QandAs: Food

What is a Riesling wine?

Answer:
Reisling wine is named from the Reisling grape used

in producing it. The Reisling grape is a white grape variety grown mostly in Germany, France, Italy and Austria. Reisling elitists prefer the late harvest dessert wines, which are the result of allowing the grapes to stay on the vines beyond their normal harvesting time.

The Reisling grape (or its closest relative) was first documented in the 1400's in Germany. It is thought to be a cross between Gouais Blanc and Savignin Blanc grapes and believed to have sprung up somewhere in the upper Rhine River Valley.

Reisling wines are most fondly appreciated when they have not aged too long, and still retain their fruity aromas of apple, peach, grapefruit, and even honey and cut green grass.

Well aged Reisling wines are thought to display petroleum aromas, often described in association with rubber and fuel oils.

In the latter part of the 19th century, immigrants from Germany to the United States brought with them some Reisling vines . The vines were officially certified by Johannisberg Reisling. The state of New York became the first U.S. region to grow Reisling grapes from these imported vines.

New York Reisling wine is considered to be a mellow, dry wine. Other U.S. Reisling wines include California Reisling, Washington Reisling and others.