Riesling on the Rise

I've been on the road for two weeks working and vacationing and I have been tasting a fair bit of Riesling. It's an easy choice given the warm weather, Riesling's lower alcohol content, its fresh, fruity, flavour profile and its ability to work so well with a variety of foods. In fact, I bet if Riesling was a red wine it would almost always be sold out. But there is nothing red wine-like about Riesling other than maybe its big flavour, and sadly for many consumers, it remains a mysterious grape if not wine.

For those who are big on Oprah's "aha moment" vernacular, Riesling may be a candidate. I know for some wine drinkers who have never tasted Riesling, or have a preconceived notion that it is all sugary and sweet, one great experience with a dry version can allow the fog to lift and all the pieces of the great wine puzzle fit together.

Modern Riesling almost always means no oak, plenty of fresh, crisp, "naked" fruit often awash in bright acidity, perhaps a dash of residual sugar all in balance and, yes, that elusive minerality notion. Interestingly, any resurgence in new consumers drinking Riesling, while welcomed by producers and retailers, may not be all that unfamiliar to your great grandparents.

Riesling's noble grape heritage stems from a time at the turn of the last century when it was the king of white wines. The darling of European royalty has long since been out of favour with commoners who, according to people in the know, remain confused about sugar/sweetness and acid levels and which foods, if any, they can serve with Riesling.

Far be it from me to judge those who like their Riesling sweet or fruity, as I preferred to say, but there is far more to this fascinating grape. Germany has long been the home base of this nervous white but in recent years we have seen extreme viticulture open up countless examples from Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Chile and the United States.

Call it a revolution or an evolution, but as more and more varietal wines begin to look alike, Riesling is returning to the limelight with its electric personality and an uncanny ability to pair well with a variety of multicultural cuisines that we enjoy on a daily basis.

Today's search of government stores reveals many choices for Riesling drinkers. All you need to do is taste with an open mind and maybe a pulledpork sandwich. Germany is great place to start and the Mosel is where the lightest and brightest bottles reside. The prices are excellent with many fine options below $20. The Pfalz and the Rheingau produce slightly richer and perhaps earthier versions of the grape but they are all worth investigating.

 A short list of preferred everyday bottles from Germany include: Lingenfelder Bird Series $19), Dr. Loosen ($19), Moselland Piesporter Michelsberg ($13), Devils Rock ($13), Selbach Fish Label ($17), Gunderloch Fritz ($18), Schloss Reinhartshausen ($18), Balthasar Ress ($19) and Dr. Pauly Bergweiler ($19).

 Local picks, all vastly improved and ranging from $12 to $25, include Mission Hill, Martin's Lane, Gehringer Brothers, Tantalus, Quails' Gate, Clean Slate, Synchromesh, See You later Ranch and many more. And just across the line in Washington Chateau Ste Michelle and Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl are terrific options.

Try them with barbecued pork ribs this weekend and you will never look back.