Riesling

Question 1

About Riesling:

Answer 1

• Highly aromatic- Pronounced fruity and floral varietal character expressed whether it’s dry, medium or sweet- Different soil types and ripeness levels emphasize different aspects of this character- Like Chardonnay, it can express nuances of individual vineyards so in Germany, Alsace and Austria, producers bottle their wine with the name of the vineyard

Question 2

The climates of Riesling:

Answer 2

• Cool climates: if the fruit is harvested when ripe (rather than over-ripe), the wines have green fruit flavors (green apple, grape) with floral notes and sometimes a hint of citrus fruit (lemon, lime) but not so to the degree of SB- Moderate regions: the citrus and stone fruit notes become dominant and some wines can smell very strongly of fresh lime or white peach.

Question 3

About late-harvest Riesling:

Answer 3

• Sugar builds up slowly and it retains its acidity- Late harvest suitable in regions where there are stable, dry, sunny autumn conditions- Stone fruit and tropical fruit notes can develop (peach, apricot, pineapple, mango)- Can be dry, medium or sweet in style

Question 4

Riesling and noble rot:

Answer 4

• Susceptible to noble rot (botrytis)- Concentrates sugars and acidity and makes this grape ideal for lusciously sweet wines (condenses down the sugar)

Question 5

Riesling and aging:

Answer 5

• High acidity levels and intense fruit help Rieslings age in the bottle. - They can develop flavors of honey and toast.- Petrol-like (Germans say smoky) aromas sometimes appear in old Riesling wines.- New oak is almost never used.

Question 6

About German Rieslings:

Answer 6

• Basic Riesling is classified as Qualitätswein usually light -bodied, fruity and refreshing with medium sweetness (though the classification can include some of the best dry Rieslings)- Prädikatswein category, wines are categorized according to the sugar levels in the grapes. - They vary in style according to their particular Prädikat.

Question 7

What are the Prädikat?

Answer 7

• Kabinett (cabinet): rieslings are light in body, with high acidity and green fruit notes (apple, grape). Med sweetness and light alcohol, although they can be dry with med alcohol.- Spätlese (late harvest): Rieslings have a bit more body and citrus and exotic fruit notes (lemon, pineapple).- Auslese (select harvest): Rieslings have even more body and exotic fruit notes (pineapple, mango). This is the highest category to appear as a dry wine, although most Riesling Auslese wines are med to sweet.- Beerenauslese (select berry harvest) and Trockenbeerenauslese (select berry harvest) or (dry berry selection) are sweet Rieslings made from noble rot.- Eiswein (ice wine) is a sweet wine made from frozen grapes.

Question 8

Where is Riesling grown in Germany?

Answer 8

• Mosel: produces Germany’s lightest-body wines. The Kabinett and Spätlese are almost with med sweetness balanced with high acidity. The most prestigious vineyards are on very steep slopes, surrounding the villages of Piesport and Bernkastel.- Rheingau: is a smaller region. Its Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese Rieslings wines are usually drier in style and medium-bodied.- Pfalz: large, southerly region that lies close to Alsace. The Rieslings from vineyards around Forst and Deidesheim are generally dry and medium-bodied.

Question 9

Where is Riesling grown in France?

Answer 9

• Alsace with long, dry, warm autumns provides ideal conditions for dry, medium-bodied Rieslings, with green, citrus and stone fruit notes. - Fuller-bodied, late harvest wines are also made here, with more intense flavors and sometimes a hint of sweetness.- Complicated geology, with a wide range of soil types- The Vosges mountains stop the rain to Alsace on the east side- The Riesling characteristics can differ markedly form one site to another- The best benefit greatly from bottle age and can last for decades, developing a smoky, honeyed complexity, often with petrol-like aromas

Question 10

Where are the premium rieslings regions?

Answer 10

• Austria: Dry rieslings that age well. Medium or full-bodied dry Rieslings with citrus and stone fruit flavors and med to big acidity. Wines from certain vineyards can have smoky, mineral aromas.- Australia: produce outstanding Rieslings in the Clare Valley and Eden Valley regions. Dry, medium-bodied, with high acidity and pronounced citrus fruit notes (lime, lemon). The wines age well, developing notes of honey and toast. Some rapidly develop smoky/petrol notes. - NZ: mainly in the South Island. They are dry, with high acidity and intense green fruit and citrus flavors (apple, grape, lime). Most are best consumed young, but develop attractive honey flavors with age.

Question 11

Bulk regions for inexpensive riesling:

Answer 11

• Not a lot of bulk in Germany- Inexpensive branded fruity-dry German Rieslings are becoming important- Some Australian brands include a South-Eastern Riesling in their portfolio sourced from premium areas, such as the Eden and and Clare Valleys - blends.

Question 12

Blended Rieslings?

Answer 12

Almost never blended but in Australia blended with Gewürztraminer to make fruity, off-dry wines.