Riesling is the ultimate Rhineland grape variety. It offers a great diversity of wines that are recognised as being some of world’s best whites. Riesling wines are considered to be a perfect accompaniment for haute cuisine, and can be kept for decades in the bottle.
Riesling is a very late variety; it reaches maturity after cool nights that give it its specific qualities. Wines made from this variety are wonderfully aromatic dry wines, racy, elegant and powerful. The subtlety of Riesling is revealed through fruit and floral notes and the mineral character of the soil the vines are planted on.
Grown in Alsace since Roman times, Riesling offers steady production and is the most prevalent in the region. It represents more than 23% of the surface of the wine-growing region. Riesling expresses its qualities to perfection on soils that are not too rich, with a sunny outlook.
Vinified on its own, Riesling is one of the varieties allowed in Grand Cru wines. It is a variety that can adapt to a large number of terroirs. It can therefore be found in Grand Cru wines such as Schlossberg, Rebgarten, Mambourg, Zinnkoepflé and Kaefferkopf.
Riesling also produces excellent sweet wines (Late Harvest and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines).
On your table, the Riesling will go perfectly with dishes with iodine notes. It will naturally find its place alongside fish, shellfish, crustaceans or seafood... Not surprisingly, the Riesling will marry ideally with the traditional sauerkraut. It is also a perfect companion to goat cheese and snails.
When it comes from terroirs bringing beautiful maturities like the Grands Crus, let it also surprise you by serving it on a pan-fried foie gras... replacing the traditional Pinots-Gris or Gewurztraminer.
