Riesling is Finally Styling

You might be surprised to know that only a century ago Riesling was the go to white worldwide. After too many decades of hibernation, the grape that defines Germany's best terroir - and challenges the rest of the world's producers to try to make something as exciting - is finally making inroads among our daily choice of wine.

Certainly when it comes to Riesling, no other varietal has enjoyed a broader overhaul in government wine stores. You might say private wine shops have fought the good fight for the last 10 years and, as a result, consumers have changed their attitude toward Riesling. That interest appears to have spurred on government buyers to deliver a broader, more reasoned selection of Rieslings in B.C. Liquor Stores.

Any way you look at it, Riesling is now a compelling choice for many consumers and if you need any further proof it would appear local wineries are paying attention to the rise in interest, too. At least we are seeing style changes to something more akin to what the modern drinker is seeking.

When it comes to Riesling the style required is fresh, crisp and a fine balance of fruit and acidity. Residual sugar (the off-dry style) is acceptable as long as there is enough natural acidity to balance the wine.

We do not have the room to expound upon all the new choices, but I wanted to draw your attention to six interesting labels you can try before the warm weather disappears. No grape is better suited to a wide variety of food so be sure to experiment freely whether you are dining at home or in restaurants.

We begin with a delicious drop of German wine: Gunderloch Fritz's Riesling 2009 from Rheinhessen. The nose is an attractive mix of peach, ripe apple and honey notes mixed with orange, tropical floral aromas. The attack is fresh and crisp with a juicy, elegant, slightly sweet fruit reminiscent of ripe red apple, honey, mango and orange with a fresh mineral undercurrent. There is fine flavour intensity and length. Try this with halibut served with a fruit salsa.

The good news from Washington State is that Château Ste. Michelle Riesling 2010 continues down the fresh and crisp path, trading some residual sugar and adding minerality and freshness. Look for honey, orange, baked green apple notes on the nose with a light lees aromas. The attack is fresh, the palate elegant with some sweetness and a whack of baked green apple, lime, grapefruit, honey and floral flavours. It has excellent vibrancy with a bit of warmth on the finish. This is the best styling yet for this wine. Good value, too. Try it with anything spicy.

Just in time for summer, the Selbach Riesling 2009 is quintessential Mosel Riesling. Its intriguing slate, floral, lime, green apple nose with a whiff of burnt matchstick carries on with grassy, citrus notes before offering up a crisp, fresh off-dry, juicy yet very elegant palate. More honey, floral, slate, orange, mango, red apple flavours coat the palate. Fine length and flavours and all at a great price. Stock up; this is the real thing at an unreal price. Takeout Thai, or Chinese, is the match here.

Closer to home, the Tantalus Riesling 2010, grown at East Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley, offers up bright green apple, floral and mineral aromas with a fair bit of SO2 in the background. The attack is fresh and crisp, the styling elegant, and the palate a delicious creamy mix of green apple, floral, lime, honey and tangerine skin flavours. The finish is very juicy and crisp with just a touch of bitterness in the finish. I expect this to settle down and improve in the bottle over the next five years. Wonderful wine for pork.

The Pierre Sparr Extrem Riesling 2009 represents a home run for the popular Alsace producer, which has finally shed its stuffy old French/German image with a great new imaginative label and bottle package complete with screw cap. We love the pear, honey, spicy, citrus aromas and dry, elegant, fresh palate crammed with acidity and finesse. More flavours of slate, petrol, baked apple, honey, citrus and guava flavours mark its palate. Fine persistence and an excellent Riesling for the money.

A great new addition to store shelves is The Doctors' Riesling 2010 from Marlborough, New Zealand. It's a low-alcohol, Kabinett-style Riesling picked at an early stage of ripening (8.5%), much like a German Mosel. We love the lime, slate, wet earth, floral nose streaked with green apple, spicy aromas and a touch of lees. Fresh, crisp, juicy, elegant palate with a zippy, creamy texture and more lime, floral, green apple skin, grassy, minty, mineral, sherbet mango flavours. Great balance and juicy acidity with lots of flavour. Equivalent to any German Kabinett. Terrific effort. Riesling freaks should buy this one by the case. Perfect for spicy foods.

Gunderloch Fritz's Riesling 2009, Rheinhessen, Germany

Price: $17

UPC: 04022642000749

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Good flavour intensity and length, great for halibut with peach salsa.

Château Ste. Michelle Riesling 2010, Columbia Valley, Washington, United States

Price: $16

UPC: 088586621840

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Best styling yet. Good value Washington Riesling.

Selbach Riesling 2009, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Price: $16

UPC: 00717215001707

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Fine length and flavours and all at a great price. Stock up.

Tantalus Riesling 2010, East Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Price: $23

UPC: 626990067412

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Delicious creamy palate with green apple, lime, honey and tangerine notes.

Pierre Sparr Extrem Riesling 2009, Alsace, France

Price: $22

UPC: 003263530020420

Score: 89/100

Remarks: A winning combo for Sparr and Alsace.

The Doctors' Riesling 2010, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand

Price: $20

UPC: 009419056100137

Score: 90/100

Remarks: Great balance and juicy acidity with lots of flavour.