Getting to know
Riesling wine
What to know about the Riesling Grape
What is Residual Sugar?
Unfermented sugars in a finished wine, measured by grams of sugar per liter. The cause is related to the yeast as some sugar cannot be consumed by yeast.
Where to find the Riesling Grape
Styles vary by climate. Rieslings from the United States, Australia, and New Zealand with warmer growing conditions result in a slightly sweeter and less acidic wine. In contrast, Riesling wines produced in cooler European regions have a drier flavor profile. Well known Riesling growing regions include Mosel, Rheingau, Rheinhessen, and Pfalz in Germany, Alsace, Eden Valley in Australia, Finger Lakes, Columbia Valley (Washington State). Top producing countries are Germany, Australia, France, and the USA.
riesling types & STyles
Riesling wine styles are dominated by a spectrum of sweet to dry, the result of many factors, including climate. Cooler climates, such as Germany and the Finger Lakes in New York, give higher levels of acidity than warmer climates such as California.
German and Californian Rieslings tend to be sweeter, while French and New York varieties tend to be drier.
Germany Riesling Sweetness Levels
- Trocken = Dry
- Halbtrocken = Half-dry
- Feinherb = Off-dry
- Lieblich Spätlese / Auslese = Semi-sweet
- Beerenauslese = Sweet
how to enjoy riesling wine
Riesling Wine Pairing:
Riesling is a powerful gastronomic wine with its high levels of acidity and low alcohol. Dry Rieslings are well suited to shellfish and classic preparations of fish, pork and poultry, as well as cream sauces.
Medium-dry Rieslings are terrific with spicy Asian fusion cuisine, smoked fish, and salty cheeses.
Medium-sweet Rieslings pair beautifully with rich, spicy Indian dishes or dishes or curries. Sweet Rieslings pair well with spicy Indian and Thai food.
See more food and wine pairing ideas in Carpe Travel’s Food & Wine Pairing Section.
Practical Tips for Drinking Riesling Wine:
Glassware: In Alsace, Riesling is pretty consistently served in glasses with a small bowl (both in height and width). However, it is so aromatic that many swear by large-bowled Burgundy glasses to really open up the nose.
Aging: Riesling wine ageablity is a rabbit hole in and of itself. But remember that wines with the high levels of acidity have great aging potential. Like with any age worthy varietal, factors like vintage characteristics, winemaking style, age of vines, etc. weigh into the potential longevity.
Bottle Prices: An average bottle of Riesling costs between $10 – $22.
When is the Right Mood for riesling Wine?
RIESLING WINE RECOMMENDATIONS
Looking for recommendations on Riesling wines? Here are a few we suggest you sip.
Maia Parish
Carpe Travel collaborated with Maia Parish to compile the grape varietal overviews. Maia Parish is an award-winning events producer, sommelier, wine judge, and media consultant. She lives in Denver, Colorado and likes to eat copious amounts of food. You can find her here www.linktr.ee/thewinemistress.
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Valerie Quintanilla is an American expat in Alba, Italy. Val was an original Carpe Travel contributor before packing up her American life to chase her Italian dreams.
Today she runs a custom travel / wine tour planning business while moonlighting as a marketing consultant for wine and travel business in Europe. She has been featured in Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine Magazine, Open Skies (Emirate Airlines inflight magazine), and more.