Riesling, like a classy woman

Today we will describe a particular grape variety that expresses its potential when the grapes reach maturity in a cold but well sun-exposed climate.
We are talking about a fragrant and elegant white wine.
An ideal wine for refined palates that can be very long-lived and give its best if left to rest in the bottle for a while.
But let's get to its origins!
The Riesling is a grape variety whose origins are not entirely clear; some claim it was born in areas bordering the Rhine, the Mosella, or the Pfalz; the only certainty is that its birthplace is to be found in German territory and that it is one of the oldest grape varieties in the country.

The historic "enemy" of Riesling was Müller Thurgau, a grape variety born precisely from a crossing of Riesling with Silvaner.
German winegrowers began to replace this magnificent product of nature with its "descendant".
Today we often hear that young people do not have the same resilience as previous generations – I'm not sure how true that is – but in the case of Riesling this statement finds clear confirmation!
In 1990, the extremely harsh winters highlighted the strength and resistance of Riesling, restoring prestige to the "old" German variety!
This grape variety has a late ripening, expected as late as mid-October and early November, and its grapes manage to retain a strong acidity even after the process is complete.

The harvests are very abundant, but restrained production enhances the characteristics of the berry.
Despite its strength, Riesling also has its Achilles' heel, which lies in the shape of its small and compact cluster that encourages the formation of mold.
Being now considered an international grape variety, it is present almost everywhere in the world, but in areas with a warm climate it does not produce good results, as the appropriate ripening "timing" needed to express its elegant aromaticity is not respected.

The area where production delivers the best results is probably that of the Mosella.
Also excellent are the wines from northern Italy where it is called Riesling Renano; quite different from Riesling Italico, which has no connection with the grape variety we are discussing.
These wines are generally aged in inert containers, although some have ventured into the use of oak barrels.

Dry, acidic and well-balanced with a low alcohol content (from 7 to 12 degrees maximum), they are always very easy to drink.

Among the longest-lived white wines, it improves with bottle aging, where in some cases it can remain for up to ten years, improving its organoleptic qualities.
Young Rieslings produced without the use of oak barrels present a color of greenish yellow, which becomes straw yellow and golden with extended bottle aging.
These wines are a melting pot of aromas, but a distinction must be made between young and aged nectars.
The former show hints of green apple, lemon and other citrus fruits with white flowers and rather sharp wisteria on the nose; as time passes, aromas of butter, bread crust, honey and elegant olfactory sensations linked to the subsoil and the world of hydrocarbons develop.
Perhaps many will now be wrinkling their noses, but try them to believe it – these aromas are exceptionally pleasant.
For sweet Rieslings, produced with grapes affected by Botrytis Cinerea or noble rot, aromas of spices, cinnamon, ginger, anise, walnuts, almonds and jam are enhanced, as well as hints of aromatic herbs such as thyme, tea, sage and nettle.

On the palate, Rieslings are acidic and mineral, and the flavors on the palate mirror the aromas described for the nose.

The ideal pairing is with crustaceans and fish cooked without too much seasoning; also great with sushi and steamed vegetables.

If you are looking for a fresh, elegant, and refined wine, you have found the fine product you were looking for.

In short, a classy woman!