![]() They also tend to be higher in alcohol content and are sometimes described as creamier in texture. That said, the climate is warmer and drier, and aromas of Alsatian Riesling are more floral. As such, the Riesling of this region shares many similarities with German Riesling – aromatic and expressive with high acidity and steely minerality. It grows many of the same grapes as wine regions in Germany, just across the Rhine River. The French region of Alsace is located just across Germany’s southwest border. Total Riesling surface area in France (2015): 4,025 hectares Total vineyard acreage in France (2018): ~793,000 hectares Note: Riesling is also produced elsewhere in the U.S., such as the cooler parts of California, New York’s Finger Lakes, and Michigan. In the region’s most prominent Riesling-producing AVA, the Columbia Valley, cool evenings offset high summer temperatures to retain the crisp acidity. A typical Pacific Northwest Riesling is off-dry, easy-drinking, and floral with tropical fruit flavors and higher acidity than other wines from these regions. Washington and Oregon Rieslings are produced in both dry and sweet styles. German immigrants brought Riesling vines to the Americas in the late 19 th century, and Washington State is the largest Riesling producer in the U.S. Key regions: Columbia Valley, Willamette Valley, Yakima Valley Total Riesling surface area in the USA (2015): 4,605 hectares Total vineyard acreage in the USA (2018): ~439,000 hectares With age, German Riesling can evolve to express honeycomb, beeswax, earthy spices, and candied fruit.Īfter Germany, a few other regions around the world maintain prominent plantings of Riesling and are regarded as key Riesling regions… Further south in the warm, dry Pfalz, you’ll find refreshing fuller-bodied Riesling with flavors of orchard fruit and earthy and spicy elements. Germany’s Rheingau region is known for more fuller-bodied Riesling with structured acidity, while Rheinhessen directly south yields Riesling with more mild acidity, medium body, and stone fruit flavors. While gasoline and wine may sound like an odd match, wine aficionados celebrate and seek out this quality in German Riesling! Young wines might smell of flint stone, and mature growths can show interesting petrol notes. On the Mosel’s cool-climate steep sloped vineyards, Riesling is typically delicate and intensely mineral, partially from the slate soil it’s grown on. Common aromas and flavors include green apple, peach, and lime. ![]() ![]() Riesling is able to thrive in a wide range of soils, but heat-retaining, stony soils on steep, south-facing sites along river valleys provide optimal conditions, such as those found along the rolling hills and valleys of the Rhine River and its tributaries.Ī “typical” German Riesling is pale greenish yellow to light golden yellow in color, light to medium-bodied and has a pronounced acidity and relatively low ABV. Slow to mature, Riesling is predestined for regions where it can finish ripening completely under the autumn sun, benefitting from nutrients in the soil and developing its characteristic minerality and well-balanced acidity. ![]() The bulk of rainfall occurs in the summer and declines during the final stages of ripening, opposite of typical precipitation patterns in much of southern Europe. Compared to most winemaking countries, Germany’s vineyards receive less sunshine during the growing season and see lower average temperatures. As such, Riesling is grown in all 13 of the country’s wine regions, and it’s the world’s largest producer of Riesling.Īmong the most northerly winegrowing areas in the world, Germany is considered a “cool climate” region. Riesling’s homeland of Germany checks all the boxes of an ideal Riesling region. Total Riesling surface area in Germany (2015): 23,596 hectares Total vineyard acreage in Germany (2018): ~103,000 hectares How does the flavor profile of Riesling differ across countries and continents? Beyond Riesling’s birthplace along Germany’s Rhine River, Riesling is also grown around the world from Australia to Oregon. With over 23,000 hectares planted to Riesling in Germany alone, fully exploring the country’s array of Rieslings is no small feat. This transparency of terroir means that Riesling grown in different regions will produce wines with markedly distinct characteristics. One of Riesling’s most unique and celebrated qualities is its vibrant expression of terroir, commonly defined as “a sense of place.” In other words, certain elements of the soil and microclimate that the grapes are grown in are noticeable factors in the wine’s taste profile.
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