The Best Riesling wines come from Germany. (Period)
When it comes to white wines, few can argue the sheer elegance, complexity and versatility of German Riesling. Whether you are a wine enthusiast or seasoned sommelier, German Riesling often stands above the rest. Let's go over the many reasons why German Riesling has earned its reputation as the best of all white wines.
Location, Location, Location...
Riesling is a cold hardy white grape variety. At the heart of what makes German Riesling exceptional is the country's diverse terroir. The vineyards are scattered across a range of climates, soil types and landscapes. From the steep slopes to sun kissed vineyards protected by the beautiful Rhine River, each region boasts its unique character to the Riesling grapes. This provides the wines with a range of delicious aromas and flavors.
The Perfect Balance of Sweetness and Acidity
Since most people assume all German wine is sweet, let's debunk that theory right now. German Rieslings are renowned for their ability to strike a harmonious balance between sweetness and acidity. There are six categories for German wines. Due to Germany's cool climate, grapes growers can often struggle to achieve their desired grape ripeness. Germany's labeling terms reflect the degree of ripeness in the grapes at time of harvest, measured in the terms of sugar levels.
Kabinett Riesling: These are typically light in body with delicate green fruit (like green apple) and citrus fruit flavors (such as lime, lemon) and floral aromas.
Spatlese (Late Harvest)Riesling: These will have more concentrated flavors and fuller body than a Kabinett from the same region, with riper citrus fruit and some stone fruit flavors (like peaches).
Auslese (Selected Harvest) Riesling: These wines are made from carefully selected extra ripe bunches. Rieslings have flavors of stone fruits, tropical fruits and dried fruits. Although Auslese wines can be made in a dry style, most have some sweetness.
Eiswein (Ice Wine)Riesling: These wines are made from grapes that have frozen on the vine. They have a vibrant fresh stone fruit aroma and tropical fruit flavor. These wines are labor intensive and because this condition does not happen every year the yields are small and they are rated as outstanding quality with a higher price.
Beerenauslese (Selected berry harvest) Riesling: These wines are made from selected bunches or berries that have been concentrated by botrytis or noble rot (we can cover that another time!). They have characteristics of fresh stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit and honey.
Trockenbeerenauslese (selected dried berry harvest) Riesling: These wines are made from individually selected berries that have been "dried" through the effect of botrytis. These are rare and concentrated wines with flavors that are similar to but more intense than a beerenauslese.
**Note a couple other terms for all you "German wines are all sweet" people... This will help you pick a not sweet wine! Trocken = Dry and Halbtrocken=Half Dry or Off Dry. These are my favorites.
Food Friendly Rieslings...
German Riesling's vibrant acidity and diverse sweetness levels make it one of the most food friendly wines in the WORLD!! It pairs seamlessly with a wide range of cuisines, from spicy to delicate. Seafood, chicken, pork, small plates (or large) you get the gist. I'd bet that if you have not had an awesome Riesling, it's because you just had a bad one! Let us help you! www.luckygrapevine.com/techsheets (Shameless plug)
Keep them on hand and really for many years!
The finest Riesling wines can age for years or even decades in the bottle. High natural acidity preserves the freshness of the wine while it develops complex tertiary flavors. I for one can't seem to keep on hand long enough but sounds so good in theory.
IYKYK... I love that one. So now you know Riesling
In the world of white wines, you now know that German Riesling reigns supreme for a multitude of reasons. It is a journey that promises to captivate your palate and leave you in awe of this liquid gold from the heart of Europe! I challenge you all to broaden your Riesling horizons and we are happy to assist! Cheers!
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