Germany lays claim to producing the best Riesling in the world, ranging in style from dry to sweet. Following are some Riesling growing regions of Germany:

Mosel: This region produces lighter-bodied Riesling with a medium sweetness that perfectly balances its high acidity. The premium vineyards here are located on the South or South-East facing slopes on the bank of the Mosel River, where stony soils and ample sunlight help the grapes to ripen.

Rheingau: This region has steep vineyards on the South-facing slopes along the banks of the Rhine River. The wines this region produces are drier in style.

Pfaz – Pfalz lies closer to Germany’s border with France. The wine from this region is dry and medium-bodied.

Here are some common terms that you’ll see on German Riesling bottles that refer to the sweetness of the wine:

Trocken – Dry wine

Halbtrocken/ Feinherb: The two words mean the same thing- off dry or medium. Some producers believed that the word "halbtrocken" has a negative connotation, being associated with lower quality wine, and hence they started using the "feinherb" instead.

Kabinett – Wine that is light in body with green fruit flavours such as apple, citrus and floral aromas.

Spätlese: These late-harvest Rieslings, both dry and sweet, have more concentrated flavours and a fuller body with riper citrus and stone fruit flavours such as peach.

Auslese: Wines made from carefully selected extra-ripe bunches of grapes. Such a wine will usually display flavours of stone fruits and tropical fruits. Though Auslese can be made in Trocken (dry) style, most of them have some sweetness.

It is worth noting here that Kabinett, Spatlese and Auslese can range from dry to medium sweet/ sweet. The sugar levels in the grape progressively increases, but not necessarily the final wine. Also, while it is very likely that an Auslese will be sweeter than a Spatlese, it is not always true.

Beerenauslese (BA): Wine made from select bunches of grapes that have been concentrated by Botrytis. These wines have fresh stone fruit (apricot) and tropical fruit (mango) and sometimes dried fruit and honey flavours and are very sweet in taste.

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA): These wines are made from individually selected sweet grapes that have been literally shrivelled into raisins due to Botrytis. These are rare and concentrated wines with intense BA flavours and are very sweet wines.

Alsace, France

Alsace AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) lies to the east of the Vosges mountains and is one of the driest and sunniest wine-producing regions of France. Long periods of uninterrupted sunshine and an extended growing season allow the grapes to ripen slowly and gradually here.

A typical Alsace Riesling is dry with pronounced aromas and flavour intensity. The wines have ripe citrus and stone fruit flavours with medium body and high acidity. They have the ability to age in the bottle, developing dried fruit and honey aromas.

Australia

High-quality Riesling is produced in South Australia’s Eden Valley and Clare Valley. Due to their high altitude, these two regions have moderate climates. They produce a refreshing dry style with pronounced aromas of lime, peach and petrol.

Because of some Riesling’s sweetness and acidity, it is the perfect accompaniment to spicy food. Bold Indian and Asian spices are a great match for Riesling. Here’s a tip: pair lighter, crisper Rieslings with foods that have delicate flavours, like sashimi or sushi. For more substantial Rieslings go with Asian preparations, meats like duck, chicken and pork or foods with aromatic herbs.

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