To Serve Riesling

As a rule of thumb, the sweeter the wine, the higher the serving temperature. However, dessert-style Rieslings that have been concentrated through the effect of Botrytis are often not improved by being overly chilled because cold temperatures tighten-up volatile aromas. Standard refrigerators are usually set around 38°F (3°C)—keep that in mind for the best serving temperatures:

IT’S OFTEN A SURPRISE THAT SOME white wines have greater ageability than many red wines. Riesling wines have, for the most part, great aging potential. The aging potential comes from the naturally low pH (and high acidity) of Riesling wines as well as from Riesling’s mineral aspect, or at least, that is what is theorized. The aging potential is accentuated as the sugar level increases. Some dessert-style Rieslings have the longest ageability of any wines, reaching up to 100 years. It has been hypothesized that the impression of sweetness decreases over time, as sugar molecules polymerize into large molecules less sweet to the palate but no less viscous. Proper storage (50–55°F) will help to age the wine gracefully and to the longest extent.

In fact, the town hall of Bremen, Germany, stores various German wines, including Riesling wines, in barrel back to the 1653 vintage.