Germany
Germany
I always wanted to be a grown up and love Riesling, but years ago every approach ended in rebuff. Cool climate Rieslings from New Zealand or the USA didn't quite get there, and most Aussie examples smell like a can of kerosene poured over a wrecked cosmetics counter. Not pretty. Every recent experience with German Riesling has ended in happiness and total satisfaction. Have I grown up (unlikely) or is German the key word here? What Germany has over its Riesling growing rivals is a truly cool climate - most years anyway - and some fantastic terroirs, selected over hundreds of years for their character and quality. Check out regions and producers for more details, but more importantly, taste them! And Germany isn't just about white wine these days, or even just Riesling in the whites. Don't forget Pinor Noir, now that climate change and better farming are having their effect. And Franken's Sylvaner won't be left out of the picture, despite being described to me by a native as 'great with salad'! And so much more, so much more.
- MoselMosel is most famous for its vertiginous slate vineyards, home to some of the world`s finest Riesling. It is a northerly region and the wines are no strangers to high acidity, so a touch or more of residual sugar goes a long way in balancing this. Wines can be very long lived, but I find they are drinkable from the off and don`t seem to close down. (CW 23/01/12)
- NaheDonnhof is the most famous and illustrious producer and the area has a vastly complex array of terroirs, not just in soils but microclimates and aspects and so on. The Nahe itself is a tributary of the Rhine and has cut some interesting south facing slopes. (CW 23/01/12)
- RheingauHome of some of the best dry Riesling in Germany around the towns of Rudesheim and Geisenheim on south facing slopes where the river turns west briefly. (CW 23/01/12)
- RheinhessenDespite being the source of Niersteiner Gutes Domtal, the Rheinhessen contains some beautiful sites for wine growing and some fantastic soils too. There are red, iron rich parts as well as the more chalky sites. As ever Riesling is the star grape in the region and quality wines here are delicious. You`ll fine as many white peach fruited Rieslings as limey ones. (CW 23/01/12)
- FrankenNot a Riesling area. Here the distinguishing features are the widespread of Sylvaner which all the producers I asked said goes well with salad, and the Bocksbeutel, which to you and me is the bottle used for Mateus Rosé. Even the wineracks in the area are all designed for this shape. It did come as a shock that most German salad dressings are based on water. But the wines, the wines can be lovely. As a person who would like to love Riesling, but whose teeth can`t cope, Sylvaner with slightly less acid and a not dissimilar flavour profile – maybe a bit more herb – is ideal. (CW 23/01/12)
- AhrA small, hilly, northern region capable of making great Rieslings but most famous for light and lively Pinot Noirs. But the reality is somewhat different. Partly due to improved viticulture and an increased awareness of what Pinot Noir can do, the red wines from this slightly isolated region have improved immeasurably over the last years. The Stodden wines are fragrant and elegant, but have body and presence.