesling
is a grape, one of the great wine grapes, a member of the family
VITIS VINIFERA, along with Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon
Blanc, Merlot, and others. In the wine regions along the Rhine
River and its tributaries, Riesling yields some of the world’s
finest and most age-worthy wines. For much of the last two hundred
years the top Riesling wines obtained the highest prices on the
world market. The great estate wines of the Rheingau, Mosel, Saar,
Ruwer, and other great German regions have been among the most
collectable (and until recently, the most collected) of the world’s
"boutique" wines. Now, with the largest world market
for premium wines in history, Riesling is out of favor but poised
for a comeback.
American
consumers are most familiar with sweet Riesling wines. However,
Riesling can produce bone dry, exceptionally crisp wines. The
prototypes for totally dry Riesling are the big, steely, long-finished
wines of Alsace. Most any Riesling wine from this French region
just West of the Rhine is "more dry" on the palate than
any California Chardonnay. These wines can have all the nuance
of great white Burgundy with a dose of crisp acid to boot. Great
Alsace Riesling is a match for French Chablis with steel and slate
flavors in place of chalk and mineral. Great Alsace Riesling is
a match for shellfish appetizers, cured meats, and heavy cuisines
of all types. Another source of dry Riesling is Australia. In
the land down under, the Riesling wines tend to have a bit more
alcohol and a bit less crisp acid. Great dry Aussie Riesling is
the continent’s best white dinner wine, with complexity and richness
to match most menus that feature fish or fowl.
In
the United States Riesling can take many forms. In most California
regions Riesling yields lively, off-dry wines, often with a bit
less sugar than the ubiquitous white Zinfandels but with rich
texture and the fresh fruit aromas of peach or apricot. Many wineries
designate nearly dry Riesling as "Early Harvest". These
wines can have good crisp acid and a light, fresh-fruit charm
in contrast to the heavier more complex style of most Chardonnays.
These wines are adaptable to casual meals and are pleasant beverages
all by themselves. Early Harvest Riesling is the obvious choice
for the wine drinker who wants quality wine with just a bit of
residual sugar. Heavier California Riesling will commonly be labeled
"Late Harvest". Just about any level of sweetness is
possible, all the way up to syrupy sweet wines revealing high
concentrations of all the essential components of the fruit (sugar
included). These wines are best for savoring in tiny sips as the
final touch to a grand dinner.
Germany
is still king when it comes to elegance and complexity in Riesling
wines. Each important district has remarkably consistent style
and character. Through the range of sweetness levels from bone
dry to incredibly sweet, the wines of each region elaborate the
soil and climate of their home vineyards. Mosel-Saar-Ruwer wines
are lean and lemony with a slate-like finish. Rheingau Rieslings
are rich and full flavored with mineral and honey flavors that
develop with age. In the Rheinpfalz, the grape seems to take on
more body and a zesty spice in the finish. And so it goes from
region to region. In all German Regions the driest versions (regardless
of quality) are labeled "trocken". Somewhat less dry
versions are called "halbtrocken" (half-dry). The standard
quality designations are "Q.B.A." for highly regulated
place-named wines and "Q.B.A. mit pradikat" for the
very top tier wines. In this latter category levels of ripeness
ascend though Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, and
Trockenbeerenauslese. These designations indicate increasingly
high sugar levels in the fruit at harvest, not necessarily a sweeter
finished product. A given producer might ferment away more or
less sugar in the wine making. Hence "Auslese Trocken"
would be dry wine of relatively high alcohol made from very ripe
fruit. There are German Rieslings for just about any cuisine and
any course from appetizer to dessert. Sparkling German Riesling,
crisp and light, is a perfect aperitif.
German
or not, Riesling offers wines of interest for most any wine enthusiast.
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Originally
published in "The Greenville Journal", October 13-19, 2000 in
"From The Vine" column, author, Richard deBondt.