Lime, peach and slate, always with electric acidity: the white grape sommeliers love most.
Where it grows
Riesling is the great grape of Germany. On the steep slate slopes of the Mosel, and in the Rheingau and Pfalz, it makes wines from bone-dry to lusciously sweet. It is just as important across the border: in Alsace, and on the Luxembourg Moselle, where it makes some of the country’s most prized dry whites.
Austria’s Wachau, Australia’s Clare and Eden Valleys and New York’s Finger Lakes are also famous for it. Riesling loves cool climates and long autumns, which let the grapes ripen slowly and keep their acidity.
How it tastes
Riesling is light-bodied, never oaked, and has very high acidity. Young, it tastes of lime, green apple, white peach and apricot, with flowers and a stony, slate-like minerality.
It comes in every level of sweetness. Dry styles are crisp and mineral; off-dry styles such as German Kabinett balance a touch of sweetness with racing acidity and low alcohol. Riesling ages wonderfully: after some years it develops honey, toast and a distinctive petrol note that fans adore.
What to eat with it
- Thai green curry: a touch of sweetness and low alcohol cool the chilli.
- Sushi: a dry Riesling is precise and clean beside raw fish.
- Pork belly or roast pork: acidity cuts the fat; fruit loves the meat.
- Choucroute and Rieslingspaschtéit: the local Alsace and Luxembourg way.
- Spicy Asian dishes: pad thai, Szechuan, Indian curries with an off-dry style.
- Fruit tart: with a late-harvest Riesling.
A little history
Riesling is first recorded in Germany in the 15th century. For a time in the late 19th century, the best German Rieslings sold for more than top Bordeaux. In the 20th century, cheap sweet wines damaged its reputation abroad, but growers on the Mosel and Rhine have since rebuilt it, and today dry German Riesling is one of the most exciting white wines in the world. On the Luxembourg Moselle, Riesling is grown on some of the steepest, best-exposed slopes, such as those around Wormeldange.
One bottle to start with
Schloss Lieser Riesling Kabinett “Juffer” (about €20.23) from the Mosel: gently sweet, slate-fresh and low in alcohol. For a dry style close to home, look for a Riesling from the Luxembourg Moselle, from villages such as Wormeldange or Ahn.
Good to know
- On German labels, Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese describe how ripe the grapes were at harvest, not exactly how sweet the wine is. “Trocken” means dry.
- The petrol note in aged Riesling comes from a natural compound called TDN; it is a sign of age, not a fault.
- Serve it at 8–10 °C. Sweeter styles can go a little colder.
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Photo: Pixabay
Prices were checked in October 2026 and can change. Please drink responsibly. L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.