Riesling

Riesling is the most versatile aromatic white grape in the syllabus. High acidity in every style, sweetness ranging from bone dry through to extremely sweet, and the structural ability to age for decades when made well. It is the signature grape of Germany, important in Alsace and Australia, and one of the most misunderstood wines in the world.

The grape

Riesling is an aromatic grape with pronounced fruity and floral aromas and high acidity in every style. It is cold-hardy and prefers cool to moderate climates.

The fruit flavours shift with ripeness:

• Just-ripe grapes: green fruit (apple, pear), citrus (lemon, lime).
• Extra-ripe grapes: stone fruit (peach, apricot), tropical fruit (mango, pineapple), sometimes dried fruit (apricot, raisin).

Riesling builds sugar and flavour slowly while retaining acidity. That makes it ideal for late harvesting in regions with dry, sunny autumns. Its high natural acidity perfectly balances high sweetness, which is why it's the world's go-to grape for the most intensely sweet wines.

Winemaking and maturation

Riesling produces dry, off-dry, medium, and sweet styles.

• Dry to off-dry/medium: made by interrupting fermentation (removing the yeast) or by adding sterile grape juice (called Süssreserve) back to a dry wine.
• Sweetest styles: made from extra-ripe, frozen, or botrytis-affected grapes whose juice is so high in sugar that fermentation stops naturally.

Winemakers ferment Riesling in inert vessels (stainless steel) to preserve its floral aromas. Malolactic conversion and lees ageing are typically avoided for the same reason. The finest Rieslings can age for years or decades in the bottle, developing complex tertiary flavours of honey and petrol (gasoline).

Germany

Germany has a predominantly cool climate and Riesling is its signature grape. Three regions matter at Level 2.

Mosel

Northerly latitude. Lighter-bodied Rieslings, commonly with medium sweetness to balance very high acidity. The best vineyards are on steep south- or south-east-facing slopes on the banks of the Mosel River, where stony soils and sunlight reflected off the river both aid ripening.

Rheingau

Vineyards on steep south-facing slopes on the north bank of the River Rhine. Typically drier and fuller-bodied than Mosel Riesling.

Pfalz

Towards the French border. Protected by mountains to the west and has a dry, sunny climate with a long growing season - climatically an extension of Alsace. A typical Pfalz Riesling is dry and medium-bodied.

German labelling

German labelling reflects the level of sugar in the grapes at harvest. The hierarchy:

Landwein (PGI)

Light-bodied, dry to off-dry.

Qualitätswein (PDO)

Must come from one of 13 wine regions (e.g. Rheingau, Mosel) and reach a higher grape-ripeness level than Landwein. More intense flavour and fuller body.

Prädikatswein (PDO)

Higher grape-sugar requirement than Qualitätswein. Grapes must come from a single region. Six Prädikat categories, listed below in ascending order of required grape sugar.

The six Prädikat categories:

1. Kabinett. Lightest and most delicate. Light body, green-fruit (green apple), citrus (lime), floral aromas.
2. Spätlese ("late harvest"). More concentrated than Kabinett, fuller body, riper citrus and some stone fruit.
3. Auslese ("selected harvest"). Carefully selected extra-ripe bunches. Stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit. Can be made dry but most have some sweetness.
4. Beerenauslese (BA) ("selected berry harvest"). Selected botrytis-affected bunches or berries. Fresh stone fruit, tropical fruit, dried fruit, honey. Always sweet.
5. Eiswein (icewine). Made from grapes frozen on the vine. Vibrant fresh stone-fruit and tropical-fruit flavours. Botrytis plays no part. Outstanding quality, very labour-intensive, high prices.
6. Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) ("selected dried berry harvest"). Individually selected botrytis-dried berries. Similar to BA but more intense. Rare and concentrated.

France: Alsace

Alsace AOC sits east of the Vosges Mountains, which block rain-bearing westerly winds. One of the driest and sunniest French wine regions. Vineyards face east or south-east in the mountain foothills, catching morning sun and a long growing season.

A typical Alsace Riesling is dry, medium-bodied, with pronounced aroma intensity: ripe citrus, stone fruit, vibrant blossom. The best wines come from individual grand cru vineyards and can age for decades, developing honey and dried-fruit tertiary notes. Sweeter styles are also made from late-harvested grapes and labelled Vendanges Tardives.

Australia

Premium Australian Riesling is centred on South Australia's Eden Valley and Clare Valley. Both sit at higher altitude than the nearby warm Barossa Valley, giving them moderate climates ideal for Riesling. They produce dry, refreshing Rieslings with pronounced lime, peach, blossom, and petrol.

One grape down, three to go. Chenin Blanc is next, with the Loire Valley and South Africa as its two homes.