Sweet Wine For Beginners: Riesling

Sweet Wine For Beginners

Riesling is a sweet white wine that is made from a grape of the same name. The wines can be dry, sweet, semi-sweet or sparkling, but German Riesling is typically of the sweet variety. They are one of the top three white wines in the world.

Riesling is thought to have originated in Germany's Rhine region, where the grapes flourish. However, research has found that it was brought to France from Croatia in the days of the Roman Empire, giving this wine a very long history. It is a cross between the Traminer grapes from Italy and Goulais Blanc of France. Red and white grapes respectively, Riesling is made into a white wine only.

The wines can take some aging, but are often consumed young. At this age, Rieslings are very fruity wines with aromas of green apples, grapefruit, peaches, honey, rose blossom and fresh mown grass. Rieslings are naturally crisp, highly acidic with low alcohol levels and because of this high acidity it permits extended aging of the wine. It is also because of this searing acidity that winemakers add residual sugar to balance the wine and to raise the alcohol level.

Some Rieslings, especially the late-harvest varieties, are very expensive. These grapes can become infected with Noble Rot, a type of gray fungus, but this helps the excess water to evaporate from the fruit and concentrates sweetness.

When the grapes freeze whether as a result of frost or intentional freezing, the result is ice wine. Ice wines are very rich and super sweet because of the high concentration of sugar in them and make excellent dessert wines.

Riesling ripens between late September and November in Germany, but is often not harvested until January. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks and is known for its good balance of mineral and fruity flavors.

The wines made in Alsace have higher alcohol content and are mostly dry, full-bodied wines that coat the palette. The tastes and aromas of an Alsace Riesling come out after moderate aging but they are rarely sweet.

Riesling wine from Australia is typically lean with the aromas and flavors of toast, honeycomb and lime. It is common for the wine to ferment in stainless steel which prevents oxidation from occurring. When the wines are young they tend to have an oily texture with citrus flavors, but this balances out as they age.

Riesling does not have a large planting in California, but where it does it is produced as a late-harvest dessert wine. The wines tend to be softer and fuller than German Rieslings and have more complex flavors. Riesling produced in Oregon and Washington ranges from dry to sweet with a crisp lightness that makes it an easy drinking sweet wine for beginners.