Our Wine Guide to Riesling

What Is Riesling?

Riesling is one of the wine world's most misunderstood grapes. For some, it's aromatic, refreshing, and incredibly complex. For others, the idea of a wine that can smell like petrol is enough to send them running.

But Riesling is far more versatile than its reputation suggests.

It can be bone dry, off-dry, sweet or intensely dessert-like, and its naturally high acidity gives it both freshness and remarkable ageing potential. Whether you're already a Riesling fan or still sitting firmly on the fence, understanding the grape might just change your mind.

A Brief History of Riesling

Riesling originates from the Rhine region of Germany and has been documented since the 15th century. One of the earliest known references dates to 1435, when Count John IV recorded the purchase of Riesling vine cuttings.

Over the centuries, the grape appeared under various names, including Rießlingen, Russelinge, Rissling and Ritzling. The modern spelling, Riesling, was documented in 1552.

Genetically, Riesling has some interesting family connections. Its parentage includes Gouais Blanc, which is also a parent of Chardonnay, and Traminer, a relative of Gewürztraminer.

What Does Riesling Taste Like?

Riesling is an extremely aromatic white grape variety with naturally high acidity. It is highly terroir-expressive, meaning where the grapes are grown can have a major influence on the finished wine.

Common Riesling aromas and flavours include:

• Green and ripe apple
• Grapefruit and citrus
• Peach and nectarine
• Pear
• Gooseberry
• Honey
• Floral notes
• Mineral and stony characters

One of Riesling's greatest strengths is its versatility. Unlike many white wines that are primarily associated with one style, Riesling can range from bone-dry and mineral-driven to rich, sweet and dessert-worthy.

Traditional German Riesling is also commonly made without oak and is rarely blended, allowing the grape and its growing site to take centre stage.

Can Riesling Age?

Absolutely — and this is one of the grape's great secrets.

Riesling's naturally high acidity acts as a backbone for ageing. While young Rieslings are often enjoyed for their fresh fruit and vibrant acidity, quality examples can develop beautifully over time.

As they mature, fresh fruit characters can evolve into honeyed, toast-like, mineral and petrol-like aromas, while retaining their refreshing acidity.

As a general guide:

Exceptional Rieslings can go considerably further, with historic bottles surviving for many decades and, in some cases, more than a century.

Is Riesling Dry or Sweet?

This is where Riesling can get confusing, particularly when exploring German wines.

Some useful German terms include:

• Trocken – Dry
• Feinherb – Generally off-dry, although the term isn't as strictly defined
• Halbtrocken – Off-dry
• Kabinett – Typically lighter and often delicately sweet, though styles can vary
• Spätlese – Late-harvest wine, generally richer and sweeter
• Auslese – Selectively harvested, generally sweeter and more concentrated
• Beerenauslese (BA) – Very sweet, made from individually selected ripe grapes
• Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) – Intensely sweet and concentrated

The important takeaway? Don't assume every Riesling is sweet. Some of the world's most serious Rieslings are bone dry.

Riesling Styles Around the World

Germany

Germany remains one of Riesling's most important homes, producing everything from razor-sharp dry wines to intensely sweet dessert styles.

Cool-climate conditions often produce wines with green apple, citrus, pronounced acidity, and mineral character.

Fun fact: bottle colours can traditionally help distinguish regions, with Rhine Rieslings commonly associated with brown bottles and Mosel Rieslings with green.

Alsace

Alsace is slightly warmer than many of Germany's Riesling regions, producing wines that can show a broader, richer fruit profile.

Expect citrus, peach, stone fruit and floral characters, with many Alsace Rieslings made in a dry style.

Australia

Australian Riesling has developed its own distinctive identity, particularly in regions such as Clare Valley and Eden Valley.

The warmer growing conditions can produce wines with citrus, grapefruit and stone-fruit flavours, while Australia's best examples retain the grape's trademark acidity and develop beautifully with age.

United States

The Finger Lakes in New York is particularly well known for Riesling, producing light, vibrant wines with plenty of fruit and balancing acidity.

Oregon can also produce Rieslings with a cooler-climate character reminiscent of European styles.

Why Does Riesling Smell Like Petrol?

Ah, the infamous Riesling petrol character.

Some Rieslings develop aromas that can remind you of petrol, kerosene or rubber. If you've never encountered it before, it can sound like a serious wine fault. But in Riesling, this character can be a fascinating part of the wine's development.

The aroma is associated with TDN, a compound that can become more noticeable as certain Rieslings mature.

Factors associated with the development of this character can include:

• Riper grapes
• High sun exposure
• Water stress
• High acidity
• Vineyard and winemaking conditions
• Bottle age

And here's the funny thing: what initially smells strange can become incredibly complex with age. In mature, high-quality Riesling, petrol notes can sit alongside honey, citrus, dried fruit, and mineral aromas.

It's certainly not everyone's cup of tea — or glass of wine — but that's part of what makes Riesling so fascinating.

Riesling & Food Pairing

Riesling's combination of high acidity, aromatic intensity and different sweetness levels makes it one of the most food-friendly white wines around.

Dry Riesling works beautifully with seafood, salads and lighter dishes, while off-dry and sweeter styles are particularly useful with spicy Asian cuisines. A touch of sweetness and refreshing acidity can help balance chilli heat, making Riesling a natural partner for Thai, Sichuan, Vietnamese and other spice-driven dishes.

For restaurants and hospitality venues, this versatility makes Riesling a particularly interesting wine to explore beyond traditional European food pairings.

The Final Word on Riesling

So, are you a Riesling fan yet?

I'll admit I wasn't always one. It took tasting some old, rare, and highly sought-after Rieslings to appreciate just how extraordinary the grape can be.

Riesling can be young and zippy, dry and mineral, sweet and luscious, or decades old with layers of honey, toast and that unmistakable petrol character. It can also rank among the world's most collectible and expensive wines.

Not bad for a grape that's often dismissed as simply "sweet white wine."

And if nothing else, remember this for the next pub quiz: Riesling is one of the world's great white grapes — and it can age far longer than most people expect.

FAQs

What is Riesling wine?

Riesling is a highly aromatic white grape known for its naturally high acidity, versatility and ability to express its growing region. It can produce everything from bone-dry wines to intensely sweet styles, and quality Riesling can age for decades. It is also particularly well suited to spicy Asian cuisine.

Is Riesling always sweet?

No. Riesling can be completely dry, off-dry, semi-sweet or intensely sweet. German wines in particular cover a wide spectrum of sweetness levels.

What does Riesling taste like?

Common flavours include green apple, grapefruit, citrus, peach, pear and gooseberry, alongside floral, mineral and honeyed notes. Older Rieslings can develop petrol-like aromas.

Why does Riesling smell like petrol?

Some Rieslings develop a petrol, kerosene, or rubber-like aroma as they age. This is associated with the aroma compound TDN and can be part of the normal evolution of Riesling.

Can Riesling age well?

Yes. Riesling's naturally high acidity gives it excellent ageing potential. Dry examples can often age for 5–15 years, while sweet and high-quality examples can develop for decades.

Is Riesling good with spicy food?

Yes. Riesling is particularly well suited to spicy food because its acidity refreshes the palate, while off-dry or sweeter styles can help balance chilli heat.