Riesling: sweet or dry, and which bottle to buy

Riesling is a white wine that runs from bone dry to dessert sweet, always with bright acidity and a clean, floral, citrus-and-stone-fruit character. The label rarely says which style you are holding, so this guide shows you how to tell, what to serve it with, and which Riesling bottles you can pick up or have delivered from CBC Liquors on Littleton Rd in Westford.

What does Riesling taste like?

Riesling is built on aroma and acidity. Expect green apple, lime, peach and apricot, often with a floral note like blossom or honeysuckle. The acidity is high, which is why even a wine with some sweetness tastes fresh rather than heavy.

Older bottles can pick up a savory, petrol-like note that wine drinkers either love or find strange. It is a normal part of the grape's character and not a flaw.

If you want to browse everything we have, the Riesling category shows the bottles on the shelf and online today. It sits inside our wider white wine range, so you can compare it with other whites in the same visit.

Is Riesling sweet or dry?

It can be either, and that is the single most useful thing to know. Riesling is made in everything from fully dry to richly sweet, and the grape itself does not decide that: the winemaker does, by choosing when to stop fermentation and how much natural grape sugar to leave in the bottle.

Because the acidity is so high, a Riesling with a little sweetness often tastes balanced and not sugary. That is why people who say they dislike sweet wine are sometimes surprised by an off-dry Riesling.

A quick way to judge: a bottle named dry, or trocken on a German label, will taste crisp and mineral. A bottle named sweet, late harvest or a dessert style will taste of ripe fruit and honey. Everything between is where most everyday Riesling sits.

How do you read a Riesling label?

Labels from Germany use a handful of terms worth learning. Trocken means dry. Halbtrocken or feinherb means off-dry. Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese describe how ripe the grapes were at harvest, and they move up in richness in that order. A Kabinett is usually light and often lower in alcohol, while an Auslese is fuller and sweeter.

Place names matter too. Mosel is a German region known for slate soils and delicate, high-acid Riesling. Our CLEAN SLATE Mosel Riesling carries that region on the label, which tells you the style to expect: light, bright and fruity.

Bottles from other countries often say little about sweetness. When the label is silent, a short description on the product page, or a question at the counter, is the quickest way to find out.

Which Riesling bottles does CBC Liquors carry?

We list several Riesling bottles at the moment, covering a spread of styles so you can choose by how sweet you like your wine.

For a familiar everyday bottle, there is CHATEAU STE MICHELLE RIESLING. If you want to go clearly sweeter, the CHATEAU STE MICHELLE HARVEST SELECT SWEET RIESLING says so in its name, which makes it an easy pick for dessert or for guests who prefer a sweeter glass.

Other Rieslings we carry include SeaGlass Riesling, A TO Z Riesling and BOUNDARY BREAKS Riesling. Stock changes, so the category page is the place to see what is on the shelf today.

What food goes with Riesling?

Riesling's acidity and touch of fruit make it one of the more flexible white wines at the table. The classic match is spicy food: Thai, Indian and Szechuan dishes all handle a little sweetness well, because it cools the heat while the acidity cuts through richness.

It also suits pork, roast chicken, smoked fish, and salty things like ham or cured meats. Dry Riesling works with shellfish and salads. A sweeter style pairs with fruit tarts, cheese plates and blue cheese, where the sweet and salty contrast is the point.

A good rule is to match the wine's sweetness to the dish: the hotter or saltier the food, the more a little sugar in the glass helps.

How should you serve and store Riesling?

Serve it chilled, roughly the temperature of a refrigerator but not ice cold. A bottle that is too cold hides its aroma, so take it out of the fridge for ten minutes before pouring. Sweeter styles taste best a little cooler than dry ones.

You do not need special glasses. A standard white wine glass lets the floral aromas gather.

An opened bottle keeps for a few days with the cork or screw cap back on and the bottle in the fridge, and the high acidity helps it hold up better than many whites. Unopened, keep bottles lying down or upright away from heat and direct light.

How does Riesling compare with Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay?

Compared with Pinot Grigio, Riesling is usually more aromatic and has more fruit. Pinot Grigio tends to be neutral, light and crisp.

Against Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling is less grassy and herbal, more peach and floral, and it is the one more likely to carry some sweetness.

Chardonnay is typically rounder and fuller in body, sometimes with oak. Riesling is lighter on its feet and leaner, with that sharp, refreshing finish. If you usually drink one of those, a dry or off-dry Riesling is an easy step sideways.

How can you get Riesling from CBC Liquors in Westford?

You can walk in to the shop at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford. We are open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Pickup runs the same hours.

We also offer delivery and shipping. Delivery hours are Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. See our delivery areas for where we go, including Chelmsford, Acton and Littleton. Our shipping policy covers the rest.

If you are planning a dinner or a gathering and want help choosing a style, our guide to wine choices in Westford is a good place to start, and our party planner can help you think through quantities.