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Every article on Riesling begins with the same plea: the grape deserves far greater mainstream appreciation than it gets due to its diversity of styles and prices, potential to age, and alluring aromatics, acidity and complexity. This grape is noble. She is a queen. Riesling is the underestimated Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains (to that Pinot Grigio addiction) and Rightful Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. These points (minus the GOT comparison) continue to be reiterated because they are all true. So where is the missing link, then, between serious wine lovers, the industry set, and writers who worship Riesling, and the rest of the public who does not?
A major hurdle for conversion is the lingering misconception that all Riesling is sweet. This was legitimately based on the flood of cheap, sugary juice from Germany (think Blue Nun), but that era is long gone. However, producers don’t help themselves win new fans looking for drier styles when they fail to note sweetness levels on their wines. On- and-off trade make matters worse when employees don’t know the profiles of the wines they sell. Just two days ago, I asked a waitress about the residual sugar of an unfamiliar brand on a notable restaurant’s by-the-glass list. She assured me it was dry. It was not.
In an effort to lure both young and old to the Riesling side, Wines of Germany, representing the grape’s spiritual homeland, organizes a variety of consumer education campaigns. Generation Riesling focuses on the under-30 crowd while the annual Summer of Riesling encompasses every age bracket. Paul Grieco of Terroir and Hearth fame, appropriately helped kick off the latter campaign over the weekend in NYC. Grieco cemented his reputation as a spirited supporter of the grape several summers ago when he banned all white wines by the glass but Riesling at Terroir. (A nationwide list of restaurants and retailers offering events and tastings can be found on Wines of Germany.)
For the autodidactics out there -- the brunt of most wine drinkers -- I’ve put together a list of seven regions and producers for sampling expressive, dry styles of Riesling. Whether this article serves to preach to the converted or recruit for the newly devout, I think we can all conclude that Riesling should be winning the Game of Wines.
A note on methodology: Borrowing from Germany wine law, I typically define wines as dry when containing less than 9 grams of sugar per liter, although residual sugar measurements should be taken in context with the amount of acidity in the wine. With higher acidity, more sugar can remain in the wine without being perceived as off-dry or sweet.
Brooks Winery, Oregon. (Photo by Andrea Johnson Photography)
Brooks, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Neighboring Washington State overshadows the good work being done with Riesling in Oregon, as does the Willamette Valley’s world-class Pinot Noir. But this small yet high-quality category deserves serious consideration from oenophiles looking for the next great American Riesling region (notwithstanding decades of its cultivation in Oregon). One property in particular, Brooks, has a strong focus on the grape. The 20-acre, biodynamically farmed vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills sub-region was founded by Portlander Jimi Brooks in 1998. Despite his unfortunate passing, with the assistance of his sister Janie Brooks and his best friend now winemaker, Chris Williams, the winery has continued delivering memorable wines under his name.
Others to try: Chehalem, Trisaetum, Elk Cove
Frankland Estate, Frankland River Region, Western Australia
Eden and Clare Valleys in Australia garner most of the acclaim for their bone-dry, floral and lime-scented expressions, yet Frankland River in Western Australia has the potential to become a worthy competitor. Unfortunately, the region’s isolation at 200 miles south of Perth (4+ hours by car) has limited the number of small producers willing to work there. Those who do have focused on Riesling as one of their signature white grapes as it matches the area’s relatively cool climate and gravelly soils. Frankland Estate, the star in the local firmament, is not simply a big fish in a small pond; the second generation, organically-farmed property deserves recognition as one of the best Riesling producers in the country for its vibrant, aromatic wines and range of single-vineyard bottlings.
Others to try: Alkoomi, Old Kent River
Aurora Inn, Finger Lakes, New York. (Photo by Lauren Mowery)
Ravines, Finger Lakes, New York
Americans have slowly caught on that upstate New York produces much of the country’s finest Riesling. Why? Area growers recognized early on the perfect marriage between the grape and the cool, northerly climate tempered by a series of slender lakes. The catch is that production levels are fairly small, so what’s available from the top producers gets split between restaurant allocation and upscale retailers in major cities. The wines display racy acidity, often with white florals and pear notes as exemplified by highly-regarded producer Ravines. FLX Riesling also offers incredible value, many wines hitting below the $20 mark.
Others to try: Heart & Hands, Bloomer Creek, Dr. Frank, Hermann J. Wiemer, Forge Cellars
Wine trail in Langenlois, Austria. (Photo by Lauren Mowery)
Weingut von Winning, Pfalz, Germany
All of Germany grows Riesling; it is the world’s number one producer of the grape. Picking one of thirteen Anbaugebiete to highlight is like choosing your favorite child. Every region sports a different climate and soil mix resulting in a wide range of styles. If Mosel Riesling argues for lacy delicacy, then the Pfalz presents the counterargument. Located in the far southwest corner, by German standards the Pfalz boasts balmy weather. All those warm, sunshine days translate into bigger, more opulent wines generally fermented dry. One producer, Weingut von Winning (an apropos name?), holds a large acreage of favored sites and makes ambitious examples that reflect terroir over variety. Like Pinot Noir, Riesling expresses its environment with remarkable transparency.
Others to try: Weingut Markus Schneider, Reichsrat von Buhl, Weingut Odinstal
Weingut Bründlmayer, Kamptal, Austria
Why aren’t more people drinking Austrian Riesling? I’ve pondered this question since tasting through nearly one hundred of them at the Vie Vinum wine fair in Vienna two years ago. While Grüner Veltliner put this small nation on the mainstream wine-drinking map, it’s the steely, focused, age-worthy Rieslings that deserve close examination. Austrian wine quality across the board is high, so there’s little risk when presented with an unknown producer. Price and access to the wines present a greater challenge, which is why Bründlmayer is an excellent name to find. The family owns top sites in famous vineyards, but also produces good value at the lower level.
Others to try: Nikolaihof, Rudi Pichler, Weingut Birgit Eichinger
Domaine Josmeyer, Alsace, France
Set in the rain shadow of the Vosges Mountains, this sun-kissed landscape produces serious wines belied by the whimsy of its storybook-pretty villages. The most important region in France for Riesling, Alsace borders Germany along the Rhine, and as Jancis Robinson characterizes it, “make[s] Germanic wine in the French way.” Styles tend toward bone-dry, full-bodied, and firm, with moderately higher alcohols than elsewhere, a result of fermenting out the sugars produced by the long, dry growing seasons. Exceptions exist, and off-dry styles have increased. But for producers like Josmeyer, an organic and biodynamic certified family estate, the focus remains squarely on finesse, precision, and gastronomy-friendly dryness. Their website even supplies pairing tips.
Others to try: Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Domaine Mittnacht Frères, Albert Boxler
Tantalus Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Okanagan Valley in British Columbia has earned my designation as the world’s great sleeper region for Riesling with its minerally, laser-focused wines suited to lovers of purity and mouthwatering acidity. Despite is northern, Canadian location, the semi-desert region has generously warm days alternating with cool nights, serving to ripen fruit flavors while retaining piercing intensity. Tantalus Vineyards has become the benchmark Riesling producer for the region. Overlooking the shores of Lake Okanagan, the site was first planted in 1927, making it one of the oldest, continually producing vineyards in the province.
Others to try: Synchromesh, Orofino, Cedar Creek, Mission Hill
