Editors' Picks: Riesling

My love affair with riesling didn't begin with a trip to Germany. It didn't come from other wine lovers introducing me to the grape. Nor did it begin when I became a professional sommelier.

Instead, it began in 1987 when, after moving to Hamilton, Ontario, to start my first full-time job as an engineer, I discovered the burgeoning wine industry in nearby Niagara. Historically a beer guy, it wasn't long before I discovered that local rieslings, or at least some of them, gave me a similar experience to a bitter, but still well-balanced, brew. 

My love for the grape has grown steadily from that day on.

Riesling should be appreciated for its purity of aromas and flavours. It has more naturally occurring aromatic compounds than virtually every other popular green grape, with only gewürz and muscat having more. Lime, lemon, green apple and peach notes, white flowers, wet stone, honey and petrol are just some of the classic characteristics. And then there is the high natural acidity, which lends itself to crisp refreshing wines suitable for long aging.

Riesling wants no oak, and no malolactic fermentation. It doesn't need any. The wine is fine without the winemaker screwing with it. Occasionally, some tinkering is needed, such as leaving some sweetness to balance the acid, adding sweet reserve (stabilized juice) or even deacidification in severely cool climates, but riesling is a great grape for expressing terroir. The grape is especially well-suited to cool climates as it develops its flavour profile at a low brix level, resulting in low alcohol wines with ripe fruit that allow the winemaker to adjust sugar levels for acid balance.

German wine lost a lot of its lustre in the Post-WWII Liebfraumilch era, when rivers of schlock were sent overseas to North America, but nowadays riesling is regaining the respect it deserves. It is not just Germany leading this charge, although it still makes arguably the best in the world; Australia and Chile are making some really good versions in their cooler areas, as is New Zealand. Alsace and Austria have both long been famous for excellent food-friendly riesling. And Canada is a terrific source for rieslings of all styles, from bone-dry and austere to off-dry summer sippers, dessert wine and icewine.

Given the versatility of styles and producers, as well as its range of excellent food matches, a good sommelier can find a riesling for almost every occasion.  

Make sure to check out our other editors' picks:

An introduction by Anthony Gismondi

Sonoma     

Sicily

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

Chardonnay

Cabernet Franc

Maison Louis Jadot

Viña Montes

Seghesio Vineyards