What is it?

Fans of German wine will already know that Riesling (pronounced reece-ling) makes some of the finest white wines on the planet. It is a noble grape variety that is grown in all of Germany's winemaking regions and it comes in a variety of different styles.

What does it Taste like?

Riesling is famous for its zippy acidity which makes it wonderfully fresh and elegant and also helps the wine to age very well. Traditional flavours in a young German Riesling might include citrus, such as lemon and grapefruit, as well as tropical flavours such as pineapple and lychee. Older German Riesling develops depth and complexity and flavours might include dried apricots or raisins.

What's Your Style?

German Riesling comes in so many different styles depending on what part of the country the grape comes from, how the grapes are looked after in the vineyard and how the winemaker produces the wine! One factor that also affects the style is how late the grapes are harvested before they are used in the wine. Whether you like your wines from bone dry to off-dry, intensely concentrated, or wines that are sweeter but still retain a refreshing finish there is a style of German Riesling perfect for you!

Trocken means dry in German and these wines tend to be a bit younger, very crisp and fresh! Kabinett are light wines with low alcohol content and are the perfect summer drink! Many are off-dry but can also be dry. Spätlese means the grapes are harvested a little later, so the wines have great concentration of flavour, but are not necessarily sweet. Auslese wines are made from fully ripened grapes and display intense aromas, fruity and can be sweet. Beerenauslese & Trockenbeerenauslese wines are made from berries that are very ripe and harvested at a very late point. Both of these are rarities as the weather conditions must be perfect in order for the grapes to ripen for this long. These wines can be stored for several years whilst still retaining the characteristic freshness of Riesling. These wines are rich and sweet and make for great dessert wines.

Food Pairings

Riesling is so versatile you will certainly find a style that matches your favourite food! Riesling's fruity flavours make it the perfect wine to match with spicy dishes, from Thai curries to authentic, (well-spiced!) Mexican tacos. The characteristic crisp freshness of German Riesling also means that the wine is great with fresh salads and fish dishes.

Get Some

Here at Hic! we have a great selection of German Riesling from some of the country's leading wine makers for sale online by the bottle or as part of your own specially selected mixed case. Take a look at our online range of German wines here > Buy German Wine Online at Hic!

Additionally, if you visit our store in Ledston during the month of July you will be able to discover and taste a range of German Rieslings which we have available in our Enomatic wine tasting machine. These encompass a range of styles from different regions of Germany and all from top-class producers.

If you would like to continue your Riesling discovery journey, head over to the Wines of Germany UK website where the team are giving away bottles of German Riesling to celebrate 31 Days of German Riesling this July. Just follow them on social media to find out how to enter.

 @WinesofGermanyUK

 @WinesofGermany

 @winesofgermanyuk