Riesling
Originally from Germany
The most misunderstood of the great grapes: most Riesling is bone dry, but the grape's reputation for sweetness persists. At its finest it is a wine of extraordinary mineral purity that ages for decades, developing classic petrol notes. The range is the whole point.
Taste profile
Famous regions
Food pairings
Deep dive
Riesling is native to Germany's Rhine valley and is widely considered one of the world's greatest white grapes. It has very high natural acidity, which preserves it beautifully for decades.
Styles (from dry to sweet):
- Trocken (German: dry): steely, mineral, citrus.
- Spätlese / Auslese: off-dry to medium-sweet; concentrated but balanced by piercing acidity.
- Beerenauslese (BA) / Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA): ultra-sweet, made from botrytis/overripe berries.
- Eiswein: made from frozen grapes.
Aromas: Lime, green apple, apricot, peach; with age: petrol/kerosene (a compound called TDN), lanolin, honey.
Key regions: Germany (Mosel, Rheingau), Alsace France (often dry and powerful), Clare/Eden Valley Australia (lime-juicy, dry), New Zealand.
Similar grapes
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