Riesling – Made in Germany

Riesling, more than any other type of grape, has shaped the global image of Germany’s wine-growing areas – which is why it is considered the trademark of German viticulture. “Germany can safely be said to be the home of Riesling. After all, some 60 per cent of all the world’s Rieslings are grown in Germany,” explains Ernst Büscher of the German Wine Institute.

Through its long tradition, Riesling has shaped and left a lasting mark on Germany’s wine landscape. As early as the 17th century, the grape played a prominent role in wine culture, thanks to its popularity with the wine-growing monastic orders. Today, German Riesling is an international hallmark of quality with a built-in guarantee of authenticity, many of the best Rieslings being home-grown.

“It is precisely the wine-growing areas’ different soil types that guarantee the diversity of taste and thus the fascination of German Rieslings,” emphasizes Ernst Büscher. And that despite – or perhaps because of – the fact that Germany lies on the border of the world’s wine-growing zone. Germany’s classic Riesling regions are located on the northern edge of this zone, around latitude 50 degrees north. But at the same time, this location is a blessing for the small, round Riesling grape, which prefers a coolish climate. In the German wine-growing areas with their continental climate (warm summers and cold winters), the grape is slow to ripen, not normally being harvested until between mid-October and late November. The long ripening period is what gives Riesling its diversity of taste.

This broad variety of aromas guarantees Riesling’s glorious taste and refined wealth of bouquets, even when alcohol content is low. The strength of this white grape variety lies in its wide array of flavours, from citrus to peach to sweet honey fragrances. On top of this, there is Riesling’s unique combination of fruit acid and extract, encompassing the full range of sweetness and thus revealing the wine’s brilliance.

The Riesling grape is stylistically versatile, going well with all sorts of dishes: from dry to noble sweet, from the simple table wine to the noble sweet speciality, and even as an exquisite ice wine – a true delicacy!

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