German Wine Tips – Riesling

German Wine Tips

Today we want to talk about a German wine that is a classic among all wines: Riesling.

What is Riesling?
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually pure and are seldom oaked. As of 2004, Riesling was estimated to be the world’s 20th most grown variety at 48,700 hectares (120,000 acres) (with an increasing trend),but in terms of importance for quality wines, it is usually included in the “top three” white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Riesling is a variety which is highly “terroir-expressive”, meaning that the character of Riesling wines is clearly influenced by the wine’s place of origin.

A classic Riesling Kabinett showing the colors of a great vineyard. Medium-bodied, with notes of minerals, peaches and a touch of citrus. Very juicy, it’s fruitiness harmoniously woven into layers of mineral and crisp acidity, finishing long and lively.Riesling is a great wine to accompany savory food and also to enjoy by itself. It is low in alcohol, only 9%, but full of flavor, it is juicy and crisp at the same time and goes great with delicately seasoned flavorful food of all sorts.
Wine review:
“The Selbach 2008 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett smells alluringly of Normandy cider, nut oils, green tea, and hedge flowers. Alkaline, wet stone, and saline mineral elements are all also adumbrated in the nose, then offer counterpoint to the richly ripe apple and white peach, flowers and herbs on a palate of creamy richness yet invigorating refreshment and levity.Here is the sort of improbably balanced Mosel Kabinett that is as delightfully fascinating to sip on its own as it is versatile at table, and that will prove as infectious fifteen or more years from now as it is today. What’s more, this remarkable value illustrates the opportunity that so many German wines – and virtually no others on earth – offer of exploring the complex virtues of a great vineyard site at a price most wine lovers can afford to pay most days of the week.”

If you like to enjoy a glass of good German wine you will find a good selection of German Riesling HERE

Wine goes Green
There’s a lot of talk about “green” wines these days – from sustainable and organic to bio-dynamic and natural. In honor of Earth Day, we’ve put together a few pointers to point out the differences in all these earth-friendly wines, as well as what else wineries are doing to help make the wine world a bit more green!

Looking for a German Recipe with Riesling?
Find here a recipe with Riesling:  Camembert Soup with Riesling

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