Riesling 是一种在全球范围内都有种植的国际品种，是我最喜欢的白葡萄品种之一，因为它的优雅，以及对风土的依赖，且不像Chardonnay需要依赖于乳酸发酵和木桶陈年。偏冷气候的产区如德国Mosel的Riesling通常带有新鲜的青苹果风味，酒体也较淡；比较温暖气候的产区的Riesling如法国的Alsace，奥地利的Wachau，澳洲的Clare Valley，Eden Valley通常酒体会更为饱满，香气上也更偏向于成熟的水果（柑橘，桃子，柠檬）。当然了，和另一个娇贵的品种Pinot Noir一样，Riesling无法种植于热气候环境下。Riesling随着陈年往往会发展出如同蜂蜜、烟熏，以及非常特别的一种类似于汽油的高贵气息。其他一些Riesling的主要产区有德国的Nache，Rheingau，Pfalz; 新西兰的Marlborough等。

Alsace协会的 “教皇” ，同时也是Riesling专家和狂热的爱好者Thierry Fritsch先生每年都会来上海，所以我也有幸能与他一起探讨过一些有关Riesling的问题。Fritsch先生对Alsace目前最主要竞争对手之一的澳洲Riesling持保留态度，他告诉我首先许多澳洲出产的标有Riesling的酒和中欧一些国家一样，并不是真的Riesling,而是如Welschriesling等一些其他品种。其次，就算是真的Riesling，许多澳洲的Riesling不像Alsace需要至少3－5年的自然陈年来发展出高雅的汽油味，它们往往在装瓶时就有了，他认为这是一种严重的酿造工艺上的错误！既便是名家合作的Grosset-Hill Smith Mesh Riesling也难逃这种做作的感觉。对于澳洲的Riesling我个人最中意的酒厂毫无疑问还是Grosset，旗下在Clare Valley的两个葡萄园出产的Springvale Watervale Riesling和Polish Hill Riesling都能与Alsace的顶级Riesling媲美，通过陈年自然展现的汽油味和成熟的果味完美平衡，是绝对的佳酿！

作为Riesling的狂热爱好者，只要是Riesling我都会去尝试，比如我有在奥地利的Niederosterreich Weinviertel DAC 试到过好酒，新西兰Neslon的Neudorf Brightwater Riesling 也还不错。现在世界上其他一些产区也在尝试酿造Riesling，比如美国的Washington洲的Columbia Valley和California 洲的Santa Lucia Highlands，中国烟台的君顶酒庄的东方系列的Riesling在拜访君顶酒庄时我也试过，较其他的一些国产Riesling已有很大的进步，至少已初步具有了Riesling的轮廓了，在这里鼓励一下，哈哈，加油，希望中国有朝一日也能出产国际水准的Riesling，相信这一天应该不会远！

Talking of Riesling Dry White Wine

Riesling is a grape variety which planting widely all over the world as well as one of my favorite white varieties, due to its elegance, highly depend on the“Terroir” also unlike chardonnay rely on malolactic fermentation and barrel aging. Cooler climate region such as Mosel’s Riesling always has fresh green apple flavor, the body is relatively light; warmer climate Riesling like Alsace of France， Wachau of Austria， Clare Valley；Eden Valley of Australia usually full-bodied, aroma tend to show more ripen fruit(citrus, peach, lemon). Of course, like another Noble Variety Pinot Noir, Riesling can not plant in the hot region. Along with the aging, Riesling will develop honey, smoke notes, also very special and glorious petrol-like aroma. Other major Riesling producing area can be Nache，Rheingau，Pfalz of Germany; Marlborough of New Zealand, etc.

The“Pope”of Alsace Association, also as Riesling expert and crazy lover Mr. Thierry Fritsch comes to Shanghai every year, so I am fortunate to discuss with him about some issue of Riesling. When talking about one of the important rivals of Alsace—Australian Riesling, Mr. Fritsch reserve his opinion, he told me that like some other Central-European countries, some Australian wine labeled Riesling is not the true Riesling, instead, should be the Welschriesling or other varieties. Moreover, even if it is true Riesling, different from Alsace, lots of Australian Riesling don not needs 3-5 years naturally aging to develop elegant gas notes, they already got the gas-like notes before the bottling. He thought it is a big mistake and seriously fault of the vinification! Even the famous cooperative wine Grosset-Hill Smith Mesh Riesling still can not escape this artificial feeling. Out of question, among the Australian Riesling, I personally most prefer the Grosset, the wine made by grapes from the Clare Valley vineyards--Springvale Watervale Riesling& Polish Hill Riesling are able to compared to any top quality Riesling from the Alsace. The wine will present natural petrol like nose perfect balanced with nice ripen fruity notes, absolutely great wine!

As a crazy Riesling lover, I don’t missing any chance to try the Riesling. For example, I found some quality Riesling which from the Niederosterreich Weinviertel DAC of Austria, Neudorf Brightwater Nelson Riesling of New Zealand is also good. Currently, there still some other region likes U.S Washington State Columbia Valley and California Santa Lucia Highlands. When I visit the Chateau Junding in China Yintan, its Oriental Riesling, I found it has made great progress in terms of Chinese Riesling, at least it has got the primary shape of Riesling yet. Ha-ha, encouraging here, come on, really hope China will able to produced high quality Riesling in the distant future, I firmly believe the day will coming soon!