🍇 Riesling
A white wine grape from the banks of the Rhine, making wines from dry to sweet.
Riesling is a white wine grape from Germany and the leading variety in German vineyards. According to the OIV, in 2015 it covered 24 thousand ha in Germany, or 23.3% of the total area. Together with Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Noir it accounts for almost half (47%) of the country's vineyards.
Riesling's origin has been checked by DNA analysis: the VIVC catalogue names Gouais Blanc (German name Heunisch) as one of its parents, while the other parent is still unknown. The variety's official VIVC name is Riesling Weiss; its synonyms include Weisser Riesling and Riesling Renano.
Besides Germany, according to the OIV, Riesling is among the main varieties of Romania, Australia (3 thousand ha) and China. For German wines, Riesling included, wine law sets out the Prädikatswein levels: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein. The higher the level, the riper the grapes; for Eiswein the bunches have to be frozen when they are picked and pressed.
With age, Riesling can develop a “petrol” note. It comes from a compound called TDN: in small amounts it becomes part of the bouquet of bottle ageing, while in large amounts it is considered a fault. According to a 2022 study, people can detect it at just 2–2.3 µg per litre of wine.
Why it matters to you. The Prädikat level tells you how ripe the grapes were, not how sweet the wine is: for sweetness, look for the words trocken (dry), halbtrocken (off-dry), lieblich or süß. By law, Kabinett is made without adding sugar to raise the alcohol. The word “Riesling” on an EU label means at least 85% of this variety. White wine is served at 4–10 °C.
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Riesling → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- What is made from it
- 📍 Alsace, 🥃 Vinars Târnave, 🥃 Weinbrand
- Traditions
- Germans
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ German wine
- Where it grows
- Germany: 📍 Mosel, 📍 Rheingau, 📍 Kraichgau, 📍 Badische Bergstraße, 📍 Hessische Bergstraße, 📍 Starkenburg, 📍 Umstadt, 📍 Middle Rhine, 📍 Loreley, 📍 Siebengebirge
and 18 more
📍 Burg Cochem, 📍 Bernkastel, 📍 Saar, 📍 Ruwertal, 📍 Nahe, 📍 Nahetal, 📍 Palatinate, 📍 Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstraße, 📍 Südliche Weinstraße, 📍 Johannisberg, 📍 Rheinhessen, 📍 Bingen, 📍 Nierstein, 📍 Wonnegau, 📍 Saxony, 📍 Meißen, 📍 Württemberg, 📍 Remstal-Stuttgart
Ukraine: 📍 Odesa Black Sea coast, 📍 Tairove, 📍 Sevastopol area (Southwestern Crimea), 📍 Belbek Valley, 📍 Alma Valley, 📍 Podillia, 📍 Dniester Canyon (Zalishchyky), 📍 Kyiv region
Austria: 📍 Wachau, 📍 Lower Austria, 📍 Kremstal, 📍 Kamptal, 📍 Traisental, 📍 Vienna
Czechia: 📍 Moravia, 📍 Znojmo, 📍 Mikulov, 📍 Bohemia, 📍 Mělník, 📍 Litoměřice
Moldova: 📍 Codru, 📜 Călărași, 📜 Comrat, 📍 Bălți (Northern zone), 📜 Trifeștiand 24 more
Romania: 📍 Transylvanian Plateau, 📍 Alba Iulia, 📍 Sebeș-Apold, 📍 Panciu
France: 📍 Alsace, 📍 Bas-Rhin, 📍 Haut-Rhin
Serbia: 📍 Banat, 📜 Vršac, 📍 Bačka
North Macedonia: 📍 Pelagonija-Polog, 📍 Bitola, 📍 Ohrid
Poland: 📍 Lubusz (Zielona Góra), 📍 Lower Silesia, 📍 Świętokrzyskie (Sandomierz)
Luxembourg: 📍 Luxembourg Moselle, 📍 Canton of Grevenmacher
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 📍 Bosnia
Albania: 📍 Southeastern Albania (Korçë)
Hungary: 📍 Pannonhalma
Slovakia: 📍 Little Carpathians
Netherlands: 📍 Limburg (Netherlands)
Spain: 📍 Aragon - Main grape in
- France: 📍 Alsace, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Brand, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Hengst, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Rangen, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Schlossberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Furstentum, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Goldert, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Kitterlé, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Rosacker
and 43 more
📜 Alsace Grand Cru Schoenenbourg, 📜 Crémant d'Alsace, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Wolxheim, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Eichberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Frankstein, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Geisberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Hatschbourg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Kanzlerberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Mambourg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Moenchberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Osterberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Praelatenberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Saering, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Sommerberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Sporen, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Steinklotz, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Zotzenberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergbieten, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Engelberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Froehn, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Gloeckelberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Kastelberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Mandelberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Muenchberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Pfersigberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Sonnenglanz, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Steinert, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Vorbourg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Winzenberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Bruderthal, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Florimont, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Kaefferkopf, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Kessler, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Marckrain, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Ollwiller, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Pfingstberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Spiegel, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Steingrubler, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Wiebelsberg, 📜 Alsace Grand Cru Zinnkoepflé
Germany: 📍 Palatinate, 📍 Rheinhessen, 📍 Nahe, 📍 Franconia, 📍 Mosel, 📍 Middle Rhine, 📍 Rheingau, 📍 Saxony, 📍 Württemberg, 📍 Hessische Bergstraßeand 11 more
📍 Saale-Unstrut, 📜 Ruwer Landwein, 📜 Rheinburgen Landwein, 📜 Swabian Landwein, 📜 Uhlen Roth Lay, 📜 Uhlen Blaufüsser Lay, 📜 Mosel Landwein, 📜 Monzinger Niederberg, 📜 Rheingau Landwein, 📜 Uhlen Laubach, 📜 Würzburger Stein-Berg
Austria: 📍 Kamptal, 📍 Lower Austria, 📍 Vienna, 📍 Kremstal, 📍 Traisental, 📍 Wachau, 📜 Viennese Gemischter Satz
Czechia: 📍 Mikulov, 📍 Znojmo, 📍 Bohemia, 📍 Moravia
Slovakia: 📍 Little Carpathians, 📜 Carpathian Pearland 5 more
Italy: 📍 Oltrepò Pavese
Slovenia: 📍 Styrian Slovenia
Hungary: 📍 Pannonhalma
Luxembourg: 📍 Luxembourg Moselle
Romania: 📍 Târnave - Related to
- 🍷 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken GG, 🍷 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese, 🍷 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese, 🍷 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, 🍷 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, 🍷 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trocken, 🍷 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Spätlese, 🍷 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Auslese, 🍷 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Beerenauslese, 🍷 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
and 105 more
🍷 Kiedrich Klosterberg Riesling Trocken, 🍷 Robert Weil Kiedricher Riesling Trocken, 🍷 Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Trocken, 🍷 Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Halbtrocken, 🍷 Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Tradition, 🍷 Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Kabinett, 🍷 Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Spätlese, 🍷 Forster Kirchenstück Riesling G.C., 🍷 Forster Pechstein Riesling G.C., 🍷 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling G.C., 🍷 Deidesheimer Kalkofen Riesling G.C., 🍷 Deidesheimer Hohenmorgen Riesling G.C., 🍷 Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling G.C., 🍷 Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl Riesling G.C., 🍷 Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad Riesling G.C., 🍷 Wachenheimer Goldbächel Riesling P.C., 🍷 Wachenheimer Rechbächel Riesling P.C., 🍷 Wachenheimer Gerümpel Riesling P.C., 🍷 Wachenheimer Altenburg Riesling P.C., 🍷 Wachenheimer Böhlig Riesling P.C., 🍷 Ruppertsberger Hoheburg Riesling P.C., 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheim Riesling, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheim Riesling R, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Forst Riesling, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Deidesheim Riesling, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Ruppertsberg Riesling, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Riesling, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Hommage à Luise, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Riesling Brut Sekt, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheim Riesling edelsüß, 🍷 Bürklin-Wolf Forst Riesling edelsüß, 🍷 Bassermann-Jordan Riesling trocken, 🍷 Bassermann-Jordan Riesling halbtrocken, 🍷 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling trocken, 🍷 Forster Pechstein Riesling trocken, 🍷 Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling trocken, 🍷 Deidesheimer Kieselberg Riesling trocken, 🍷 Deidesheimer Kieselberg Riesling Spätlese, 🍷 Deidesheimer Kalkofen Riesling trocken, 🍷 Deidesheimer Hohenmorgen Riesling trocken, 🍷 Bassermann-Jordan AUF DER MAUER Riesling, 🍷 Bassermann-Jordan ANCESTRALE Riesling, 🍷 Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg Riesling GG, 🍷 Bürgstadter Berg Riesling, 🍷 Rudolf Fürst Bürgstadter Riesling, 🍷 Rudolf Fürst Riesling pur mineral, 🍷 Stift Klosterneuburg Riesling Wien, 🍷 Salomon Undhof Ried Kögl Riesling, 🍷 Salomon Undhof Ried Pfaffenberg Riesling, 🍷 Salomon Undhof Ried Steiner Kögl Riesling, 🍷 Salomon Undhof Stein Riesling, 🍷 Salomon Undhof Terrassen Riesling, 🍷 Salomon Undhof Süße Biene Riesling Auslese, 🍷 Salomon Undhof Wolke für Zwei Riesling Pét-Nat, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Heiligenstein Riesling, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Ried Gaisberg Riesling, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Zöbing Riesling, 🍷 Gobelsburg Urgestein Riesling, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Auslese, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Beerenauslese, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve, 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Vintage Extra Brut, 🍷 Topf Ried Heiligenstein Riesling, 🍷 Topf Ried Heiligenstein M Riesling, 🍷 Topf Ried Wechselberg Spiegel Riesling, 🍷 Topf Ried Wechselberg Riesling, 🍷 Topf Strass im Strassertal Riesling, 🍷 Topf Riesling Kamptal, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Ried Preussen-Nussberg Riesling, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Ried Rosengartel-Nussberg Riesling, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Ried Preussen-Nussberg Wiener Gemischter Satz, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Ried Langteufel-Nussberg Wiener Gemischter Satz, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Nussberg Wiener Gemischter Satz, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Wiener Gemischter Satz, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Ried Alsegg Riesling, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Nussberg Weisser Marmor Riesling, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Nussberg Riesling, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Wiener Klassik, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Beethoven Viennese White, 🍷 Mayer am Pfarrplatz Asia Cuvée, 🍷 Hofkeller Hörsteiner Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, 🍷 Hofkeller Hörsteiner Abtsberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, 🍷 Hofkeller Riesling Kabinett, 🍷 Hofkeller Randersackerer Pfülben Riesling GG trocken, 🍷 Hofkeller Randersackerer Pfülben Riesling Spätlese, 🍷 Hofkeller Randersackerer Riesling trocken, 🍷 Hofkeller Riesling trocken, 🍷 Hofkeller Würzburg Riesling trocken, 🍷 Hofkeller Würzburger Innere Leiste Riesling Sekt brut, 🍷 Hofkeller Würzburger Innere Leiste Riesling trocken, 🍷 Hofkeller Würzburger Stein-Berg Riesling Beerenauslese, 🍷 Hofkeller Würzburger Stein-Berg Riesling GG trocken, 🍷 Hofkeller Würzburger Stein Riesling GG trocken, 🍷 Hofkeller Würzburger Stein Riesling trocken, 🍷 White wine, 🍷 Feinherb, 🍷 Sekt, 🏷️ Alsace Grand Cru, 🏷️ Kabinett, 🏷️ Grosses Gewächs, 🏷️ Vinea Wachau categories, 🍷 Flute bottle (Hock), 🍷 Sweet wine, 🍷 Sparkling wine - Parents
- 🍇 Gouais Blanc
- Offspring
- 🍇 Müller-Thurgau, 🍇 Scheurebe, 🍇 Manzoni Bianco, 🍇 Kerner, 🍇 Rotberger, 🍇 Witberger, 🍇 Oraniensteiner, 🍇 Freiburg 523-52, 🍇 Ehrenfelser, 🍇 Johanniter
and 11 more
🍇 Aurelius, 🍇 Hölder, 🍇 Osteiner, 🍇 Donauriesling, 🍇 Gyöngyrizling, 🍇 Riesel, 🍇 Rieslaner, 🍇 Goldriesling, 🍇 Ruling, 🍇 Rieslina, 🍇 Aris - Similar and different
- 🍇 Elbling
Frequently asked questions
Where does Riesling come from?
From Germany. The VIVC gives it as the country of origin, and DNA shows that one of Riesling's parents is the old variety Gouais Blanc.
How much Riesling is there in Germany?
According to the OIV, 24 thousand ha, or 23.3% of German vineyards (2015 data). It is the country's most widely planted variety.
Why does Riesling smell of petrol?
Because of TDN, a compound that builds up as the wine ages. In small amounts it is part of the aged bouquet; in large amounts it is a fault.
What does Kabinett on the label mean?
It is the lightest level of German Prädikatswein: wine from ripe grapes with no sugar added to raise the alcohol. It says nothing about sweetness.
Is it true that Riesling is always sweet?
No. The variety makes wines from dry to sweet; on a German label, dry wine is marked trocken, and the Prädikat level only shows how ripe the grapes were.
What to read next
- 📍 Palatinate — Germany's second-largest wine region, between the Palatinate Forest and the Rhine; an 85 km German Wine Route, Riesling at 24.9 %.
- Germans — Germans are a West Germanic people, the main population of Germany; on this site: Riesling and the Mosel, Allgäu and Harz cheeses, Swabian Spätzle, Steinhäger and PGI Black Forest ham.
- 🍷 Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve — Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve: sparkling wine by Schloss Gobelsburg from Langenlois; Sekt Austria Reserve Niederösterreich g.U..
- 📍 Haut-Rhin — The southern part of Alsace, home to most of the grands crus.
- 🥃 Weinbrand — Weinbrand is the German name for wine brandy (EU category 5): oak from 6 months, 36% ABV or more; «Deutscher Weinbrand» needs 38% and 12 months in oak. No flavourings, no added alcohol.
Similar
🍇 Pinot Gris · 🍇 Gewürztraminer · 🍇 Grüner Veltliner · 🍇 Müller-Thurgau · 🍇 Pinot Blanc · 🍇 Silvaner
Sources
- VIVC (Vitis International Variety Catalogue): passport Riesling Weiss, pedigree confirmed by DNA markers
- OIV Focus 2017: Distribution of the world's grapevine varieties
- Gök R. et al. Isolation of TDN precursors from Riesling wine. Molecules 2022
- Weingesetz (WeinG), §§ 3, 20, 22 — Gesetze im Internet
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, Art. 49–50 (vintage year, wine grape varieties on the label)