Tasting notes can differ wildly between Riesling varieties, however, so you may prefer a very dry crisp sipping wine with high acidity, or you might like more sweet wines with a fruitier delivery and softer profile. Both are possible when it comes to Riesling, you just have to find the right region and the right producer who suits your preferences.
Stepping out beyond the Australian producers showcases the rest of the world’s Riesling abilities including the Finger Lakes wine region in Washington State, United States, South Africa, and the French Alsace and German Rhine Valley styles, where the grape has grown the longest. Its natural acidity has made it a popular variety for late harvest wines and it’s also used for making ice wine, a concentrated European style wine made from grapes frozen on the vine.
US varieties are often dry (less sweet) but this isn’t to say you won’t find sweeter Riesling varieties from the US wineries. It has only been relatively recently that very dry and very lean Riesling varieties have started to emerge and become popular and most Riesling types will be in the mid-range of ripeness, medium-sweet to balance out the acidity. Varieties from the Rhine Valley and Alsace will generally be a medium-sweet, traditional style making them excellent table wines.