Riesling wines around the world

February 15, 2011

Riesling
Riesling can create exquisite wines. It is considered the finest white grape in the world, and yet at the sight of the tall, tapering bottle, many wine drinkers politely decline in favor of something else. There are two myths we need to debunk that will have you opting for this lovely wine in no time.

Myth # 1: All Rieslings are sweet. When you think of Riesling, chances are you think about Germany. Sixty percent of the wine exported from Germany is Liebfraumilch, a sweet, mass-produced wine. Because it is the most well-known of the grapes allowed in Liebfraumilch, it developed a reputation for being sweet and simple, even though the inferior grape Muller-Thurgau generally dominates the blend. Actually, most quality Rieslings are somewhere between dry and slightly sweet.
Myth #2: Any wine with the word ‘Riesling’ in the name is the real thing. There is a saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The wine has many imposters, including Clare Riesling, Welschriesling, and Laski Riesling, grapes with no ancestral claim to the noble grape Riesling. It does have a few legitimate aliases, though, including Rhine, White, and Johannisberg Riesling. Rest assured that some of the ho-hum “Riesling” you’ve had was really nothing of the sort.
Describing Riesling Wine
First things first: to describe it, you need to pronounce it correctly (reece-ling). Now, the hallmark behind any quality Riesling is acidity. Acid is the backbone, the crispness that makes it so delightful with food. You detect acidity along the sides of your tongue, and it is the acidity in wine that makes your mouth water. Acidity is also the element of the wine that is absolutely necessary if the wine has any residual sugar, or sweetness. Sweetness in wine without adequate acidity makes the wine taste out of balance, like a too-sweet fruit soda; the tasting term for sweet wine without enough acidity is cloying. When analyzing a Riesling, you are measuring both the acidity and the sweetness, and you are checking to see if they are in balance.
The flavor profile for Riesling varies, depending on the climate and soil on which it is grown. The grape thrives in cool to cold climates, like Germany and Alsace, France. In these cooler climates, it has subtle aromas and flavors, often lemon, green apple, and floral notes. It also demonstrates a strong sense of minerality, often described as “steely” or petroleum. Petroleum is not a negative description here, just an identifying one.
Grown in moderate climates, like Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, Riesling ripens a bit more and has fuller, richer flavors, including peach, apricot, tangerine, melon, and honeysuckle. Ripe fruit is in charge here; minerality and subtlety take the back seat.
Finally, the alcohol content of Riesling is an anomaly in the wine world: it is low, often 7-11 percent, compared to Chardonnay, which ranges between 12-14 percent. Low alcohol is very appealing and makes Riesling an agreeable aperitif.
Around the World
To discuss Riesling is to tip one’s hat to Germany, whose Rieslings are considered the greatest in the world. Though the labels of German wines contain a lot of rather confusing information, there are a few labeling terms you should be aware of. The terms Kabinett,Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese represent a scale of ripeness in Germany.
• The first grapes of the vintage to be picked will be made into Kabinett wine, which is typically a light-bodied, dry wine with low alcohol.
• Spatlese means “late harvest,” which essentially means they are grapes picked after the Kabinett harvest. These wines, which have a slightly higher sugar content because of their late picking, are richer in style and range from dry to slightly sweet.
• Auslese wines are richer still, made from very ripe grapes, while Beerenauslese (BA) and Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) wines are the richest and rarest of all. Made in exceptional vintages, BA and TBA wines are quite expensive and have a sweet, honeyed flavor. As you can see, vintners in Germany pick grapes throughout the fall, gambling with the weather for the ripest grapes before the cold weather hits.
Riesling is also grown, with much success, in Austria, Alsace, the United States (particularly California and Washington), Australia, and New Zealand.
Drinking Riesling with Food
Because of its higher acidity and moderate alcohol, Riesling is a great choice for drinking with food. It can accommodate a wide range of foods, from spicy Asian and Latin dishes to salty or smoked foods, like ham or salmon. It is also spectacular with foods that feature fruit, like fruit salad or a meat dish with a fruit sauce. Consider serving the wine as an aperitif or with light appetizers, as its light body and refreshing acidity make it perfect for the beginning of a meal. Finally, if you are outdoors in the late afternoon in summertime and your guests are thirsty, for goodness sake, open a bottle of Riesling! It is the perfect refreshment. See also Food and Wine Pairing.
Taste to Learn
To learn more about the styles and flavor profiles of this wine, organize a tasting of three Rieslings and try them side by side. Consult with your local wine store about reputable producers, and buy a German Riesling (of Spatlese or Auslese ripeness), a drier Alsace variety, and a riper, fruiter New World Riesling (from Washington, California, or Australia). Notice the minerality, subtlety, ripeness, acidity, sweetness/richness, alcohol, and fruit of each one.

Source: http://wine.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Riesling

The wine shop in Angeles Philippines Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga as well as other wine shops, wine bars and wine outlets in Subic and Manila are wells stocked with interesting selections of RIESLING wine from many vintages spanning over 90 years from various producers covering a wide range of prices.

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News and pertinent information about wine trade, wine appreciation, wine shops and outlets, wine and food pairing, wine making, viticulture, vintages, climate conditions affecting wine, new and revived wine regions etc can be found here in this section. Yats wine Cellars is much more than a Philippines wine supplier with a few wine shops, wine bars and wine outlets in Philippines where clients can buy good wines in Manila, Angeles City, Subic and Clark Philippines. Yats Wine Cellars is also a rich source of information for the convenience of the growing community of wine lovers, wine connoisseurs and hobbyists. Wine lovers in Manila, Subic, Angeles City, Clark Philippines can enjoy fine vintage wines in any of Yats Wine Cellars wine shopping outlets, wine bars, wine shops and wine restaurants.

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Although the Philippines is not known for being the wine capital of Asia, Clark Pampanga is the most frequently visited destination for wine lovers in Cebu, Angeles City and Manila to shop for some good vintage wine. The famous wine shop outside Manila called Clark Wine Center is the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.

This wine shop in Clark is highly recommended as one of the best places to buy wine in Pampanga. Clark Freeport is just outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

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http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.
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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

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