Riesling

Many people will refer to Riesling as too sweet and often overlook its charm and character. The word itself may conjures up Blue Nuns and Black Towers, but the truth is, riesling is one of the greatest grapes.

Part of the reason most rieslings are sweet is because without the sugar, the high acid in the wine would make it unenjoyable, requiring many years in the bottle to soften.This is what is called balance in a wine.

Most young beverage entrepreneurs are well aware of the importance of balance. As the warm weather arrives and children open their lemonade stands for the season, they know just how much sugar to add to perfect their product and ensure a good ROI.

In the context of riesling, sugar is important and often vital to experiencing the wine as pleasant, as added sugar will add richness to the palate. With a little sugar and lower alcohol, many rieslings become stunning wines that can be complex and bold yet simultaneously light and delicate.

But, and let this be the take home, not all rieslings are sweet. In fact the best rieslings from Clare Valley in Australia are the driest, purest forms of rieslings that demand years in the cellar to be fully appreciated. However, there is nothing wrong with cracking one open in its youth to enjoy the crisp refreshing lime cordial and lemon sorbet flavours.

Another aroma and flavour that gets trotted out when people talk about riesling is petrol or gas. These are not normally things I want to smell or drink, but it is not uncommon to find them in  rieslings. Some winemakers, for example Michel Chapoutier of the Rhone Valley, have gone on record as saying that these aromas and flavours are in fact faults. The jury is out. Some covet them, others dislike them.

In Germany, where 68% of wine is white, riesling accounts for 24% of of it. Fifty percent of the world’s riesling is found in Germany. So to dismiss it as something akin to jerrycan juice would be a gross oversight. Riesling has the ability to produce extremely dry wines and extremely sweet wines, both of which can age with grace. With such variety and versatility, you could even have a wine list with nothing but riesling and still be able to appeal to any wine drinker.

And with the summer just around the corner, there is no better time to stock up. Riesling is by far one of the best summer wines.

However, even though it is thought to be a cool climate variety, it simply can’t stand the cold in Prince Edward County. Riesling also requires a few more weeks of warmth on both sides of the growing season that generally aren’t found here. I can count on one hand with fingers left to spare the county grown rieslings in bottle.

But fear not local wine lovers. The wine drinking world does pay attention to the rieslings from Niagara so there are many Ontario wines that are considered world class.