Riesling Taste Profile

J

John Kafarski

John Kafarski
What do you guys think of the new Riesling 'Taste Profile' that is finding its way onto hundreds of thousands of cases of Riesling consumed in the United States? A good idea, I think, but how many pieces of information can we put on a bottle of Riesling before we completely befuddle the drinker? Or, before we simply run out of room on the bottle?
 
It makes perfect sense to me. Some might bristle at it, but I get plenty of people who tell me things like "I don't drink sweet wines" when I recommend a riesling.
 
I thought that the rule was "if it comes in a tall bottle, it's sweet". I buy quantities of Riesling annually in the low two-figures and haven't run across the aforementioned "Taste Profile" but maybe I'm just buying the wrong Rieslings.

-Eden (befuddled anyway)
 
I like the idea as well. It's amazing how much trouble producers, distributors, retailers and sommeliers have to go through to educate consumers about Riesling. Perhaps its diversity and versatility lends to its greatness as a varietal?
 
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
I thought that the rule was "if it comes in a tall bottle, it's sweet". I buy quantities of Riesling annually in the low two-figures and haven't run across the aforementioned "Taste Profile" but maybe I'm just buying the wrong Rieslings.

-Eden (befuddled anyway)
Click to expand...

This is the Taste Profile

Not sure if I am reading you right, Eden (quantities, as in bottles? cases? foudres?), but I too have not met this Taste Profile tool (and I buy, when measured by cases, in the middle-to-high 2 figures annually). Maybe you and I are buying the right Rieslings?
 
The "profiling" started with the 2008 vintage and there are a limited amount of wineries participating. The number of cases is inflated because Chateau St. Michelle, Pacific Rim and others who have higher production numbers are involved. Only 1 winery from Germany - Schloss Johannisberg is on board so far.
 
The profile says nothing about the acidity in the wines tho...which makes or breaks the wine, imo. People with knee-jerk reactions to *sweet* aren't going to be won over by riesling anyway.
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
The profile says nothing about the acidity in the wines tho...which makes or breaks the wine, imo. People with knee-jerk reactions to *sweet* aren't going to be won over by riesling anyway.
Click to expand...

I was assuming that the profiler was integrating acidity and RS; giving the customer (somebody's) read on apparent sweetness, but maybe that is my being overly hopeful.
 
originally posted by kirk wallace:
I wondered about that too...
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
The profile says nothing about the acidity in the wines tho...which makes or breaks the wine, imo. People with knee-jerk reactions to *sweet* aren't going to be won over by riesling anyway.
Click to expand...

I was assuming that the profiler was integrating acidity and RS; giving the customer (somebody's) read on apparent sweetness, but maybe that is my being overly hopeful.
Click to expand...

The International Riesling Foundation has established guidelines, based on the sugar to acid ratio with some adjustments for pH. I don't think they are mandatory to using the scale at this point.
 
I think riesling will sell better in the US when they change the bottle shape to burgundy, ferment to completely dry, blend with (take your pick): chardonnay, p.gris, viognier, etc, get rid of all foreign languages on the labels and have shelf talkers in the low to mid 90 pt range written by Oprah.
 
The other night, my partner ordered a by-the-glass riesling at a restaurant. No idea who the maker is but, you know, it'll be crisp and a little sweet and that'll be fine.

Nope. Dry as a bone. Sent it back.

If only the wine's profile had been on the menu....

(Thanks for the link, Kirk. Reminds me a bit of the blurbs used for sake.)
 
originally posted by Arjun Mendiratta:
Karen, those new dry rieslings can be quite high in alcohol. One needs to be careful.
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did you get my acronym?! I'm tasting Zind H 1997 Rangen tonight without much accompaniment, much less your fine roasted chicken! I owe you a dinner; perhaps pork shoulder slow roasted? Meant to post tasting notes re Echezeaux1996 excellennzia etc but procrastinating....
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
I think riesling will sell better in the US when they change the bottle shape to burgundy, ferment to completely dry, blend with (take your pick): chardonnay, p.gris, viognier, etc, get rid of all foreign languages on the labels and have shelf talkers in the low to mid 90 pt range written by Oprah.
Click to expand...

Nobody needs Riesling to sell better; the good stuff is hard enough to get and the crap should not be given wider distribution.
 
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