3. 3 Riesling A white grape variety originating in the Rhine region of Germany. An aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked. Riesling is a variety which is highly terroir-expressive, meaning that the character of the wines is clearly influenced by its place of origin.
4. Origins Cross between two mediaeval German varieties: Gouais Blanc and Traminer x wild vine Literature references: 1435 in Rhiengau 1477 in Alsace 4
5. 5 Impact of Riesling Riesling the world's 20th most grown variety at 48,700 hectares. In terms of importance for quality wines, it is usually included in the "top three" white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon.
6. 6 Where? Riesling is most commonly grown in colder regions and locations. Riesling is the most grown variety in Germany (20.8%) in the French region of Alsace (21.9%) Also in Austria, Luxembourg, northern Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Finger Lakes, USA, Canada, South Africa.
7. 7 Longevity Often consumed young. Riesling's naturally high acidity and range of flavours make it suitable for extended ageing. Ageing periods for quality Riesling wines would be 5–15 years for dry 10–20 years for semi-sweet and 10-30+ for sweet versions.
8. 8 Petroleum aroma in aged Riesling wines With time, Riesling wines tend to acquire a petrol nose . An integral part of the aroma profile of mature Riesling and sought after by many experienced drinkers. Ageing product : 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene TDN German wine industry ambivalent about ‘petrol or kerosene’ nose.
9. Matching with food A Riesling's typical aromas are of flowers, tropical fruits, and mineral stone. Riesling is a versatile wine for pairing with food, because of its balance of sugar and acidity. It can be paired with white fish or pork, and is one of the few wines that can stand up to the stronger flavours and spices of Thai and Chinese cuisine. 9
10. German wines A big producer. Traditional off-dry wines with residual sugar are now unfashionable. But 100 years ago Mosel and Rhine wines were sought after and were often the most expensive on Edwardian wine lists. Move to dry (Trocken) wines for local consumption.
11. Classification of Quality German wines (the Rubbish) Wein – cheap blended wine made from grapes outside the EU!! Tafelwein – Table wine from grapes of EU origin DeutscherTafelwein – must be 100% German; 75% from one region to have a regional name on label Landwein– some quality considerations begin to creep in; from a specified region
12. Classification of Quality German wines Qualitätswein Bestimmer Anbaugebeit (QbA) – must be from one of the 13 regions; min alc 5.9 % Equivalent to French AOC
13. Germany’s 13 QbA wine regions Ahr Baden Franken Hessische bergstrasse Mittelrhein Mosel Nahe Pfalz Rheingau Rheinhessen Saale-Unstrut Sachsen Wurttemburg
15. Classification of Quality German wines (Quality wines): QmP Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) [Prädikatswein since 2007] – QbA from a specified district, village of vineyard Kabinett QmP- delicate medium-dry wines Spätlese QmP – late-picked grapes giving sweeter wines with more body Auslese QmP – wines from selected grapes to give enhanced intensity and richness
16. 16 Kabinett Three styles on one vineDepends on ripeness,hence sugar content Spatlese Auslese
17. Classification of Quality German wines (The Exotic) Beerenauslese QmP – selected individual grapes usually showing ‘noble rot’; produces wines of great concentration; balancing acidity prevents ‘cloying’ Eiswein QmP – ‘Ice wine’; very ripe grapes are gathered individually, often in a cold December morning when the water content is still frozen; pressed immediately and the ice crystals are separated from the acid and sugars to give a wine that is very sweet but has fresh acidity. Trockenbeerenauslese QmP – grapes that have been shrivelled almost to dryness due to noble rot; gathered individually late in the season to produce an intensely sweet nectar-like juice
20. Wine 1 Dr L, Loosen Bros, Riesling, Qualitätswein, Mosel, 2010 non-estate wine comes exclusively from traditional vineyards with steep slopes and slate soil. 8.5% alc; 40 g/l residual sugar Aromas: The nose suggests honey, apricot, apples. Palate: Off-dry. Apricot, peach hints. Minerality? 20
21. Dr Ernst Loosen Ernst Loosen is a German winemaking hero. based in the Mosel grows only Riesling. ‘With plots in many of the region's most famous vineyards he makes fantastic wines that just scream fruit from the blue slate soils of these improbably steep slopes.’ Decanter Magazine's 'Man of the Year' in 2005. 21
25. 25 Wine 2 Prinz von Hessen, Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau, 2008 Trocken style, but still 8.7g/l residual sugar Colour: Pale yellow, green Aroma: Fresh, juicy fruits – peaches, citrus Palate: Orange blossom and grapefruit. Well balanced fruit-acidity and fine mineral characteristics.
26. Liebfraumilch Liebfraumilch is probably Germany's most notorious wine type. In principle a medium-quality wine designation although more commonly perceived to be a low-quality wine both at home and on the export market. A semi-sweet QbA from the Rheingau, Nahe, Rheinhessen or Pfalz, consisting at least 70% of the varieties Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner or Kerner. In practice there is very little Riesling in Liebfraumilch since varietally labelled Riesling wines tend to fetch a higher price. 26
28. 28 Wine 3 Josemeyer, Les Pierrets Riesling, Alsace AOC, 2004 Les Pierrets = small stones also sparrows 35 year old vines Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed Slow fermentation with natural yeast. Residual sugar 6 g/l Palate: Quince and peach with strong minerality. ‘Conjures up a limestone cliff after a thunderstorm’
29. Wine regions of Austria Look for: Grüner Veltliner (spicy white) and Riesling from Lower Austria (Niederosterreich Sweet wines from Neusiedelersee The anti-freeze scandal of 1980s Diethylene glycol, not Ethylene glycol (Anti-freeze), to sweeten wines Wine 5
30. Wine 4 Domaene Gobelsburg, Riesling, Qualitätswein, 2008 Niederösterreich, -- Kamptal A modern winery in a historic castle setting. Aroma: Deep and luxuriously intense Riesling aroma with hints of apples, melon and peach. Palate: Light to medium bodied. Trocken style Bracing acidity; noticeable minerality; any oiliness?. 87 Parker points 30
33. 33 Wine 5 Rockford, Hand-picked Riesling, Eden Valley, Sth Australia 2003 German (Silesian) heritage Small producer in Barossa, Eden Valleys Hand-picked, selected grapes. Colour: Light straw-green Aroma : Apple-blossom, citrus (lime?); any petrol? Palate: Citrus combined with slatiness; long, fine finish; ‘Still very youthful. 94 points’. [James Halliday] .
36. 36 Wine 6 Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Dry Riesling 2010. Colour: Light straw-green. Aroma : floral bouquet of sweet citrus-lime and fresh spring flowers. Palate: light bodied showing distinct fresh lime and citrus mandarin flavours with excellent fruit sweetness. .
39. Wine 7 Staatlichen Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese , M-S-R, QmB, 1976 1976 a good year in the Mosel – (remember the heatwave!) Colour: Dark yellow-orange? Nose: Citrus? Honey? Candied orange peel? Any petrol? Palate: Ripe honeyed fruits; luscious; long finish; but sweet enough? ‘It is drinking well now, and still seems quite young and vibrant’. 39
40. 40 Wine 8 Dr Loosen, Riesling Beerenauslese (BA), QmB, Mosel, 2006 Made from hand- selected botrytised grapes in an exceptional year (2006) Only made in years when conditions allow botrytis Harvested at around 120 ° Oechsle (cf.110 ° needed) Only 6.5% alc; 160 g/l residual sugar Nose: Apples, citrus? Palate: Ripe honeyed fruits; luscious; long finish
41. Residual sugar Dr Loosen, Riesling Beerenauslese (BA) 160 g/l Dr L, Loosen Bros, Riesling, Qualitätswein 40 g/l Prinz von Hessen, Riesling ,Kabinett 8.7 g/l Villa Maria, Marlborough Dry Riesling 8.1 g/l Josemeyer, Les Pierrets Riesling, Alsace 6 g/l Rockford, Hand-picked Riesling, Eden Valley Domaene Gobelsburg, Riesling, Qualitätswein Staatlichen Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese 41
42. Preferred style? Off-dry German style Drier German Trocken, Alsace, Austrian style High-fruit, acidic New World style 42
43. 43 Today’s wines 1.Dr L, Loosen Bros, Riesling, Qualitätswein, Mosel 2010 £7.49 M Prinz von Hessen, Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau, 2008£9.99 M Josemeyer, Les Pierrets, Riesling, Alsace AOC, 2004 £19.50 WS 4. Domaene Gobelsburg, Riesling, Qualitätswein, 2008 £10.50 WS 5. Rockford, Hand-picked Riesling, Eden Valley, Sth Australia 2003 £12.99 M Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Dry Riesling, NZ, 2010 £8.99 W Staatlichen Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese, QmP, M-S-R, 1976 £4 - £25 Dr Loosen, Riesling Beerenauslese (BA), QmP , Mosel, 2006 (Quarter bottles) £10.99 M -------------------------------- W Waitrose WS Wine SocietyMMajestic
44. Which of today’s wines? White Riesling Nose: Fruit? Petrol? Minerality? 44
45. 45 Final session Wednesday 24 August 2011 at 2.30pm Matching Food and Wine
