Along with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Riesling wine is considered one of the three kings of white varieties. In this article we will tell the story of the selection of this vine. Riesling grapes began their victorious march on the planet from the Rhine lands. Gradually, his vines began to penetrate those countries remote from Germany where the climate does not differ in hot summers. What makes riesling so popular? Firstly, its acidity, which allows the wine to ripen and ennoble in bottles for decades. Secondly, Riesling very well conveys the features of the terroir - the area where the vines grew. And finally, thirdly, this wine can vary in the amount of residual sugar from very dry to dessert. In such northern countries as Germany, where there is a real risk of picking berries unripe at the end of the season, "Riesling" is a real lifesaver. Wine from this variety comes out successful and from an early harvest, and from the so-called "shtpleze". But we will tell about all these subtleties below.
Grade birth
Who and when brought the vines of "Riesling" is not exactly known. The first record of grapes is not found in the annals, but in the economic book. The Germans are punctual people, and the counts Katzelnbogen from Rüsselheim (Rheingau) carefully kept a record in their archives that in 1435, on the thirteenth of March, their ancestor acquired six “Riesling” seedlings, paying 22 solidi. In less than fifty years, a grape variety is mentioned in Alsace. The official Latin herbarium of Jerome Bok lists “Riesling” along with other types of vines. What were the ancestors of this variety? This was discovered by modern genetics. Riesling grapes came from an ordinary trammer who entered into a marital union with the French variety Gouais Blanc, which the Germans usually call Weiser Höinisch. Well, now these vines are grown in Austria, South Australia and New Zealand - where the summer is not threatened by drought and excessive heat of delicate white berries.
Which terroir is the best
Wine riesling better than others conveys the climate and soil features of the region in which the vines grew. And even weather conditions (rainy or, conversely, hot summers) affect the quality of the drink. What area is considered the best for riesling? Every German will tell you that the most authentic wine should be from Johanisberg. In the eighteenth century, after the devastating Thirty Years' War, the abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Fulda planted three hundred thousand vines of the Riesling variety, abandoned lands around the monastery. Thus, a standard was created. All winemakers of the Rhine lands were equal to Schless Johanisberg. The fashion for "riesling" led to the fact that the variety began to be cultivated in the Moselle Valley. The climate is hotter, and therefore the wine is more refined, with floral notes. The even more south Pfalz gives Riesling a taste of honey and peaches. The Saar valleys give birth to stylish, spectacular wines. But the best terroir, as the Burgundians would say, Grand Cru, is a small area in Reyngessen called Nakenheim Rottenberg. Red mica, the proximity of water and the southern climate give the local wine an unrivaled taste.
Production methodology
It is no less important than the terroir. Riesling in the hands of a skilled winemaker is like soft wax under the fingers of an experienced sculptor. From this variety you can create anything. Dry, semi-dry wine, dessert - sweetness is achieved by the amount of residual sugars, the time of harvest. And this is a snag for novice drink connoisseurs. The fact is that in Germany the sweeter the riesling is, the more elite it is considered. Therefore, the most prestigious wine of this variety is the "Rhine Ice Wine" (ice wine). The French do not agree with this view of sweetness. Alsatian Riesling is more acidic. English terminology clearly separates wines of this variety by dryness. If the drink is sweet, it is called "off-drive." The well-known word “bone-dry” characterizes a drink in the taste of which sweets are not at all felt. A semi-dry wine is simply indicated: "dry."
Berry maturity
In the conditions of a cool and rainy German summer, it often happens that the crop has to be harvested unripe. But from green berries it turns out quite good riesling. However, the best varieties of this wine are made from a late harvest. There are a few terms to be aware of. "Shpatleze" - late harvest, when the berries are already wrinkled from the night cold and fermentation. Auslese - harvested from unripe grapes. "Birenauslese" - choose overripe berries and make wort from them. And finally, Trockenbeerenauslese. In this case, Riesling wine is born only from botritized, dried to raisins berries. It is clear that the cost of the product from such a sample (produced, of course, manually) increases.
Wine aging
Riesling does not tolerate fermentation. Also, it can not be infused in oak barrels, like other white grapes. But he is good at being able to munch in bottles. Young wine, in addition to a rich bouquet of citrus fruits, gives the ravishing freshness of duchess pear and green apple. With age, it gains more and more honey notes. Riesling dessert wine is special. Recognizable high acidity neutralizes sugary, which makes the drink have a perfectly balanced taste. In the bouquet, notes of peach, apricot, white flowers and exotic fruits are mixed with citrus tones. The aged riesling has a special - oil - shade. It may sound unappetizing, but sommeliers define the benzoic taste of white wine as a positive quality. "Oil" perfectly integrates into the very structure of the drink. Words cannot convey its refined taste.
Austrian Riesling
German wine in the land of Mozart has acquired its characteristic features. Riesling in this country is grown in the valleys of the Kemptal, Kremstal and Wachau rivers, in Lower Austria. The soil in these regions is very stony, with a large amount of gneiss, slate, and granite. Combined with the high humidity and warmth held by the Danube hills, the terroir allows the cultivation of elegant wines. The Austrians also use the bacterium botritis to ferment berries on the branches - the so-called "noble mold." Austrian Riesling differs from German in mineral notes in taste and a rich bouquet of exotic fruits. The small terrain Durnsteiner Kellerberg is recognized as the best terroir in the country. To choose a good Austrian Riesling, you do not need to be a big dock. Choose a bottle with a lizard on the label and the word smaragd (emerald). The recognized cult wine from Austria is considered FX Pichler Riesling Smaragd Dursteiner Kellerberg.
Alsatian Riesling
The fundamental difference between this type of wine in France is its dryness. The most successful terroir for Riesling is the land around the town of Riboville. Well, “Grand Cru” is a small section of Rozaker, which is located in the commune of Unavir. They make excellent dry white wine - "Riesling from the Vineyard of St. Unna" (produced by the house "Trimbach"). Its refined taste is generated by limestone soils with stony placers. In the bouquet of such riesling, not only fruits and minerals are felt, but also a slight smell of haze. Another diamond in the crown of wines from Alsace is the Grand Cru Castelberg, near the town of Andlo. This vineyard was mentioned back in 1064. Now the production is in the hands of Mark Craidenweiss. The French do not respect dessert wines - or rather, they make them from other varieties of berries. Alsatian Riesling is not just dry - it is a bon drive.
Domestic Riesling
The variety of this grape is quite successfully grown by the Russian company Fanagoria. Riesling is poured with juices on the land of the Taman Peninsula. The climate here is temperate continental, and summers are hotter than this type of wine requires. Yes, and the soil of the Kuban is closer to chernozems, too greasy for "Riesling." But nevertheless, the winners of Fanagoria took a chance and planted vines brought from Austria on farm lands. With proper care, they achieved the conditions for the berries to gain as much sugar as needed. The first crop was harvested in 2011. It was used for the manufacture of ice aisling - "ice". This is a sweet drink. And recently a new batch of riesling called "Number Reserve" has been released. This drink is light straw in color, with notes of meadow herbs, lime and sunflower.
Riesling: price
This parameter depends not so much on the brand as on the desire of the store to get superprofits. So, German wine in Germany can cost about two euros. And the same riesling in boutiques in Moscow is already about six hundred rubles. If you search, you can find quite sophisticated brands. So, the famous "Riesling Smaragd Durnsteiner" from Austria will cost you nine and a half thousand rubles.