Riesling

Rhine Riesling is a white grape variety that produces a fruity and characterful wine. Originally from Germany, it then spread to Alsace, Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Hungary; today it is produced in many places in the world, including Argentina and Australia. Since it has a late maturation, the Riesling vine when it faces north presents high demands. Instead, steep pergolas combined with stony banks that retain heat along river valleys, offer ideal conditions for growth, especially if oriented between south-east and south-west. Riesling has a good capacity for resistance to cold and frost and is not excessively sensitive to dry air.

Late ripening is a technical difficulty, the vines are susceptible to very hot climates and rot easily, and heavy and humid soils are not appropriate. In viticulture, the two main components of growing Riesling grapes are a climate that allows for long and slow ripening, and appropriate pruning to keep production low and therefore the flavor concentrated. Along with this, high exposure to the sun, high acidity of the grape and the absence of irrigation systems distinguish a quality blend from a simple one. All this is reflected in the final product: in fact, in high-level Riesling wines the "petrolate" note (in French goût de pétrole) predominates, which with its sensory associations with rubber or kerosene can certainly disorient an unaccustomed consumer, or one looking for a young wine with fruity aromas such as a commercial quality Riesling.