Riesling wine dry or sweet full#

A drawback is that it lowers alcohol and can throw a wine out of balance. This adds sweetness and body and increases the total volume of wine available for sale. Typically, the grape juice needs to come from the same growing region as the wine grapes. Winemakers save some of the unfermented grape juice and add it back to the wine right before bottling. Süssreserve (seuss – reserve): Literally ‘sweet reserve’ in German. Winemakers achieved this goal in one of two ways:

Riesling wine dry or sweet full#

Historically, Riesling growers had a difficult time achieving full ripeness with their grapes, so producers balanced their underripe wines by adding a little sugar. Look for aromas and flavors of orange blossom, river rock, white peach and nectarine.Not all Rieslings are sweet, but sweeter Rieslings are traditional. Austrian Riesling normally is fuller-bodied than its German cousin but with milder acidity and softer flavors. The main growing regions include Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal and Traisental, where grapes ripen on under hot sun on high terraces and concentrate their sugars during cooler nighttime temperatures.

Alsace is divided into the Bas-Rhin and the Haut-Rhin based on the altitude at which the grapes are grown but it’s good to know that most of the Grand Cru vineyards are located in the Haut-Rhine. Austria has the ideal climate for growing grapes used to make dry Rieslings. This region of France is especially known for dry Riesling production with wines characterized by bright acidity, minerality and aromas and flavors of white flowers, lemon, apple, pear and peach. If you are looking for dry Riesling you should stick to Kabinett, although this style can also lean into the off-dry or semi-sweet category.Īlsace boasts 8,000 acres of vineyards and approximately 950 producers. Rieslings from the Rheingau are known for their high acidity and spicy aromas. German Rieslings are delineated by ripeness and sugar levels at the time of harvest, they are, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trokenbeerenauslese. The Rheingau is planted with over 80 percent Riesling vines making this region notable for having the highest percentage of Riesling vines planted anywhere in the world. Pfalz is the second largest region (by acreage) and wines from this region tend to be a little less acidic. The Mosel region is the largest in terms of production of high-quality Rieslings and many experts consider these to be among the finest in the world boasting high acidity. It is planted in every one of Germany’s 13 main wine regions, but the best bottlings come from Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Pfalz and Mosel. Riesling grapes in France’s Alsace region. Sweet Rieslings (and ice wines made from Riesling) are a natural pairing for desserts including flan, crème brulee, sponge cake and lemon meringue pie. Off dry or medium sweet Riesling is excellent with Thai dishes or Indian curries that combine sweet, sour and spice. A classic pairing for dry Riesling is with Weiner Schnitzel or pork Milanese. Riesling is extremely versatile and pairs with a variety of foods. Older Rieslings may have a scent of petrol which is not a fault, but a sign of a higher quality bottle. It is interesting to note that in the mid nineteenth century Riesling from Germany commanded a higher price in the market as compared to wines from Bordeaux and Champagne.ĭry Rieslings generally have aromas of rose petals, jasmine, peach and citrus peel, and flavors of stone fruits and lemon lime zest. Sweet Riesling can have all of those including the addition of orange marmalade, honey and dried apricot. It is believed that Riesling is indigenous to Germany because the first written mention of the variety from details the sale of Riesling vines to a German count in 1435, and in 1787 it was decreed that all grapevines in Rhineland should be ripped out and replanted with Riesling.