Riesling is the least-heralded noble white wine grape in America. We’ve been through the chardonnay craze and are at the peak of the pinot grigio craze and may very well be in pursuit of sauvignon blanc as the next celebrity white wine grape.

Riesling has been present all along. It may very well be the cause of America’s awakening to the joys of wine because of its predominant presence in Germany where a great many young Americans as soldiers enjoyed their first experience with wine and marched home in search of it and other wines. Riesling is possibly at its best in Alsace, that French region so heavily influenced by its neighbor across the Rhine. It has had difficulty gaining a foothold in America because most wine-growing regions in America are too hot for it, bringing it to an intense ripeness that makes it sweet before it really develops.

Sweet. Dry. Medium dry. That’s Riesling. It’s the most versatile of grapes, able to be vinified at all levels of dryness or sweetness, and it has great aging potential. A well-made Riesling in a successful growing season can last for twenty years or more when properly cellared. Because of its German roots, we capitalize it. Or maybe we capitalize it because of its nobility. No matter what, it deserves a higher place at American tables, and, fortunately, vintners across the country have learned to work with it.

Watch the video for a discussion about this remarkable grape and its varied wines.