Not all rieslings are created equal.
When most hear this varietal’s name, they instantly discredit the wine as an inferior, overly-sweet product. This is not always the case.
Perhaps one of the greatest, most versatile and most misunderstood grape varieties, riesling is capable of producing a range of wines that can accommodate all palates.
Truly unique, the hearty, cold-weather riesling can range from bone dry to intensely sweet. Winemakers can choose how sweet (or not) the final product will be by fermenting all the sugars in the must, or stopping fermentation in time to leave behind residual sugar.
Because of its range, riesling pairs well with an array of foods, including aromatic cheeses, fruits, nuts, sushi, spicy Thai cuisine and dessert tarts.
Riesling benefits from very high acidity, which balances out the sweet versions and adds structure and ageability. Aromatics include peaches, apricots, red and green apples, rose, clove, cinnamon and diesel. It may sound odd, but diesel notes are highly sought after and revered.
With age, riesling’s bouquet is also accompanied by notes of honey, which can produce an ethereal experience only found in aged white wines. Depending on origin and classification, one can find wines ranging from light body to full body in all price ranges.
The best sweet rieslings are from Germany, particularly from Mosel and the Rheingau, where winemakers are known for their meticulous approach to viticulture, vinification and labeling.
While the wines of Mosel are known for their racy acidity and mineral backbone, the wines from Rheingau are known for their lush, peach notes and elegance. Although very different, they are equally beautiful and worth sampling.
Sweet rieslings pair amazingly well with spicy Thai food or sushi with wasabi. Their richness, ripeness and sweetness match wonderfully with the exotic flavors of Asian fare. When enjoyed with spicy cuisine, the sweetness of the wine puts out the flames and readies your palate for another bite.
Perhaps the greatest German wines, ice wines require grapes to be frozen prior to harvest. Ice wines are very expensive because the grapes produce limited juice and must be harvested on the perfect morning, which requires pickers to be ready at a moment’s notice.
These dessert wines are rich and full-bodied with crisp acidity – amazing on their own but also fantastic with fruit tarts.
Most people assume that all rieslings are sweet, so the idea of a dry riesling is a bit of an anomaly – initially confusing, but then delightful and intriguing. Arguably, the greatest dry rieslings come from Alsace, France, and have excellent aging potential. Other excellent dry rieslings can be found in Austria, Germany, Australia, Washington, Colorado and the Finger Lakes of New York.
While this column has been a quick overview of the great riesling grape, in time we will delve into the classifications and differences of all things German.
Alan Cuenca is an accredited oenophile and owner of Put a Cork in It, a Durango wine store. Reach him at info@putacorkinit.org.
