It may come as a surprise to most wine enthusiasts but yes, there is a red Riesling wine.
Although, the name is misleading as it’s actually a white wine. It’s the skin of these Riesling grapes that have a reddish hue, but it is otherwise very similar to the traditional white Riesling. The name given to wine made from red Riesling grapes is Roter Riesling.
The color of the wine can depend on how long the winemakers macerate the grape skins during fermentation, as well as on how long they age it before releasing it to market. The longer they let the wine ferment, the darker it becomes.
Although this process might make the wine darker in appearance, its taste is very similar to that of white Riesling.
What Does Red Riesling(Roter Riesling) Taste Like?
The taste of red Riesling is often bold with a lasting aftertaste. Known for having a unique flavor of citrus, tree fruit, and honey. A well-balanced palate of minerals and wet stone and a long finish.
White Riesling on the other hand offers primary fruit aromas of orchard fruits like nectarine, apricot, pear. Its taste is often described as having notes of apple, nectarine, peach, and pineapple.
In my opinion, the flavor of red Riesling is generally citrusy and balanced with a strong aftertaste whereas its white counterpart tends to be fruity and crips with higher levels of acidity.
Best Examples of Roter Riesling
Allendorf Roter Riesling Trocken – This easy-to-drink Roter Riesling has an acidity, earthy, and citrusy aroma. It has flavors of green apple, lime, and minerals. You’ll find it mild and smooth all the way through.
G.H. Mumm Roter Riesling Feinherb – This classic German comes with flavors of apple, apricot, lime, and honey. It has a medium body and medium acidity. Consider cooling this bottle in the fridge and giving it an hour or so to breathe before serving. A safe drink to serve at a party.
August Eser Roter Riesling Trocken – A fantastic wine everyone should add to their hit list! This pale lime-colored drink is citrusy with fresh acidity and long lingering mineral flavors. An ideal pairing for a fish dinner or a platter of finger food.
Winnica Silesian Roter Riesling – This amazing orange wine has a fruity nose and a very prominent rose, peach, and grapefruit palate. Expect this balanced wine to be dry, high in acidity, and have a medium body. Awesome paring for white fish!
Baron Knyphausen Roter Riesling – This pleasant Roter Riesling has a light golden color. The unique bottle is full of pineapple, peach, and lemon flavors. A harmony with medium acidity and a medium body. This refreshing wine pairs well with spicy food.
Best Food Pairings for Red Riesling
Here are some dishes you can feel comfortable serving alongside any bottle of red Riesling.
Pork – Pork dishes tend to pair better with red wines, but they are an ideal companion for a Roter Riesling as well. Pork chops, pork tenderloin, sausage, and schnitzel will go well with the body and flavor of our new favorite wine.
Pasta – Red Riesling and pasta go hand to hand and the combination is something that you can’t afford to miss. The wine tastes great with mushroom risotto or creamy pasta dishes.
Pesto pasta, normal pasta with greens, fresh tomatoes, lemon, and olive oil, or ravioli with tomato sauce can taste fantastic with a glass of Riesling.
Shellfish – The light taste of this wine is a perfect match for seafood. Seafood is also an easy and quick dish to prepare, which makes it ideal when entertaining friends in the warmer months. Prawns or Shrimp skewers are a great summer dish to enjoy with red Riesling.
Spicy Food – If you like to add more heat to your kitchen, Thai food or Mexican food is great for pairing with red Riseling. The spicy south-east Asian recipes with chili and lime in them pair great with the soft red wine.
How is Red Riesling Made?
Red Riesling grapes are usually harvested in mid-late October. Once they reach the winery, they are crushed and fermented within hours so they do not overripen on the vine.
The skins of the grapes oxidize during fermentation to create color and flavor for this style of wine.
After primary fermentation is complete, the grape skins are pressed and the juice is aged in small oak barrels for about 18 months.
This aging process gives red Riesling its rich color and flavor, but also imparts some of the wine’s acidity into the barrels.
Red wine grapes are harvested in a different process than white wine grapes. This traditional method takes longer than using a machine but ensures that only fully ripe grapes are harvested and processed into wine.
When making red Riesling the harvest begins with the removal of leaves and excess shoots to expose grape clusters and facilitate harvesting. Then the grapes are pressed and destemming is done for wine production.
Next, the must is cooled and stirred daily or twice daily by pumping over or through a coil that is immersed in cold water.
The wine is put back into a stainless steel vessel which is then sealed up for fermentation for 18 months. Some winemakers will use small oak wood barrels for aging red Riesling for additional flavor.
During the last several months of aging, the temperature of the wine may be raised or lowered to extract tannin and acidity that might be too present.
After 18 months pass, the barrels are racked and blended with taste to check for tannin content, aroma, flavor, and acidity.
Finally, the wine is bottled and sold around the world.
Summary
Riesling gets its name from the German word for “Rhineland,” where it was first cultivated, and “Roter” means redder. One hypothesis is that it actually originated somewhere around the Rhine River and it is possible that Riesling was at one point a cross between two different grapes: Silvaner and Traminer.
Now you have all the information you need about red Riesling.
This wine has been flying under the radar for some time but it’s set to make a big splash in the upcoming years.
Make sure to add a red Riesling to your wine hitlist and try it with some steak or grilled chicken.
Feel free to let me know what you thought of it. Get in contact with me on here or through our Facebook group.