Cards of Wine

Dry Riesling (Germany)
Riesling Trocken

Riesling is the most planted wine grape in Germany.

Typical Flavors


Lemon
Lemon
Lime
Lime
Apple
Apple
Pear
Pear

Peach
Peach
Nectarine
Nectarine
Gooseberry
Gooseberry
Flowers
Flowers

Herbs
Herbs
Steel
Steel
Mineral
Minerals
Petroleum
Petroleum

Citrus, Apple, and white Fruit flavors are typical for Riesling.

Hints of Flowers, Herbs, and Steely Minerals.

Profile

Dry Riesling is fresh and fruity, almost perfumed.

The high acidity balances the sweetness (residual sugar).

SUGARDry
BODYLight
FRUITMedium
ACIDITYHigh
Serving temperature:
8-10°C (46-50°F)

Food Pairing


Fish
Fish
Crab
Seafood
Shrimps
Shrimps
Sushi
Sushi

Salmon
Salmon
Chicken
Chicken
Turkey
Turkey
Pork
Pork

Salads
Salads
Vegetables
Vegetables
Asparagus
Asparagus
Soft Cheese
Soft Cheese

Riesling is very food friendly. It pairs best with Seafood, Chicken, and Vegetables.

Pairing Suggestions

Excellent pairings:
Seafood. Shellfish. Shrimps. Clams.
Fried Fish. Lemon based Sauces.
Sashimi. Sushi. Nori Rolls. Gravlax.
Roasted Chicken. Chicken Wings.
Lightly Smoked Meat. Pork. Ham. Turkey.

Cheese:
Cream. Brie. Camembert. Emmental. Muenster.

The Ideal Glass

A Tulip Shaped glass is the best choice for a dry white wine.

It guides the wine to the center of your mouth, avoiding the sides, where acidity is less pleasant.

A smaller bowl also helps to serve smaller quantities, and keep the wine cold.

Remember to hold the glass by the stem!

About Riesling

Riesling thrives best in cool climates, where it can ripe into the late fall. In hot climates, Riesling generally loses its fine, delicate flavors.

Riesling is in many ways opposite to Chardonnay. Good Riesling is fresh and sour with medium fullness, moderate alcohol, delicate aromas, and no oak.

To appreciate Riesling, a certain tolerance for acid should be worked up. Riesling has a much more exciting aroma profile than Chadonnay, and it also possesses great elegance and finesse.

Dry Riesling is primarily a food wine. Alone, the wines may seem a little sour.

The best Rieslinges come from Germany, Alsace in France, Austria, Northern Italy, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Riesling Quality Hierarchy

Germany defines these quality Riesling wines (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat or QmP):

Riesling Kabinett

Riesling Kabinett is the lightest Riesling style.

Kabinett wines range from dry (Trocken 4-9 g/l sugar) to off-dry (Halb trocken 12-18 g/l sugar).

More mineral than fruity it pairs Sushi, Seafood, Veggies and Asian Cuisine.

Riesling Spätlese

Spätlese means "Late Selected". This Riesling is more concentrated and therefore has medium body.

Riesling Spätlese wines are richer than Kabinett wines because the grapes contain more sugar at late harvest. Spätlese wines can be off-dry (Halb trocken 12-18 g/l sugar) or dry (Trocken 4-9 g/l sugar).

Riesling Spätlese pairs Seafood, Shellfish, White Meat (Pork), Smoked Meat and Fish.

Riesling Auslese

Auslese means "Selected". Auslese Riesling grapes are hand selected from the most ripe bunches in late autumn.

Auslese wines are sweeter than Spätlese wines (50 g/l sugar). These wines are produced from hand-picked very ripe grapes that have more sugar than Spätlese.

Riesling Auslese wines pair rich food, foie gras and strong cheeses.

The high sugar ratio makes them great aging wines.

Riesling Beerenauslese

Beerenauslese means "Berry (Grape) Selected".

Theese wines are basically produced from hand picked grapes that have been infected by the Botrytis bacteria (Noble Rot) that dries out the grapes and concentrates the sugar.

Beerenauslese wines are dessert wines (100 g/l sugar).

The high sugar ratio makes them great aging wines.

Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese

Trockenbeerenauslese means "Dry Berry (Grape) Selected".

Trockenbeerenauslese wines are produced from individual selected Beerenauslese grapes.

Trockenbeerenausleses are some of the greatest sweet wines in the world (200 g/l sugar).

The high sugar ratio makes them great aging wines.

Riesling Eiswein

Eiswein means "Ice wine".

Eiswein is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes that have been picked when frozen and pressed when frozen. True Eiswein must be picked in the middle of the night, after two days of frost.

The high sugar ratio makes them great aging wines.

If You Like Riesling

You May Also Like:

Arneis (Italy)
Chenin Blanc Dry (France)
Douro Branco (Portugal)
Etna Bianco (Italy)
Falangina (Italy)
Fiano (Italy)
Kerner (Germany)
Riesling (Alsace, France)
Rousette (France)
Roupeiro (Portugal)
Vermentino (Italy)
Verdicchio (Italy)