TONG N°10 / Bordeaux
TONG N°9 / German Riesling
TONG N°8 / Oak
TONG N°7 / Chile
TONG N°6 / Ripeness
TONG N°5 / Red Burgundy
TONG N°4 / Champagne
TONG N°3 / ¿El Futuro?
TONG N°2 / Terroir
TONG N°1 / Sauvignon Blanc
TONG N°9 / German Riesling
TONG N°8 / Oak
TONG N°7 / Chile
TONG N°6 / Ripeness
TONG N°5 / Red Burgundy
TONG N°4 / Champagne
TONG N°3 / ¿El Futuro?
TONG N°2 / Terroir
TONG N°1 / Sauvignon Blanc
© Millefeuille Press
TONG N°9
German Riesling
It's not easy to define Riesling. The problem isn't the variety itself, but the many styles it produces. Riesling is synonymous with complexity, and in Europe in particular it involves intricate labelling and legislation. Must things really be so difficult?
Riesling, with its natural acidity and its linear character, is very much in synch with our modern taste for clarity, authenticity and instant recognisability, but can it compete with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc for world domination? Both these varieties result in recognisable wines, which is key to their success. And, most importantly, they only produce dry wines.
There are efforts to classify Riesling into categories of sweetness. It might make more sense to characterise its many styles according to balance rather than sweetness.
In order to understand Riesling, the only option is to become familiar with them. Laziness with regard to Riesling doesn't pay. NEXT ISSUE: BORDEAUX
Content
The diversity of German Riesling
German regions and their wine styles
by Romana Echensperger
The magic of sweetness
What makes great sweet Riesling?
by Hanno and Dorothee Zilliken
The Blue Nuns' singular story
Why Liebfraumilch was so successful
by Peter Sichel
Making sense of Riesling and terroir
Grosses Gewächs and other efforts to classify German Riesling
by Ulrich Fischer
The future of German Riesling
Will Riesling be able to cope with global warming?
by Hans Reiner Schultz
My love of dry Riesling
How to make top dry Riesling?
by Klaus Peter Keller
How to read a German Riesling label?
Trying to make things clear...
by Romana Echensperger
German Riesling in vintages
A review from 1811 to 2010
by Romana Echensperger
German regions and their wine styles
by Romana Echensperger
The magic of sweetness
What makes great sweet Riesling?
by Hanno and Dorothee Zilliken
The Blue Nuns' singular story
Why Liebfraumilch was so successful
by Peter Sichel
Making sense of Riesling and terroir
Grosses Gewächs and other efforts to classify German Riesling
by Ulrich Fischer
The future of German Riesling
Will Riesling be able to cope with global warming?
by Hans Reiner Schultz
My love of dry Riesling
How to make top dry Riesling?
by Klaus Peter Keller
How to read a German Riesling label?
Trying to make things clear...
by Romana Echensperger
German Riesling in vintages
A review from 1811 to 2010
by Romana Echensperger
Romana Echensperger
Romana Echensperger has worked for 12 years as a sommelier in high-end restaurants in Germany. In 2005, she was elected "Best Sommelier of Berlin", working from a list of 1,000 German wines. From 2007 to 2010, she was head sommelier at the three-star restaurant Vendôme near Köln, which was selected "Best Restaurant of Germany". Echensperger is a second-year Master of Wine candidate.
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Romana Echensperger has worked for 12 years as a sommelier in high-end restaurants in Germany. In 2005, she was elected "Best Sommelier of Berlin", working from a list of 1,000 German wines. From 2007 to 2010, she was head sommelier at the three-star restaurant Vendôme near Köln, which was selected "Best Restaurant of Germany". Echensperger is a second-year Master of Wine candidate.
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Hanno and Dorothee Zilliken
Hanno Zilliken studied viticulture and oenology at Geisenheim university. In 1976 he started working as cellar master at his father's winery, taking over the estate in 1981. Over the years, he created a reputation for classical, fruity and noble-sweet Riesling. His daughter Dorothee also studied at Geisenheim and is the 11th winemaking generation in the family. She's working with her parents Ruth and Hanno since 2007.
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Hanno Zilliken studied viticulture and oenology at Geisenheim university. In 1976 he started working as cellar master at his father's winery, taking over the estate in 1981. Over the years, he created a reputation for classical, fruity and noble-sweet Riesling. His daughter Dorothee also studied at Geisenheim and is the 11th winemaking generation in the family. She's working with her parents Ruth and Hanno since 2007.
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Peter Sichel
Peter Sichel is a fourth-generation wine merchant who joined the family wine business in 1959, after a career in the U.S. Government, last as U.S. Consul in Hong Kong. After initially taking over the Sichel wine import company in New York, he ultimately became the chairman of H. Sichel Söhne in Mainz, Germany. He bought Château Fourcas Hosten in Listrac, Médoc in 1971 with a group of American investors, and became active in promoting the wines of Bordeaux. He retired from the family business in 1995, sold his Bordeaux property in 2006, but is still active in the International Riesling Foundation and as a Governor in the Commanderie de Bordeaux. He has been awarded the Order of Merit by the German Government and the Mérite Agricole by the French Government.
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Peter Sichel is a fourth-generation wine merchant who joined the family wine business in 1959, after a career in the U.S. Government, last as U.S. Consul in Hong Kong. After initially taking over the Sichel wine import company in New York, he ultimately became the chairman of H. Sichel Söhne in Mainz, Germany. He bought Château Fourcas Hosten in Listrac, Médoc in 1971 with a group of American investors, and became active in promoting the wines of Bordeaux. He retired from the family business in 1995, sold his Bordeaux property in 2006, but is still active in the International Riesling Foundation and as a Governor in the Commanderie de Bordeaux. He has been awarded the Order of Merit by the German Government and the Mérite Agricole by the French Government.
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Ulrich Fischer
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Fischer was born in the Mosel valley. After two years doing a winegrowing apprenticeship in the Mosel and Pfalz regions, he graduated from Geisenheim and received a M.Sc. degree from U.C. Davis. After a chemistry PhD from the University of Hannover, he started work at the teaching and research station in Neustadt, where he is head of the viticulture and oenology department. Fischer teaches sensory science and food technology at the University of Kaiserslautern, as well as oenology and sensory evaluation of wine in a B.Sc. program in Neustadt. His research focuses on combining sensory evaluation with analytical chemistry devoted to sensory active compounds in grapes and wine.
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Prof. Dr. Ulrich Fischer was born in the Mosel valley. After two years doing a winegrowing apprenticeship in the Mosel and Pfalz regions, he graduated from Geisenheim and received a M.Sc. degree from U.C. Davis. After a chemistry PhD from the University of Hannover, he started work at the teaching and research station in Neustadt, where he is head of the viticulture and oenology department. Fischer teaches sensory science and food technology at the University of Kaiserslautern, as well as oenology and sensory evaluation of wine in a B.Sc. program in Neustadt. His research focuses on combining sensory evaluation with analytical chemistry devoted to sensory active compounds in grapes and wine.
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Hans Reiner Schultz
Hans Reiner Schultz is Professor of Viticulture at the Geisenheim campus of the University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden in Germany’s Rheingau. His research includes grapevine physiology, viticulture, vineyard establishment and management, and the effects of climate change. Schultz is also Director of the Geisenheim Research Centre, and a much-in-demand speaker at international scientific and wine symposia.
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Hans Reiner Schultz is Professor of Viticulture at the Geisenheim campus of the University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden in Germany’s Rheingau. His research includes grapevine physiology, viticulture, vineyard establishment and management, and the effects of climate change. Schultz is also Director of the Geisenheim Research Centre, and a much-in-demand speaker at international scientific and wine symposia.
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Klaus Peter Keller
Klaus Peter Keller is one of the star winemakers of Rheinhessen and of Germany in general. He specialises both in white and red wines, producing outstanding Pinot Noirs and Rieslings. His G-Max 2009, named after his great grandfather Georg and his son Maximilian, was the most expensive dry Riesling ever, attaining € 4,000 for a double magnum bottle in a recent auction in Germany.
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Klaus Peter Keller is one of the star winemakers of Rheinhessen and of Germany in general. He specialises both in white and red wines, producing outstanding Pinot Noirs and Rieslings. His G-Max 2009, named after his great grandfather Georg and his son Maximilian, was the most expensive dry Riesling ever, attaining € 4,000 for a double magnum bottle in a recent auction in Germany.
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Romana Echensperger
Romana Echensperger has worked for 12 years as a sommelier in high-end restaurants in Germany. In 2005, she was elected "Best Sommelier of Berlin", working from a list of 1,000 German wines. From 2007 to 2010, she was head sommelier at the three-star restaurant Vendôme near Köln, which was selected "Best Restaurant of Germany". Echensperger is a second-year Master of Wine candidate.
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Romana Echensperger has worked for 12 years as a sommelier in high-end restaurants in Germany. In 2005, she was elected "Best Sommelier of Berlin", working from a list of 1,000 German wines. From 2007 to 2010, she was head sommelier at the three-star restaurant Vendôme near Köln, which was selected "Best Restaurant of Germany". Echensperger is a second-year Master of Wine candidate.
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Romana Echensperger
Romana Echensperger has worked for 12 years as a sommelier in high-end restaurants in Germany. In 2005, she was elected "Best Sommelier of Berlin", working from a list of 1,000 German wines. From 2007 to 2010, she was head sommelier at the three-star restaurant Vendôme near Köln, which was selected "Best Restaurant of Germany". Echensperger is a second-year Master of Wine candidate.
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Romana Echensperger has worked for 12 years as a sommelier in high-end restaurants in Germany. In 2005, she was elected "Best Sommelier of Berlin", working from a list of 1,000 German wines. From 2007 to 2010, she was head sommelier at the three-star restaurant Vendôme near Köln, which was selected "Best Restaurant of Germany". Echensperger is a second-year Master of Wine candidate.
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