California Riesling
When the name “Riesling” is stated, everybody thinks “a German white wine”. While that is true, it is also inaccurate. Riesling is definitely a specific grape varietal that is used to produce Riesling wines. German has made a market for these wines going back in the 15th century although they produce many different variations of the same varietal. Each “style” is based on the level of residual sugar left in the wine when fermentation is complete. To the consumer this marks the difference among dry, semi-dry, and sweet tasting Rieslings. Best known for dry style Rieslings is the Alsace region of northern German while the other styles are more prevalent in the Rhine region.
For years it was believed that the cool climate and the slate and sandy clay soils of Germany were the necessary “ingredients” to produce a successful Riesling grape for quality wines. So much so that it was not until the 20th century that Austrians and Australians decided to plant significant acreage in Riesling vines for wine production. When successfully produced, Riesling wines have a higher than normal acid level (making them somewhat crisp) and bright fruit flavors such as peach, apple, grapefruit, and pear. In the late 19th century winegrowers in New York State became some of the first to successfully grow Riesling vines. Their wines were celebrated but did not match favorably with their German counterparts.
Not until the late 20th century did California attempt any serious planting of the Riesling grape. Unlike the German tradition of “chaptalization” (adding sugar to the wine must during fermentation in order to increase alcohol levels), California wine code does not allow this so grapes are left on the vine until sugar levels and acid levels are correct. While Californian winemakers have been experimenting in producing top ranked Riesling wines, few have been successful until recently.
In the small California appellation of Temecula Valley in the Southern part of the state, several wineries have been producing Riesling since the 1980’s. The most prominent of late is Falkner Winery where Riesling has been produced since their origination in 2000. Their semi-dry, very flavorful 2008 Riesling captured a gold medal, best of “South Coast Region”, and “Best of California” awards at the recent 2009 California State Fair. This wine is about 1.5% residual sugar with just enough sweetness to bring out the bright ripe pear and apple flavors. The acids balance the wine very well and provide for a slight crispness that consumers find so desirable.
Falkner Winery only produces about 400 cases of their Riesling every year so bottles can be difficult to obtain. The winery sells in their tasting room, on their website of www.falknerwinery.com, and in major wine shops in Southern California. This is a clear sign of where California is headed in the Riesling market and most consumers will be pleased with the result.
