Carol's wine column

Riesling

When it comes to white wine, Riesling is my first choice. However a lot of people aren't interested in Riesling on the basis that it is too sweet or that it can't possibly be good if it comes from Germany. There is a large number of Rieslings on the market now compared to years gone by, so I think it's possible for everyone to find some they like, whether their preference is for dry or sweet wine.

Riesling is used for making Sekt, a German sparkling wine. Riesling wines from Alsace in France can be very different to the German type. French Rieslings are usually higher in alcohol and spend longer aging in the barrel. Australian Rieslings also usually have a higher alcohol content than German Rieslings and don't tend to have as much sweetness on the palate.

Riesling ranges from sweet to off-dry (halbtrocken) to dry (trocken). Late harvest Rieslings can ripen to become dessert wines (beerenauslese and trockenbeerenauslese), which are the most expensive wines made from this grape. These dessert wines are produced by picking the grapes well after normal picking time. Water is removed through noble rot (partial drying process caused by a fungus) or by the grapes freezing while still on the vine (Eiswein). The result is a richer, sweeter wine that has more sugar, acid and flavour. If you haven't had Eiswein before, then you're in for a treat the first time you try it - provided you like all things sweet. Picking grapes early, when the sugar content is low, gives a crisper, fruiter wine.

Typical aromatic characteristics of Riesling are flowers, citrus fruit, peach and earth. With time, Riesling can take on a petrol fragrance that can be quite strong to those who aren't expecting it.

Riesling suits a wide range of food and is a particularly good wine to pair with spicy foods such as Indian, Thai and Chinese. It can also be paired with white fish.

Willi Haag Estate Riesling,
QbA, 2001
This is a German wine from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region. It is a good introduction for people who are new to Riesling, as it is well balanced on the palate in terms of sweetness and acidity. It has a pale lemon colour with a fruity nose with aromas of peach, apple and citrus fruit. The alcohol content of this wine is 11% and it is well priced at €12.99. It goes well with spicy food, but is a bit too light for heavier meat dishes.