Riesling
Variety · Beginner · 3 min read
Riesling is a white grape variety most famously associated with Germany, Alsace and the Mosel, where it makes some of the world's most long-lived, aromatic and terroir-driven white wines. In the UK, Riesling is a small but growing planting, prized for its high natural acidity, its aromatics and its ability to make wines that age for decades.
Riesling in its homeland
Riesling is one of the most noble of white grape varieties, with a 600-year history in the Rhine and Mosel valleys. It produces wines of extraordinary purity, with notes of lime, green apple, white peach, white flowers and, in the best examples, the famous petrol note that develops with bottle age. The grape's naturally high acidity gives the wines a long ageing curve, with top German Rieslings able to live for 50 years or more.
The variety is also grown in Alsace, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, South Africa and a growing number of cool-climate regions. The UK is a recent addition to the list, with the first commercial plantings in the 2000s and a steady expansion since.
Riesling in the UK
UK Riesling is in its early days, but the early results are promising. The cool climate preserves the natural acidity that gives the variety its character, and the long, slow ripening produces wines of surprising depth. The main challenge is ripeness, because Riesling buds early and is vulnerable to spring frosts, but in a good year the grapes can develop the classic lime and white peach character.
UK Riesling is still a tiny category, with a few dozen hectares planted across the South East, the South West, East Anglia and Wales. Producers with significant Riesling programmes include Gusbourne, Chapel Down, Nyetimber, Balfour, Three Choirs and the newer Forest Gin and Wine estate in the West Country.
How UK winemakers handle Riesling
The best approach is the German one: cool fermentation in stainless steel, no oak, no malolactic, with a focus on preserving the pure fruit. The wine is usually bottled young, often with a small amount of residual sugar to balance the high acidity. The result is a clean, mineral, refreshing Riesling that pairs beautifully with food.
Some UK producers are experimenting with drier styles, picking later and fermenting to complete dryness, in the Mosel dry style. Others are making off-dry or medium-dry versions, in the traditional German Prädikat style. The diversity is a strength, and the UK consumer is starting to respond.
Riesling and food
Riesling is one of the most food-friendly wines in the world. The high acidity cuts through rich, fatty or spicy food, the residual sugar balances salty or sweet-sour dishes, and the aromatics complement a huge range of flavours. Classic pairings include pork, duck, smoked salmon, Thai and Vietnamese food, sushi and many cheeses.
UK Riesling, with its bright, mineral character, is particularly good with British food. Roast pork with crackling, grilled salmon, mature cheddar and a wide range of Asian-inspired dishes all work brilliantly. Producers and restaurants are increasingly putting English Riesling on the wine list alongside the more established Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.