When a reader asked, ‘What’s Riesling and should I try it’? we passed the question on to Wackus Bacchus.
The answer in a nutshell is, Riesling is a white, noble grape variety and yes it’s well worth giving it a go. Firstly, the pronunciation baffles a few people . It’s Riesling as in reason, not Risling as in high-rise. Anyone remembering drinking white wine in the 70s and 80s can be forgiven for being reluctant to try the grape today. We all had a sweeter tooth in those days and this fanned the flames for cheap (mainly) German imports called Liebfraumilch, Piesporter and Nierstein, all of which were medium dry or sweet and interestingly, not what the Germans themselves drank.
Good Riesling, from wherever, should be dry. It can be made into wonderful sweet dessert wines in Germany but most New World origin wines are dry. Riesling is an early ripening grape and so thrives in cooler climates like Germany and Alsace and also the relatively cooler areas of Australia like Clare and Eden Valleys. The characteristics are citrus, notably lime, particularly when young. They’re often aromatic and fruity with racy balancing acidity and rarely are they aged in oak barrels, so they are pure and minerally which makes them great with food. They can age and when they do they take on a sort of petrolly, turpine character (I know!) which many people love. Not this individual, ‘fresh is best’ for me. If you’re a committed Sauvignon fan, Riesling could be the perfect alternative.
Waitrose Dry German Riesling 2015 £7.99
Pale straw yellow, clean aromatic nose, fresh textural palate, almost oily (positive) with a clean dry finish.
Darting Estate Durkheimer Riesling 2015 M&S £10.50
Pale gold, ogen melon aromas, very rich palate with honeysuckle and tangerine, and a weighty finish
Kuhlmann-Platz Alsace Riesling 2016 Majestic £9.99 or £8.99 mix 6
Nice to see a 2016, fresh as a daisy nose, light brisk limey palate, racy finish, 12% alc!
Rolf Binder Highness Riesling Eden Valley 2015 Waitrose £10.99
Very pale lemon ,developed Turpiney nose, follows through to palate. One for the traditionalist……
Jim Barry Lodge Hill Riesling Clare Valley 2016 Majestic £14.99 or £12.99 mix 6
Pale lemon, delicate limey fragrance, lovely fruit acid balance on the palate. Joint top.
Stepp Riesling ‘S’ 2015 Pfalz Germany M&S £15
Pale gold, showing development with just a trace of petrol, but rich and full-bodied on the palate. Joint top.