Riesling

VIVC records Riesling as variety number 10077 under the prime name Riesling Weiss, with a white berry skin and Germany as its country or region of origin. According to VIVC, one parent of Riesling is Heunisch Weiss, the variety VIVC also lists under the cultivar name Gouais Blanc, and the other parent is unknown: VIVC gives the pedigree as '? X HEUNISCH WEISS' under 'Pedigree confirmed by markers'. VIVC also records that Riesling has offspring, and VIVC-derived lineage data list Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Rieslaner and Scheurebe among them. The same VIVC-derived data list Chardonnay, Gamay, Furmint, Blaufränkisch, Aligoté and Melon de Bourgogne among Riesling's half-siblings.

• VIVC variety number 10077; prime name Riesling Weiss; berry skin colour white (blanc); country or region of origin Germany
• Pedigree according to VIVC: unknown parent crossed with Heunisch Weiss (Gouais Blanc), confirmed by markers
• Offspring in VIVC-derived data: Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Rieslaner, Scheurebe

According to DWI, the word Riesling was mentioned in a document for the first time on 13 March 1435, and the longest Riesling tradition is probably in the Rheingau and on the Moselle, where historical documents can be dated to 1435 and 1465 respectively. WSET writes that on 13 March 1435 a winery in Rüsselsheim invoiced Count John IV of Katzenelnbogen for six vines of Riesling, and that the date is marked as German Riesling Day. DWI adds that evidence of Riesling in what is now Rheinhessen and the Palatinate dates from the end of the 15th century and the first half of the 16th century, and that the derivation of the name is still debated. Internationally the variety is known as Rheinriesling, and Baden Riesling wines may use the synonym Klingelberger (DWI). DWI states that Weißer Riesling has nothing in common with Welschriesling, and jancisrobinson.com lists Emerald Riesling, Riesling Italico, Laskirizling, Olaszrizling and Welschriesling among unrelated grapes and wines that share the name. In Alsace, Vins d'Alsace says Riesling was introduced at the end of the 15th century and reached the top position of production areas there after the 1960s.

• 13 March 1435: first documentary mention of the word Riesling, according to DWI
• Synonyms: Rheinriesling internationally and Klingelberger for Baden Riesling (DWI); Riesling Renano in Friuli and Alto Adige and Rizling Rajinski in Croatia (jancisrobinson.com)
• Not related: Welschriesling, Riesling Italico, Laskirizling and Olaszrizling share the name but not the grape (DWI, jancisrobinson.com)

DWI describes Riesling as a slowly ripening grape variety predestined for northern growing regions, where it completes its ripening in the late autumn sun, and says optimal conditions are offered by heat-retaining stony steep slopes along river valleys. Germany had 24,233 hectares of Riesling in 2024 (DWI), led by the Pfalz (approx. 5,926 ha), Rheinhessen (approx. 5,438 ha) and Mosel (approx. 5,266 ha), with larger areas also in Württemberg, the Nahe and Baden. The OIV's 2017 report on the distribution of the world's grapevine varieties likewise found Riesling the most planted variety in Germany. Decanter describes the Mosel's mainly weathered Devonian slate soils as imparting a mineral character, and places Riesling's second most important habitat after the Rhine basin in the Danube basin, in particular Lower Austria and the Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal. In Alsace, Decanter notes that terraced vineyards at 200m to 400m altitude lie in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains. Wine Australia reports that Australia is second only to Germany in total Riesling plantings, that the first recorded Australian plantings were in 1838 near Penrith, New South Wales, and that Clare Valley and Eden Valley together account for one-third of Australian Riesling production.

• Mosel: approx. 5,266 ha of Riesling (DWI); mainly weathered Devonian slate soils with piercingly fresh acidities and relatively moderate alcohol levels (Decanter)
• Rheingau: around 2,412 ha of Riesling in 2024, almost 78% of the vineyard area there (DWI)
• Alsace: terraced vineyards at 200m to 400m in the rain shadow of the Vosges (Decanter); Vins d'Alsace describes Riesling d'Alsace as a dry, very linear wine
• Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal, Austria: Decanter describes Wachau Riesling from steep, thin, rocky soils as aromatic, lean, dry and mineral
• Clare Valley and Eden Valley, South Australia: Wine Australia describes Clare Valley's slate and limestone soils and cool nights, and Eden Valley Riesling as typically light-bodied with a lemon/lime character and a steely finish; Decanter notes Eden Valley can produce mineral, bone-dry Rieslings
• North America: jancisrobinson.com writes that Washington state 'virtually adopted the variety as a speciality in the early years of the century' and that Canada 'regularly produces stunning ice wines from this variety'

WSET describes Riesling grapes developing, as they ripen, from floral (white blossom) and citrus (lemon and lime) notes to stone fruit (peach and nectarine) and eventually to ripe tropical notes (pineapple and mango), and notes that Riesling's high acidity remains in both dry and sweet styles. DWI calls the typical Riesling pale yellow tending towards greenish-yellow, with a predominantly peach or apple aroma and a racy acidity, adding that Rieslings from slate soils are said to have a mineral note and that age-ripened wines often have a petrol tone. Jancis Robinson notes that a hint of kerosene (TDN) can be found in many an aged Riesling wherever it was grown. For Alsace, Vins d'Alsace lists lemon, citronella, grapefruit, peach and pear with white flowers and lime blossom, and says the wine develops mineral aromas (flint, silex, kerosene) depending on the soil where it grows.

• Dry German Riesling: crisp acidity with green apple, lemon and lime (WSET)
• Medium-sweet German Riesling: peach, apricot and honey, with a softer mouthfeel than dry styles (WSET)
• Botrytis wines (Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese): dried apricot and marmalade aromas, very sweet (WSET)
• Eiswein: grapes harvested frozen at temperatures below minus 7°C and pressed while still frozen, usually between 7% and 10% abv (WSET)

Jancis Robinson writes that Riesling, like top quality Chenin Blanc, 'performs best if fermented cool and bottled early without any malolactic fermentation or wood influence'. DWI notes that some Riesling is matured in traditional wooden barrels. WSET explains that a winemaker can ferment all the sugar in the grapes to make a dry wine, or stop the fermentation early to leave a wine low in alcohol (usually under 10% abv) with some sweetness. In Australia, Wine Australia reports that the tradition has been to ferment Riesling to complete dryness, that cool, temperature controlled fermentations in stainless steel are common, and that it is rare to find Australian Riesling not bottled under Stelvin (screwcap).

• Dry styles: all the sugar is fermented to alcohol; WSET gives the example of late-picked grapes making a dry wine of possibly 13% abv
• Sweeter styles: fermentation stopped early, usually under 10% abv (WSET)
• Trocken: no more than 4g per litre of residual sugar, or up to 9g if residual sugar does not exceed total acidity by more than 2g (WSET)
• Australia: traditionally fermented to complete dryness, most bottled early, and rarely sealed with anything but screwcap (Wine Australia)

WSET names Weingut Keller and Clemens Busch among producers renowned for dry German Riesling, and Egon Müller, JJ Prüm and Willi Schaefer among makers of sweet wines it calls some of the world's most sought-after. jancisrobinson.com lists among particularly notable Riesling sites Egon Müller Scharzhofberg in the Mosel, Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg in the Rheingau, Emrich Schönleber Halenberg in the Nahe, Trimbach Clos Ste Hune in Alsace and Jeffrey Grosset Polish Hill in Australia's Clare Valley. Decanter includes Dr Loosen in its roll-call of top Mosel producers, and lists Bründlmayer, Emmerich Knoll, FX Pichler and Franz Hirtzberger among top Austrian growers.

• Egon Müller (Mosel): Scharzhofberg, a notable Riesling site per jancisrobinson.com
• Trimbach (Alsace): Clos Ste Hune, a notable Riesling site per jancisrobinson.com, which cites Trimbach's Clos Ste-Hune among the best of Alsace's tingly-dry, steely wines
• Grosset (Clare Valley): Polish Hill, a notable Riesling site per jancisrobinson.com
• Bründlmayer (Kamptal, Austria): Riesling Kamptal Terrassen and Ried Heiligenstein 1ÖTW Riesling, both listed on the estate's own site

Vins d'Alsace recommends Riesling d'Alsace with delicate white fish and shellfish, oysters, poultry and white meats such as veal ragout or coq au Riesling, and goat and sheep milk cheeses. For German Riesling, WSET pairs Kabinett with light seafood dishes and salads, Spätlese with spicy foods and soft cheeses, and Auslese with rich desserts, foie gras and strong blue cheese. Wine Australia suggests fresh oysters, goat's cheese, salads and lighter fish dishes for Australian Riesling.

• Kabinett: light seafood dishes and salads, or as an aperitif (WSET)
• Spätlese: spicy foods and soft cheeses (WSET)
• Auslese: rich desserts, foie gras and strong blue cheese (WSET)
• Riesling d'Alsace: delicate white fish, shellfish, oysters, poultry and goat and sheep milk cheeses (Vins d'Alsace)

Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=10077 ; https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/grape-variety/105/riesling ; https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/grapes-varieties/fresh-and-dry/riesling-dalsace/ ; https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2024/july/17/understanding-riesling-in-germany ; https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2025/decoding-german-riesling-a-guide-to-quality-and-styles ; https://www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/regions-and-varieties/riesling ; https://www.oiv.int/public/medias/5888/en-distribution-of-the-worlds-grapevine-varieties.pdf ; https://www.bruendlmayer.at/en/wines/kamptal-terrassen-riesling-2025/ ; https://www.bruendlmayer.at/en/wines/ried-heiligenstein-1oetw-riesling-2025/ Reference sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/riesling ; https://www.decanter.com/wine/grape-varieties/riesling/ Last verified 2026-09-29