Riesling - wine grape variety

Riesling is the noble wine grape variety of Germany. In 1994 there were 23 000 ha in the German Federal Republic, second only to the 25 000 ha of Muller-Thurgau. Although often regarded as the standard by which white wine varieties are judged it is not planted to the same extent in any other country. The area of Riesling in France had increased from 1074 ha in 1968 to 2918 ha in 1988. There are modest areas in northern Italy, and in the eastern European countries. There are only about 50ha in Argentina and very little in Chile and South Africa. Most of the so-called Riesling in South Africa appears to be Crouchen. California with 1700 ha and Australia with 3600 ha may well have the largest areas outside Germany and France. In Australia it is often called Rhine Riesling to avoid possible confusion with Hunter River Riesling (Semillon) and Clare Riesling (Crouchen). This tendency to use the name Riesling for other varieties is not confined to Australia and similar distinctions are needed in other countries. Thus it is called Riesling Renano in Italy, Rheinriesling in Austria, Rajnai Rizling in Hungary and Rajnski Rizling in Serbia mainly to distinguish it from the variety known as Riesling Italico, Welschriesling, Olaszrizling or Rizling Vlassky respectively which provides much of the Riesling wine from these countries.

In California it is called White Riesling, to separate it from Grey Riesling, a grey-fruited form of Bastardo, and there are also such names as Frankenriesling (Sylvaner), Breisgauer Riesling (Ortlieber), Budai Rizling (Kleinweiss) and Banati Riesling (Creaca). In the hot areas of Australia Riesling does not show the vigour found in cooler climates and is a variety of only moderate vigour. It has rough, dark green leaves, entire to 3-lobed with a few tufted hairs on the lower surface. The leaf stalks usually show some red colouration which may continue into the base of the veins. The bunches are small and compact with short and often woody stalks.

The berries are small and round, gold where exposed to the sun and irregularly marked with brown spots, and juicy with a tough skin. Riesling has a definite but not overpowering varietal character which is maintained over a wide range of climates. It can show up well in dry or slightly sweet wines made from sound grapes, in luscious sweet wines made from grapes affected by noble rot or from the concentrated juice separated from the ice of grapes partially frozen by severe frost.