Riesling: what it tastes like
Riesling is an aromatic white with high acidity and a floral-citrus profile: green apple, lime, peach and white flowers, with the classic petrol note in mature examples. It runs from bone dry to dessert sweet; the body is light to medium and oak is almost never used.
Got the bottle in hand? Snap the label — we’ll tell you what to expect
Taste profile
- Colour
- white
- Body
- light to medium
- Acidity
- high
- Sweetness
- dry to sweet
Aromas
What to pair with
- spicy Asian food
- fish and seafood
- goat cheese
- pork
- salads with fruit
Rather not guess?
We’ll pick a wine for your taste and occasion — or walk you through a tasting step by step.
FAQ
Is Riesling dry or sweet?
It can be either — from fully dry (trocken) to dessert styles such as late harvest and Eiswein. The sweetness level is usually stated on the label.
Why does Riesling smell of petrol?
That is the petrol note (TDN), a normal marker of mature Riesling rather than a fault. Young dry bottles show almost none of it.