24 Facts About Riesling

Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked.

Riesling is a variety that is highly "terroir-expressive", meaning that the character of Riesling wines is greatly influenced by the wine's place of origin.

In cool climates, Riesling wines tend to exhibit apple and tree fruit notes with noticeable levels of acidity that are sometimes balanced with residual sugar.

Riesling has a long history, and there are several written references to the variety dating from the 15th century, although with varying orthography.

The modern spelling Riesling was first documented in 1552 when it was mentioned in Hieronymus Bock's Latin herbal.

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However, in 1477, Riesling was documented in Alsace under the spelling Rissling.

The genetic differences between white and red Riesling are minuscule, as is the case between Pinot noir and Pinot gris.

However, high quality dry or off-dry Riesling wine is known to have not just survived but been enjoyable at an age exceeding 100 years.

On release, certain Riesling wines reveal a striking petrol note that is sometimes described with associations to kerosene, lubricant, or rubber.

Two common characteristics of German Riesling are that they are rarely blended with other varieties and usually never exposed to oak flavour .

Riesling is on record as being planted in the Alsace region by 1477 when its quality was praised by the Duke of Lorraine.

Riesling is very suitable for the late harvest Vendange Tardive and the botrytized Selection de Grains Nobles, with good acidity keeping up the sweetness of the wine.

Riesling was first planted in New Zealand in the 1970s and has flourished in the relatively cool climate of the Marlborough area and for late harvests in the Nelson region.

Austrian Riesling is generally thick bodied, coating the palate and producing a strong clarity of flavour coupled with a mouthwatering aroma.

New York Riesling generally has a characteristic effervescent light body with a similarly light, mellow flavor.

New York is a notable producer of Riesling-based ice wine, although a large majority of New York Ice Wine is made from Vidal blanc and Vignoles.

In Michigan, whose Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula AVAs are known for their ice wine, Riesling is a fairly common variety, in part on account of its suitability for that purpose.

Riesling is grown in other regions as well, including colder parts of relatively warm states such as Oklahoma and Texas.

Riesling is grown throughout all the regions in Ohio and is produced and sold at award-winning wineries across the state.

In Ontario, Riesling is commonly used for Icewine, where the wine is noted for its breadth and complexity.

In British Columbia, Riesling is commonly grown for use in Icewine, table wine, and sekt style sparkling wines, a notable example of which is Cipes Brut.

In Nova Scotia, particularly in the Annapolis Valley region, Riesling is showing significant promise, being shaped by the warm summer days with cool nights and the extension of the growing season that is being observed.

Riesling is widely grown in Hungary, Italy, particularly Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Croatia, South Africa, Chile and Central Europe, particularly Romania and Moldova, Serbia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Riesling is a versatile wine for pairing with food, because of its balance of sugar and acidity.