Riesling

One of the most aromatic white wine grape varietals, riesling is typically identified with tasting notes of apples,citrus, peach, honey, rose blossom or cut green grass. Naturally high in acidity, the riesling grape lends itself to creating some of the most interesting white wines available. Traditional winemaking styles range from completely dry (no residual sugar) of Austria and France's Alsace region to the incredibly sweet and botrytis affected wines of Germany and Austria.

New world riesling is made in both dry and 'off sweet' styles. Canadian 'Ice Wine' is made by letting the grapes hang on the vine long after the traditional harvest and picking and pressing the grapes while frozen. These wines offer incredible intensity with notes of honey and flowers.

The German classification system of quality wine is known as Qualitätswein mit Prädikat. The level of sugar in the grapes when harvested determines the classification in an increasing order of ripeness.

Kabinett
The lowest level of quality wine. The grapes are ripe when harvested and can be made into either sweet, semi-sweet, or dry wine.

Spätlese
"Late harvest" normally vinified semi-sweet, usually sweeter than Kabinett. Can also be fermented dry.

Auslese
"Select harvest" harvested individually as ripe berries or clusters of grapes. Normally made as a sweet or semi-sweet wine and at times the grapes are at the beginning stages of botrytis or "noble rot".

Beerenauslese
"Select berry harvest" Overripe berries are hand picked, taking several passes through the vineyard over several days. Often affected by botrytis, Beerenauslese wines are rich and sweet making great dessert wine.

Eiswein (ice wine)
Grapes are left on the vine until the first freeze when they are harvested and pressed while still frozen leaving the water behind. The resulting must is incredibly thick making a sweet dessert wine. Usually the grapes used for Eiswein are not affected by botrytis.

Trockenbeerenauslese
"Select dry berry harvest" Made from individually selected overripe shriveled grapes usually affected by botrytis yielding extremely expensive and very sweet wines.

Austria, in addition to the German classifications makes one of the most famous of the botrytis affected dessert wines. Ruster Ausbruch is grown in the Burgenland region of Austria and consistently produces the best conditions for botrytis to shrivel the grapes, producing a deeply concentrated wine with incredible complexity.

Our Favorites:

2004 Weingut Allram Riesling Heiligenstein, Austria
Heiligenstein or "Hell Rock" is a wine growing region north of Vienna in the Kamptal region. This dry riesling explodes with aromas of ripe peaches and apricots.
($30)

2006 Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Saering Grand Cru, Alsace,
Classical dry wine loaded with minerals, stone fruit and citrus.
($28)

2006 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Auslese #11, Germany  
Lemon, apple, stone fruit and spice dominate this incredibly delicious wine. Sweet with amazing acidity.
($45)

2007 Chateau Ste Michelle-Dr. Loosen "Eroica" Riesling, Washington State  
A joint venture between Washington's Chateau Ste Michelle and Germany's Dr. Ernst Loosen. Honeysuckle, peaches and minerals describe this great wine.
($20)

More Grape Varieties