If you are considering to drink
Riesling wine know that Riesling is an aromatic white grape varietal
packed with flavour, sugar and acid. Experts tend to say that it's
very 'terroir specific', meaning the taste of the grape will depend
on the territory it is grown, the soil type, the climate and how it is
handled.
Riesling is considered a great grape.
That is because it keeps its acidity even when very ripe and sugary.
So even sweet wines will not taste sickly sweet because they will be
balanced with a nice freshness.
Versatile and Strong
Cold climates require strong grapes and
Riesling grapes do pretty well in colder countries such as Germany,
Austria, Alsace in North East France and even the UK. This doesn't
mean it is not suited for warm weather though. It also grows well in
Australia, New Zealand and South America.
Riesling grapes are extremely versatile
and can produce wines that range from crisp and dry to very sweet
dessert wines. If you had an opportunity to drink Riesling wine in
the past and didn't like it, you should definitely try another style.
You may be pleasantly surprised.
Well-Preserved Riesling
Sugar and acid are amazing
preservatives and, the Riesling grape is rich of both. This means
that the wines it produces can age really well and develop extra
flavours such as honey, smoke and even petrol. Drinking an aged
Riesling wine can be an unforgivable experience.Old World vs New
World
Riesling is a grape that takes on the
characteristics of where it is grown. Riesling from cooler climates
presents apple and honey flavours, while Australian Rieslings tend to
taste more of citrus and limes when young. There are also some great
Riesling being produced in some wine regions in New Zealand. Riesling
wines produced in Argentina and Chile are also definitely worse to
try.
Rotten Riesling Grapes
Rotten Riesling grapes can produce
great dessert wines. Natural fungus known as Botrytis is encouraged
to grow on the grapes and it sucks the water out of the grapes and
increases the sugars while implementing its own unique flavours.
Rotten Riesling grapes are delicate, so
they need to be picked by hand over a period of time because the
grapes tend to ripen at different times. This increases the price of
Botrytis wines. For those who don't like eating Rotten Riesling
grapes, they should try drinking them instead.
Imposters!
Are you ready to drink
Riesling wine?
Then it is time to shopping for it. When you buy a bottle of
Riesling, you expect it to be Riesling right? Well, you will need to
be careful. That is because there are various impostors out there.
Real Riesling is sometimes called Rhine Rieslings in New World
Countries to make them different from Hunter Valley Riesling, which
is really Cape Riesling or Semillon.