In case you haven’t heard, it’s the Summer of Riesling. This 94 day celebration of Riesling wine is underway, including “The 31 Days of German Riesling,” Wines of Germany’s July celebration.

Started five years ago by Paul Greico, he is deemed by Snooth to be the Father of the Summer of Riesling. Paul loves Riesling and decided that summer to serve only Riesling as the white wine in his NYC wine bar Terrior. The following summer Paul asked fellow sommeliers in the city to join him in the promotion of this often overlooked wine here in the U.S. He knew they’d be interested as it was a wine they all loved.
Now five years later its a nationwide celebration with participation by the International Riesling Foundation, Wines of Germany, Austrian Wine, Wines of Alsace, Australian Wine and Finger Lakes Wine Alliance…all regions with outstanding Riesling.

Riesling is typically seen as a sweet wine in the U.S. But in its true form, it is a lovely refined wine with great acidity, especially those from Germany, the true home of the Riesling grape. I developed a true appreciation for Riesling when visiting the Deutsche Weinstrasse, German Wine Road in Germany’s Pfalz region.

More fun Riesling facts from Wines of Germany…

  • The grape was first cultivated in the village of Piesport, where it still resides today.
  • Germany has 61.4% of the world’s Riesling vineyards – more than 50,000 acres of vines!
  • Riesling occupies over 20% of Germany’s vineyards.
  • Close to 2/3 of the entire Riesling production in Germany is dry.
  • German Riesling is widely considered to be the most food compatible white wine in the world.
  • Riesling is argued to be the varietal that best expresses terroir- or the soil the vines are grown in.

To join the Riesling fun, check out all the participating restaurants and events on Summer of Riesling and 31 Days of German Riesling. Tonight there’s even a German Riesling New York Harbor Concert Cruise with the German Wine Queen.

Prost to a great Riesling!