Riesling Grapes

Riesling is a white grape variety native to the Rhine Valley, which stretches over Germany, France, Austria, and Switzerland. Riesling is a floral, almost perfumed grape varietal with high acidity and flowery, almost fragrant aromas. All of these characteristics combine to make it an excellent grape for winemaking. It's used to make white wines that are dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and effervescent. Riesling, according to Becraft, is "the best meal wine ever invented". Riesling wines are almost never oaked and are usually varietally pure. Riesling was the world's 20th most planted variety in 2004, with 48,700 hectares (120,000 acres), however, it is frequently listed in the "top three" white wine varieties, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, in terms of relevance for quality wines.

When rounded out with sugar, Riesling's acidity approaches that of lemonade or orange juice, resulting in a refreshing crisp taste. It has a luscious aftertaste as well. Riesling wines from cool climates tend to have apple and tree fruit flavors, as well as notable acidity that is sometimes balanced with residual sweetness. In warmer areas, a late-ripening cultivar with stronger citrus and peach overtones is grown (such as Alsace and parts of Austria).