A WHITE GRAPE · MOSEL
Riesling
Tension, lime & slate.
What Riesling tastes like
Riesling is a white grape. In the glass it reads as tension and lime & slate. Riesling is medium-bodied, with almost no tannin and high, racy acidity, with real sweetness. It is usually made with little or no oak. Its home turf, as we hold it, is Mosel, Rheingau, Alsace.
Where Riesling grows
Our appellations table names Riesling in 81 wine regions. The ones with the most wines in our database are Mosel (Germany), Alsace (France), Wachau (Austria), Rheinhessen (Germany), Pfalz (Germany), Rheingau (Germany), Kamptal (Austria), Eola-Amity Hills (USA), Nahe (Germany), Marlborough (New Zealand), Walla Walla Valley (USA) and Vdp.grosse Lage® (Germany).
Riesling is grown well beyond that list: 69 more appellations name it as a main grape, which is part of why one bottle can taste so different from the next.
How the place changes the glass
- Mosel (Germany): Aromatic, lightly sweet to dry whites with high acidity, mineral precision, and delicate fruit. Climate: cool continental, marginal growing conditions.
- Alsace (France): Site-specific, aromatic, often off-dry to sweet at GC level. Combines Burgundian site-specificity with German varietal labeling. Climate: dry, sunny (rain shadow of Vosges mountains).
- Wachau (Austria): Mineral, herbaceous white wines with crisp acidity and stone fruit complexity. Climate: cool Continental with diurnal temperature swings.
- Rheinhessen (Germany): Fruity, dry to off-dry whites with crisp acidity; light, fruit-driven reds. Climate: moderate continental, dry and sunny for Germany.
What to eat with Riesling
The classic partners are thai, sushi and pork schnitzel. Its acidity cuts through richness and cleans the palate between bites, so it pairs well with oily fish, creamy sauces and salty food.
Riesling on menus we hold
- SASHIMI at Providence: paired with riesling spätlese (2020). Steep slate slopes plunging to a bend in the river.
- Salted caramel tart with vanilla bourbon cream at Providence: paired with riesling auslese (2007). The pleasure of a meal that takes its time.
- Brown Crab at Sühring: paired with Riesling Orange (2021). Apricot on a cold stone sill.
- WASABI LEAF, WHITE GRAPE, MADRAS CURRY at De Librije: paired with 'Mature Vine' Riesling (2020). Lime zest and wet slate after a rain.
Riesling in our cellar
The appellations above account for about 4,300 Riesling wines in the Sommurai database, which is how we know which regions pour it most.
Grapes to try next
If you like Riesling, these white grapes are worth a glass: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, Albarino and Gewurztraminer.
Quick answers
What does Riesling taste like?
Riesling reads as tension and lime & slate. Riesling is medium-bodied, with almost no tannin and high, racy acidity, with real sweetness. It is usually made with little or no oak.
What food goes with Riesling?
thai, sushi and pork schnitzel.
Where is Riesling grown?
Our appellations table names Riesling in 81 wine regions, including Mosel (Germany), Alsace (France), Wachau (Austria), Rheinhessen (Germany) and Pfalz (Germany).
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