Top 10 Reasons You Should Love Riesling

Sommeliers, wine writers, and wine geeks--they all love Riesling and tirelessly try to convince consumers to make the switch to the "white side." Poor Riesling. It really is the Rodney Dangerfield of wines. Read this Top 10 List to find out why you should love Riesling too.

1.

Riesling marries beautifully with everything from stinky, aged cheese, to sushi, and Tarte Tatin.

2.

Not all Riesling is sweet. Or German. It comes in a range of styles from bone dry, to sweet, to sparkling, and everything in between.

3.

Riesling plantings span the globe. It is made in France, Austria, Chile, Washington, Oregon, New Zealand, and other regions.

4.

Riesling is a rarity in the grape universe: its acidity levels keep pace with rising sugar levels as the grapes ripen.

5.

Riesling's lower alcohol levels (between 5-10% ABV) make it a great wine to serve at lengthy parties (you know, the kind that run on for more than four or more hours).

6.

Thanks to Riesling's natural, refreshing acidity, it's thirst quenching on a hot day.

7.

Riesling prefers being a loner. It tends to be one of the more varietally pure, unoaked, wines, which is why it's best when it sings solo.

8.

Few grapes are as expressive of their terroir as Riesling; it speaks of the vines' "someplaceness" with focused purity.

9.

Many people mistakenly assume red wines can age the longest, but it's actually dry, acidic white wines that have been known to live the longest. Haunting, delicious, perfectly aged Rieslings have come out of barrels in Germany that date back to the 17th century.

10.

Riesling has a reputation, albeit undeserved, for being sweet plonk. In reality, there lots of high quality Rieslings available at affordable prices. You just have to know how to find them. That's where a knowledgeable pro can help.

So here's your assignment: seek out quality producers and taste every glass of Riesling you can get your hands on.You'll be glad you did.