Another one of my favourite grapes
So food friendly but also so good by itself, Riesling is such a versatile grape. It draws a lot of it’s flavour from the soil and the climate that it grows in. It is one of the prized grapes of Germany, but you can also found it grown in Alsace (France), Austria, Australia, New Zealand and of course Canada. It can be harvested as a still wine, but it also classically used for Ice Wine in Canada and in Germany.
*Fun fact: The Okanagan Valley in B.C. is the same latitude as the Mosel Valley in Germany, where Riesling shows itself to be the best. Try a Riesling from the Okanagan and compare it to a Riesling from the Mosel valley in Germany for a bit of fun
In Germany there are over 60 varietals of grapes grown in Germany, Riesling is the most prestigious. For the finest representation of the grapes, Riesling will be shown as a single varietal. Wines from the Rheingau region in Germany where the grape originated will be aromatic and floral. Flavours of citrus fruits, sometimes melon or apple and subtle scents of petroleum are all common scents to a good quality wine. There will be a low to medium amount of alcohol, which allows for the flavours characteristics to come through.
Riesling’s also have incredible age, since the acid is always high. Some can age for decades if they are properly stored. Some show themselves better after even a couple years of age, so they are worth buying to age.
*Another Fun fact: The way to tell if it is a good quality and a classic Riesling is the bottle style. It will be slim and long, just as the traditional bottle shape, with no curves like you would see on a bottle of red wine.
New world and old world are completely different and both have different qualities that are specific to where they grow. Today I tasted a Riesling from the New World, specifically from Southern Ontario (Leaning Post Winery in Niagara on the Lake). Our province and its winemakers have worked to advance the growing and wine making of this grape, so it flourishes in our climate. The grape grows well in cooler climate places in the world, so it’s only natural that it would make great wine in Ontario
Ontario has a micro climate which is moderated by the two bodies of water which moderate the temperatures and air flow in the area. The height of the escarpment shelters much of the vineyards against harmful air flow that could damage the vines. The temperature gets hot in the summer, but cools down at the night which allows the grapes to ripen very well, but also keep their acid. The wines will have lots of citrus and minerality as well as floral character and hints of stone-fruit as well
If you are planning on serving Riesling with food, think about how it would do with something that has a high amount of fat in it. Since it does have such good acid, it is perfect for food’s that are rich and need something to cut through the richness. You can be obvious with your pairings and say fish, white meat and vegetarian dishes as well as things with a bit of spice to them as well. You can also think about meats like duck, pork and bacon because they are all high in fat and rich. With cheese I would suggest something like aged Gouda, Comte or Gruyere. If you have a late harvest Riesling or an Ice wine, you can go with a classic Blue or Roquefort to contrast the sweetness in the wine.
Good Riesling will always have great acid, great sweetness and if you ask most people in the hospitality to name their favourite grapes, Riesling will be high up there. I think we naturally gravitate to wines that are both fruit forward, which had good acid and are interesting with or without food.
Riesling is very versatile when it comes to pairing, which makes it very easy to gravitate to when choosing a white wine. When I ran a kitchen at a winery some years ago, I would always grab a glass of the Riesling when we were done service. It was perfect for a hot day because it was so fruity and refreshing and the acidity would wake your mouth up. I used to serve it on a tasting menu with glazed Pork Belly and it was a beautiful marriage of fat, umami, acid, sweetness and salt.
Enjoy a glass on the patio for me guys!
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