March 2024: International Riesling Day!

Mark your diary, the 13 th of March is ‘International Riesling Day’! Riesling is a white grape variety that’s been grown in Germany for hundreds of years. The variety has taken root very successfully in Australia, New Zealand, France, Austria and the USA. There are many incredible and contrasting styles of Riesling to try with the best in the world coming from the Mosel River region in Germany. Here the vines are grown on the inhospitably steep south facing slate hills where the vines are warmed by the late afternoon sun.

Rieslings produced in the Clare and Eden Valley in Australia tend to be dry while German Pradikat Rieslings are sweet. They also express an amazing range of sensations in your mouth, dry Rieslings can be austere and dry and while others rich and oily. Riesling will always be high in acidity making it great for pairing with food.

One of the incredible things about German Riesling is its longevity. The wine if carefully stored can last for decades. When I started to learn about wine tasting, I tried a 20 year old bottle. I wasn’t sure what to expect, I certainly didn’t expect the strong diesel aroma and taste! The fresh lime and citrus found in a young Riesling had faded and the wine matured into an oily and characterful wine. I have to admit, I didn’t especially enjoy the wine but it was a really interesting and memorable experience!

Try a young Riesling, look for fruit flavours like nectarine, apple and pear. Beyond the primary fruits you might notice honeycomb, jasmine and maybe a hint of diesel!