|
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
  Quaffers® Feature - October 2002
Essential features for wine-lovers...
|
QUICK TIP: Do you need instant wine credibility?
If you are short of time, the key concepts in our features are highlighted for you by coloured words. Come back to the feature at your leisure to fill in the details!
Don't forget to check our Glossary for any unfamiliar wine-related terms - if it's not there, why not Ask the Expert? |
|
| Riesling - Love it or loathe it? |
|
 Which side are you on? Very few people sit on the fence when it comes to Riesling; most of us either take it or leave it. Despite being a classic grape variety capable of producing a multitude of wine styles, some of which have the ability to age for several decades, Riesling is overwhelmingly unfashionable. It is also perhaps the most commonly mis-pronounced grape variety. ('Reece-ling' is the correct pronunciation.) Riesling has its devotees amongst the wine elite, but in the eyes of the general public it produces sweet, basic wine from Germany that nobody wants to drink.
 It is true that Riesling has its origins in Germany. The earliest recorded evidence that Riesling was grown in Germany from the Middle Ages is dated 1435 and at that time its wines were very highly regarded and considered as fine as the red wines of Burgundy. It is also true that some of the best (and perhaps the worst) examples of its wine come (or have come) from the Teutonic nation. In the past, too many Riesling offerings were made with little extract and were overly sweet. Unfortunately, the wine-drinking public is like the proverbial elephant: they don't forget. However, the grape is now grown all over the world and, despite its reputation, can produce anything from bone dry wines to lusciously unctuous stickies of great quality and finesse, provided the grapes are grown in the correct conditions.
The Riesling vine is pretty unique. Its wood is so hard that the vine can withstand freezing temperatures and still survive, making it a natural candidate for producing icewine in some of Canada's or northern Germany's vineyards. The grape has high levels of natural acidity and residual sugar. Thus even the long ripening time it enjoys does not result in flabby wines. The racy acidity gives Riesling wines their structure and their longevity; the sugar, its potential for sweet wines. The vines are therefore happiest in cool climates. They enjoy well drained, poor soils and in particular the blue slate found in the best sites along the Mosel which absorbs and reflects the warmth from the sun and aids the ripening process.
 As we have mentioned, the styles of wine made from the Riesling can be many and varied, but they all exhibit the characteristic aromatic hallmark of the grape. Citrus fruit, particularly lime, floral notes, honey and, with age, kerosene. The wines will all have high acidity which gives them a fresh zip and allows them to age gracefully. Riesling is not suited to wood and is not aged in oak. It has the ability to reflect the terroir in which it was grown, but other than that it does not offer the winemaker much scope for stamping his own style on the wine, unlike Chardonnay, for example.
In Germany, the Riesling vine accounts for about 21% of the white grapes planted. The best wines come from the vines planted on the steep south-facing slopes of the Mosel, the Rheingau and, to a lesser extent, the Pfalz. The quality of the grape is such that there are over 60 clones of Riesling in Germany. It forms the basis of all crossings as the scientists at Trier aim to extract its best characteristics with the best from other vines to form new and better varieties. German Rieslings range from the dry Kabinetts to auslese and spätlese right through to the ultra sweet eisweins and trockenbeerenauslese wines. The best examples are light bodied with only 7-9% alcohol, medium dry with streaks of good acidity and a concentration of citrus fruit flavours and a delicate bouquet. They will be capable of ageing and improving for decades, sometimes even fifty years.
 The Alsace in north east France is another growing region in which the Riesling grape thrives. As one of the noble grape varieties and accounting for over 20% of the vineyard area, Riesling produces some of the finest grand cru wines from the vicinity. Its versatility is apparent here too. The majority of wines made from Riesling are bone dry, medium-bodied with about 11.5 - 12.5% alcohol, elegant with a delicate aroma. There are plenty of other sweeter wines, however, also made from Riesling such as vendange tardive and sélection de grains nobles, as well as sparkling wines.
Riesling is also planted all over the world. Naturally the best new world examples come from cooler climate regions where the vine can enjoy a slow and long ripening period and can achieve a good balance of natural acid and sugars. The poorer examples arise when the vine is planted somewhere too warm. The grapes ripen quickly and the sugars overwhelm the dwindling acidity to produce flabby and structureless wines that have no ageing potential. The Clare and Eden valleys in south Australia are both regions where Riesling is enjoying success along with parts of New Zealand and the west coast of America. The new world Rieslings tend to be more forward than their old world counterparts. Their bouquet is often more heavily scented with kerosene, their weights are fuller and therefore the wines are less delicate. They are unlikely to age as well either.
If you are a fan of Riesling you will need no convincing that it is a super grape capable of producing some very fine wines indeed. If, on the other hand, you dislike it and avoid wines made from Riesling at all costs, let us persuade you to think again and have another taste. Look out for merchants who specialise in German wines, for example, and get them to recommend something to you. Try an aromatic, dry Riesling from the Alsace or sip a fine Australian example soon and see if the grape's quality and unique characteristics can work their charm on you. Let us know how you get on!
|
|
|
| Coming up next month: Winter warmers - food and wine pairings to cheer up those dark Autumn evenings. |
|
 Return to Features main page
|
|
 |
|
