Riesling

Riesling

One of the classic great white grapes, Riesling is an ancient German variety which ages with grace and has recently been redefined, largely owing to a new life in the New World.

In Germany, Riesling is made into world-famous white wines in a range of styles, from dry and flinty to very sweet and rich.

Believed by some to be the best white variety, it produces wine of relatively low alcohol levels, which does not compromise the range of aromatics and flavours.

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    • Origin
    • Germany
    • Rheingau
    The nose is rich with the natural fruit aromas of peach and apricot. Made in the Spatlese style, the sweetness is balanced in harmony against the stim... Read More
    • Origin
    • Germany
    • Rheingau
    The nose is rich with the natural fruit aromas of peach and apricot. Made in the Spatlese style, the sweetness is balanced in harmony against the stim... Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £23.90 What is MIX6?

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    £19.92 exc VAT
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    £27.49 £22.91
    • Origin
    • South Africa
    • Western Cape
    The German clone grapes were vinified & once the perfect balance between sugar & acidity was reached, the fermentation was stopped to retain a hint of... Read More
    • Origin
    • South Africa
    • Western Cape
    The German clone grapes were vinified & once the perfect balance between sugar & acidity was reached, the fermentation was stopped to retain a hint of... Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £16.20 What is MIX6?

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    £13.50 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £17.50 £14.58
    • Origin
    • Australia
    • South Australia
    • Clare Valley
    Intense lemon and lime characters along with hints of orange blossom. The finish is crisp and resonates with citrus fruit - hallmarks of a great Clare... Read More
    • Origin
    • Australia
    • South Australia
    • Clare Valley
    Intense lemon and lime characters along with hints of orange blossom. The finish is crisp and resonates with citrus fruit - hallmarks of a great Clare... Read More
    BUY 3 for £37.51 £12.50 £31.26 exc VAT £10.42 exc VAT
    As part of a MIX6 £12.88 What is MIX6?

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    £10.73 exc VAT
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    £13.44 £11.20
    • Origin
    • New Zealand
    • Nelson
    Refreshing wine with a sweet and fruity front palate and a long crisp finish. Read More
    • Origin
    • New Zealand
    • Nelson
    Refreshing wine with a sweet and fruity front palate and a long crisp finish. Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £17.50 What is MIX6?

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    £14.58 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £19.94 £16.62
    • Origin
    • Germany
    • Rheingau
    A classic Kabinett style Riesling with elegant balance in  harmony between natural fruits and lively acidity. Read More
    • Origin
    • Germany
    • Rheingau
    A classic Kabinett style Riesling with elegant balance in  harmony between natural fruits and lively acidity. Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £19.25 What is MIX6?

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    £16.04 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £21.95 £18.29
    • Origin
    • Germany
    From the Mosel valley in Germany, delicate floral aromas and generous fruit give this medium style wine a fresh and harmonious character. Read More
    • Origin
    • Germany
    From the Mosel valley in Germany, delicate floral aromas and generous fruit give this medium style wine a fresh and harmonious character. Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £8.50 What is MIX6?

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    £7.08 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £9.74 £8.12
    • Origin
    • Germany
    This is a delicious and well balanced Riesling Spätlese from the Mosel. Aromatic peachy aromas with a fresh and zippy finish, this is the perfect mat... Read More
    • Origin
    • Germany
    This is a delicious and well balanced Riesling Spätlese from the Mosel. Aromatic peachy aromas with a fresh and zippy finish, this is the perfect mat... Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £10.19 What is MIX6?

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    £8.49 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £11.75 £9.79
    • Origin
    • New Zealand
    • Otago
    Aromas of lemons and limes are also present on a very elegant palate that has some peach, apricot and hints of honey. The wine's dry character brings ... Read More
    • Origin
    • New Zealand
    • Otago
    Aromas of lemons and limes are also present on a very elegant palate that has some peach, apricot and hints of honey. The wine's dry character brings ... Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £18.11 What is MIX6?

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    £15.09 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £19.98 £16.65
    • Origin
    • Germany
    • Mosel
    Crisp and fresh with remarkable elegance. Lime and peach on the nose and palate with a crisp Granny Smith apple finish. A delightful match with river ... Read More
    • Origin
    • Germany
    • Mosel
    Crisp and fresh with remarkable elegance. Lime and peach on the nose and palate with a crisp Granny Smith apple finish. A delightful match with river ... Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £12.85 What is MIX6?

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    £10.71 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £14.59 £12.16
    • Origin
    • Germany
    A drier style of Riesling, with peachy aromas. Stone fruit and fresh apple in the mouth balanced with mineral flavours and a hint of petrol. Read More
    • Origin
    • Germany
    A drier style of Riesling, with peachy aromas. Stone fruit and fresh apple in the mouth balanced with mineral flavours and a hint of petrol. Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £14.10 What is MIX6?

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    £11.75 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £15.98 £13.32
    • Origin
    • Germany
    A charmingly floral, medium-style wine from the glorious Mosel valley in the heart of this famous wine-producing country. Read More
    • Origin
    • Germany
    A charmingly floral, medium-style wine from the glorious Mosel valley in the heart of this famous wine-producing country. Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £9.95 What is MIX6?

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    £8.29 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £11.45 £9.54
    • Origin
    • France
    • Alsace
    Aromas of green apple fill the nose, with just a hint of honeyed sweetness. The palate is dry with vibrant citrus flavour followed by some tropical no... Read More
    • Origin
    • France
    • Alsace
    Aromas of green apple fill the nose, with just a hint of honeyed sweetness. The palate is dry with vibrant citrus flavour followed by some tropical no... Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £14.10 What is MIX6?

    Add 6 or more bottles of selected wine to your basket to receive the wholesale price.

    £11.75 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £15.98 £13.32
    • Origin
    • Australia
    • Western Australia
    • Great Southern
    A zesty wine with classic New World Riesling charm. Limes and citrus give the wine a real freshness which comes from the cool night harvesting. Read More
    • Origin
    • Australia
    • Western Australia
    • Great Southern
    A zesty wine with classic New World Riesling charm. Limes and citrus give the wine a real freshness which comes from the cool night harvesting. Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £17.95 What is MIX6?

    Add 6 or more bottles of selected wine to your basket to receive the wholesale price.

    £14.96 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £20.50 £17.08
    • Origin
    • France
    • Alsace
    This  Rieslings vinyards benefit due to the perfect exposure of the natural elements that without artificial help create a aromatic, elegant and powe... Read More
    • Origin
    • France
    • Alsace
    This  Rieslings vinyards benefit due to the perfect exposure of the natural elements that without artificial help create a aromatic, elegant and powe... Read More
    As part of a MIX6 £26.60 What is MIX6?

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    £22.17 exc VAT
    Single 75cl bottle
    £29.54 £24.62
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Old World and New World

The most famous German Riesling vineyards lie along the Rhine river, where solar rays are reflected up the slate-covered hills and onto vineyards. The slate in the soil also help by storing heat, raising the temperature in an otherwise very cool area, thereby making for terrific growing conditions.

In the New World, Riesling suffered from attempts to make German-style sweet wines. Some years ago, a focus on dry yet refreshing production with floral aromatics led to a renaissance. Unfortunately for this grape and its producers, the old image of over-produced and dull has made it a rather unpopular variety amongst the general public. Therefore, until a consumer renaissance elicitis the advent of Riesling again, it will be prevalent only within the wine industry.

Key Regions

Alsace (France), Germany (Rhine and Mosel), Canada, New Zealand, and Australia (Clare Valley).

Styles and Flavours

In the New World, Riesling is commonly made dry with marvellous perfumed wines, some with blossom, citrus, apricot, lavender, lemon, peach and linden flower aromas. The palate is often clean with a fresh acidity. With age, aromas of kerosene, honey, clove and even toast develop over a more full and weighty palate.

Sweetness is common in Germany, but the labelling is sometimes complicated. While the legal labelling system is narrow, the following terms are deployed on labels.

Trocken (dry) can be added to any label to mark that the wine has been made into a dry style by fermenting all grape sugar into alcohol, which however elicits a very strongly alcoholic wine.

Kabinett (early harvest) is often of low sweetness.

Spaetlese (late harvest) often has a medium level of residual sugar.

With Auslese (select harvest), the fruit is usually riper than Spaetlese and so a sweeter wine results.

Beerenauslese (selected harvest of berries) enjoys a higher prestige than Auslese, and is picked later. The grape bunches are affected by a Botrytis fungus which removes water and increases natural sugar. The berries must be hand picked and make sweet, concentrated wine for long ageing.

The highest level and intensely sweet wines result from Trockenbeerenauslesen. The berries have been shrivelled by Botrytis and may look like raisins. The very high sugar and very low juice from the berry makes very little wine and so the wine is very expensive and rare. It is considered a dessert wine.

Eiswein (ice-wine) is also made using Riesling. The process requires a natural freezing of the grapes while still on the vine; the frozen water in the juice makes for a richly concentrated wine. As bunches are typically ready for picking in late summer, waiting for freezing weather can cause problems and loss of vintage. It is important that no Botrytis affects the grapes for clean Eiswein to be made.

Sugar added to grape must (crushed grape juice and skin) to increase sweetness or alcohol level makes Qualitatswein. This is not a technical level to identify sweetness, but rather an identification of adherence to a classification of wine making, and is a term commonly applied to wine from Piesporter.

All Riesling is vinified without oak.

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