Riesling is the great aromatic white, and for many the most rewarding white grape of all. It carries high, mouth-watering acidity, almost never sees oak, and is transparent to where it grows, so a good bottle tastes first of its vineyard. It runs from bone-dry (trocken) to nobly sweet, with a purity few whites can match.
Germany, Alsace and the great Riesling regions
The grape's heartland is Germany, where the steep slate of the Mosel gives feather-light, low-alcohol wines of piercing clarity, while the Rheingau and the Pfalz build more weight and riper stone fruit. The Nahe is worth knowing, home to Dönnhoff and some of the finest Riesling made anywhere. Across the border, Alsace makes it dry and fuller-bodied, with a firm mineral core, while Austria's Wachau turns out intense, bone-dry wines on terraces above the Danube. In Australia, the Clare and Eden Valleys are prized for a bracing, lime-scented style.
Riesling styles, ageing and food pairing
Expect lime, green apple and orchard stone fruit, tightening to something mineral in dry styles, and with bottle age a distinctive petrol or kerosene note that seasoned drinkers look for. Few whites age as well: a fine Riesling can improve for a decade or two, and the sweetest examples for far longer. At the table it is a genuine hero with spice and Asian food, where its acidity and gentle fruit tame chilli heat. Dry versions suit shellfish and roast pork; sweeter ones handle blue cheese. For more in the same fresh, unoaked spirit, browse our wider white wine range.
Riesling FAQ
Is Riesling sweet or dry?
Both, and everything between. German labels run from dry (trocken) through off-dry to richly sweet, while Alsace and Austria are usually dry. For a crisp glass, look for trocken or an Alsace bottling.
What does the petrol note in Riesling mean?
It is a natural ageing character from a compound called TDN, prized rather than a fault. You meet it most in mature bottles and warmer, sunnier sites.
What food goes with Riesling?
It shines with spice: Thai curry, Sichuan pork and Indian dishes sing next to an off-dry Riesling. Dry styles love shellfish and sushi; sweet ones suit blue cheese.