While searching through the cellar recently I stumbled upon one of our 2004 Limited Edition Rieslings. Riesling is a very unique style of wine, of which the flavours and levels of sweetness can change drastically depending on what region it’s from and what time of year it’s harvested. It can also age endlessly, growing more complex as time goes on. Our 2004 Limited Edition version was a perfect example of that.
Riesling is so dynamic it’s like a different breed of wine from region to region. Our 2004 Limited Edition Riesling hailed from Mosel Valley in Germany, with more of an off-dry finish. In Austria it’s the second most common grape grown (next to the Gruner Veltliner – our March Limited Edition wine for this year!)
Many of you are probably familiar with Riesling Ice Wine (or maybe you’ve even made a batch of it!) The Riesling grape from BC and the pacific Northwest is known to have more of a peachy flavour, which is probably why it makes such a delicious peach ice wine. Our very own wine guild has put through Riesling Ice Wine’s at 10 years old that were aged to liquid gold.
Back to the basics on Rieslings, though. Since Germany is the number one producer worldwide of the grape, chances are that the Riesling you’re about to enjoy hails from somewhere in Germany – which means you better be drinking it out of the proper German Riesling glass. That’s right, this wine is so different from country to country that German Rieslings deserve their own glass. The glass is tulip-shaped, and directs a full, flat stream straight to attack the palate (since Riesling’s typically have little to no unpleasant attributes!) Oh, and it’s the most versatile wine to pair with food.
