How many Rieslings have you had in the last six months? If you haven’t had any, is it because you think all Rieslings are sweet? The International Riesling Foundation wants consumers to know that Riesling wines can vary between sweet and dry. As I travel from winery to winery in different wine regions, I’ve noticed that there is a dramatic difference between Rieslings. Some are Riesling Icewines that are very sweet and others are dry. Tastes and aromas differ also. Consumers may notice floral, fruity or perhaps even petrol.

The International Riesling Foundation is proposing a Riesling scale. Under consideration is a scale with sweet, medium sweet, medium dry, off dry and dry. However, Riesling wine is so much more than a level of sweetness. If I wanted just sweetness, a spoonful of sugar is all it takes. With significant differences in the floral, fruity or petrol tastes and aromas, I would like a scale that would include these qualities. A very fruity Riesling may be dry but taste quite sweet. After all, sweetness is very subjective for the consumer.

What kind of scale would you like to see for Riesling wines?