Riesling
Because
of both its cellar longevity and its ability to
maintain varietal identity while reflecting the
individuality of its terroir, Riesling
may be the best of all the white wine grapes.
Its homeland is Germany, where it has been
cultivated since the 1400s or earlier, and where
it is made into wines that run the gamut from
bone dry and crisp quaffers to the complex,
unctuous nectars made from Botrytis-affected,
shriveled berries, individually late-picked, and
known by the moniker
Trockenbeerenauslese.
Sometimes
referred to as White, Rhine, or 1Johannisberg,
the Riesling name has been tarnished by the
attachment of its name to other white varietals
(Grey Riesling--aka Chaucé Gris--,
Walschriesling--aka Italian Riesling--, and
Missouri Riesling) that are of far lesser
quality and genetically unrelated to the true
Riesling. It does have distant relatives in the
Sylvaner (or Franken) Riesling and the crosses,
Emerald Riesling (with Muscadelle du Bordelais)
and Müller-Thurgau (with Sylvaner). In
Germany, there are more than 60 selected
Riesling clones available to meet various flavor
and growing condition criteria.
Riesling vines
are particularly hard-wooded and tolerant of
cold weather and they bud late, so are
well-suited to the coldest wine-growing climes.
Riesling is both moderately vigorous and
productive, yielding from three to six tons per
acre. The berries are small, round and soft when
ripe, with tender, greenish-yellow skins that
have a flecked appearance from lenticels
(lens-shaped pores) on the skins. Hanging in
compact, winged clusters and ripening later than
other varieties, bunch rot and non-beneficial
molds can be a problem if there is much rain or
humidity during in the ripening
season.
If dry
conditions, however, follow a single day of wet,
Riesling grapes left on the vine beyond normal
ripeness can develop Edelfäule
(Nobel Rot). The result of this ugly but
non-toxic mold, Botrytis
cinerea,
is the shriveling of the grapes, the evaporation
of much of the juice, and the concentration of
the sugar. The German names for this heirarchy,
which ascends in order of the must weight
or degree of sugar concentration, are
Spätlese (late-picked),
Auslese (selectively-picked bunches),
Beerenauslese (selectively-picked
berries), and Trockenbeerenauslese (only
the most affected berries), or TBA. These
wines have not only incredibly intense and
concentrated flavors, but also remarkable life
span.
Hillside
microclimates which provide cool climates and at
the same time plenty of sun exposure, yet
protection from the winds are of paramount
importance to quality Riesling. The best German
vineyards with these conditions on the Mosel
River produce wines that are unique in their low
alcohol, powerful aroma, and high extract. This
grape also is very successful in Alsace, France.
The nominees for Best Supporting Appellation in
California Riesling are: Santa Barbara,
Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Mendocino, while
Washington and Oregon also have done well. Other
countries which grow Riesling with much
dedication, albeit generally lesser results, are
Australia, South Africa, Chile, Austria,
Switzerland, Russia, Yugoslavia, and
Italy.
Riesling has a
powerful and distinctive floral and apple-like
aroma that frequently mixes in mineral elements
from its vineyard source and is often described
as "racy." Its high natural level of Tartaric
acid enables it to balance even high levels of
residual sugar. The most frequently encountered
(but not exclusive) smell and/or flavor elements
found in riesling-based wines
include:
|
Riesling
Smell and/or Flavor
Elements
|
|
Varietal
Aromas/Flavors:
|
Growing
& Processing
Bouquets/Flavors:
|
Floral:
woodruff, rose petal, violet
|
Petroleum:
terpene, diesel, kerosene
|
Stone
Fruits: apple, pear, peach,
apricot
|
Mineral:
flint, steel, gunmetal
|
Tropical
Fruits: (not usually)
|
.
|
(see
our Tasting
Notes)
The light,
delicately sweet flavor of simple
pan-fried-in-butter trout is especially good
with Riesling. On the other hand, grilled or
sautéed sausage, with its range from
savory to spicy, also works well with this
varietal. As with most foods, spices and sauce
should be the factors that determine the wine
match, rather than the color of the meat. Try a
Riesling with Spicy
Long Bean Beef Stir
Fry
and you'll understand.
by
Jim
LaMar
Related
Links
The
New Zealand Grape Vine Improvement Group has
charted some information regarding the origins
and growth characteristics of three different
Riesling
Clones.
The
Riesling
Report
is a bi-monthly electronic magazine
(downloadable PDF format) for fans of this and
other "unwooded" varietals. Available by
subscription only, partners Peter Liem and Kirk
Wille share their passion for these wines. Take
a FREE test drive of issue #7 (March-April
2001).
NOTES
1Historically,
one of the most famous German producers of Riesling is Schloss
Johannisberg. The TTB will not allow or approve use of the
name "Johannisberg" on any California wine label bottled
after January 1, 2006 (NOTE: this phase-out was originally mandated
for 1999, but a "trade asscoiation" hired a law firm
which successfully petitioned for a 7-year extension). California
wineries will then be required to use either White Riesling
or simply Riesling to designate this varietal. BACK
