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The Rape of the Grape

It may seem a bit extreme to claim that Riesling has been raped. But in a way, it has. This noble variety and contender with Chardonnay for being the best white wine grape was exploited for years by mass producers of run-of-the-mill Rieslings or wines masquerading as such. Consequently, Riesling came to be associated with cloying sweetness and/or vapidity. Indeed, a close friend recently cringed at the mere suggestion of having a Riesling to accompany her baked Virginia ham. “Ugh,” she sneered, “I detest sweet wines” and would hear no more.

“What a shame,” I thought, “that this noble variety has earned, undeservedly, such a tainted reputation.” Could anything worse be said about a wine these days than “it’s sweet” (or perhaps in more refined circles “fruity.”) Sure many of us have had our quota of Liebfraumilchs, and Johannisberg Rieslings, and Emerald Green Rieslings, and Mountain Dry Rieslings, etc., etc. But how many of us have attempted to reacquaint ourselves with this truly wonderful varietal?

Personally, I’ve grown tired of Chardonnay. When looking for a white, I would usually turn to a Sauvignon Blanc or a Chenin Blanc. More and more, however, when I want a wine to complement, as well as provide a counterpoint to, my meal, I find myself opting for a Riesling. Its subtle sweetness and crisp acidity make Riesling the perfect choice for Chinese or Fusion cuisine and even a fine accompaniment for my friend’s ham. The drier varieties, especially those from Alsace, with their steely mineral aromas and citrus tastes, are great with grilled German wursts or French charcuterie. I think what I like best about a Riesling with a meal is what I like about a good dinner companion: it keeps me interested.

What qualities should you look for in a Riesling? First off, look for flavor. Most critics agree that Riesling’s flavor tends to reflect its provenance. In Germany, the Rieslings from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer are usually crisp wines, light in body, refreshing with hints of slate. Those from Pfalz are fuller bodied, richer, and taste of apricot, peach, or tropical fruit. And examples from the Rheingau tend to be steely with lemon citrus flavor. (I should perhaps mention that the German wines we are discussing here are the affordable Qualitatswein, Kabinett, and Spatlese wines. The prices that higher quality levels like Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese fetch are way above the $20 limit of this page.)

Alsatian Rieslings exemplify the variety’s refreshing characteristics. They’re generally bone dry with mineral noses and flavors accompanied by good acidity. See my earlier feature, What to Serve With Turkey, in the Archives for more notes on Alsatian wines. (Buyers Note: While purchasing wines for this feature, I noticed that the prices for Alsatian Rieslings seem to be on the rise, and it was difficult to find one for under $20. Could Riesling be the next Merlot?)

Finally, the Rieslings from Australia and the United States seem to be attracting attention and gaining popularity. One writer characterizes their style as “buxom.” I prefer to think of them as forward, assertive, and tasty.

Although Rieslings can age quite well, I don’t recommend buying the less expensive ones for cellaring. Also be wary if your wine store’s limited supply of German or Alsatian Riesling is covered in dust and the bottles seem to have been on their shelves forever. Shelves or basement storerooms are no substitutes for cellars.

As I mentioned earlier, Rieslings are great with Asian and Fusion cooking. I especially enjoy an off-dry or semi-sweet one with Chinese food or as an aperitif. The drier, steely, citrus flavored Rieslings are excellent with roast pork, grilled wursts, or seafood.

My final words of advice:

Do not, like my fair friend, sweet Riesling shun.
Imbibe, enjoy, pick taste over fashion.

For this feature, we prepared a variety of grilled wursts. As is our custom, we tasted each of the wines by themselves and then sampled them with the food.

1998 Willi Haag, Riesling, Qualitatswein, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer ($11.99)

Pale gold in color, this wine has a big nose of citrus and grapefruit. It also has plenty of body. Semi-dry, it teases the palate with ripe peach flavors and crisp acidity. It was a fine accompaniment for the wursts.

1997 Fitz Ritter, Durkheimer Hochbenn Riesling, Kabinett, Pfalz ($8.99)

Very pale gold in color, its nose is straightforward with slate and minerals. On the palate, it's full bodied and delivers dried apricot flavors together with good acidity. It has a great mid-palate and it finishes well. This wine was excellent with the wursts and its acidity cut through the fat. A real value.

1997 Schumann Nagler, Riesling, Spatlese, Rheingau ($15.99)

Pale straw in color, this wine has an herbaceous, honeysuckle nose. On the palate, it's crisp and semi-dry with good acidity. Its flavors range from lemon citrus to hints of sweet peach. It also has a good finish. This wine's subtle sweetness seemed to open or become more forward with the food and complemented the meats' spicy flavors.

1997 Adam, Riesling d'Alsace, Reserve, Vin d'Alsace ($12.99)

Pale gold in color, the wine has a distinctive mineral nose. It's crisp, dry, and medium bodied. On the palate, it delivers mineral flavors and adequate acidity. It sort of zips across the tongue and has a good finish. It was also very good with the food.

1998 Bonny Doon, Pacific Rim Dry Riesling ($10.99)

Pale straw in color with a big floral, honeysuckle nose, the wine is remarkably dry. Full bodied with good acidity, it's packed with plenty of flavor that ranges from dried apricots and peach to a lemon citrus. This wine went extraordinarily well with our wursts. I might also add that it's often my choice for Chinese food.

1997 Hogue Cellars, Johannisberg Riesling, Washington State ($7.99)

Gold in color, the wine has a big nose of dried figs. On the tongue, it's crisp with good body and acidity. Its initial flavors of figs together with some apricot are followed by a tart grapefruit finish. The wine was very good with our meal. In fact, it was good all around. Definitely one of the stars of the tasting.

1997 Dr. Konstantin Frank, Johannisberg Riesling, Semi-Dry, New York ($11.99)

Pale straw in color, the wine has a subtle nose of minerals and slate. On the palate, it's sweet like rock candy with flavors of honey followed by apple. It has good body and also finishes nicely. However, this is more a dessert or aperitif wine. It seemed to tone down the spiciness of the wursts. Not great but worth a try.

TableWine is a personal website and does not sell any wine. However, many of the wines we review are purchased from our local wine merchant, Wine & Spirit World. Their web site may help you locate a good number of our selections.

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