Alsace Willm Riesling 2011 750ml

Winery: Alsace Willm

Varietal: Riesling

Although they originated in Germany's beautiful Rhine Valley, the Riesling grape soon spread around the world, where it thrives in many countries with a colder climate which can support this pale and unique grapes. Riesling grapes are considered one of the finest varietals on earth, capable of expressing fascinating features of the soil type they are grown on, resulting in some highly interesting wines with plenty to offer those who are looking for something different. Riesling grapes are also noted for their aromas, which tend to be highly perfumed, floral and often with smoky notes accentuating their unusual flavor Because this was always the predominant grape grown in Germany and other such countries, Riesling wineries have always been keen to experiment with its range. This has resulted in dry white wines, sparkling wines, semi sweet wines and several others, but the finest examples are usually considered to be the Riesling dessert wines. These are occasionally made with unusual processes, including the 'eiswine' method, in which the grapes are allowed to freeze in the early frosts, or by allowing the development of 'noble rot', which withers the grapes and results in some truly spectacular and unusual flavors.

Region: Alsace

Step into any good wine store, and you'll easily be able to recognize the Alsatian wines, due to their slender, Germanic bottles which contain wines made from one or more of the grapes native to the region. The wines of Alsace are well known around the world, and for centuries they have been renowned for their quality and fascinating features. The grapes allowed to be used in Alsace wines are carefully overseen by the French government, and only nine different fine varietals are permitted to be grown within the vineyards of Alsace. Most commonly, wineries process Pinot Noir and Riesling varietal grapes for their wines, although it is also common to see a blend of other Germanic and French native grapes listed on the bottles.

Country: France

France is renowned across the globe for its quality wines and the careful expertise which goes into making them, but what is truly remarkable about this relatively small country is the vast range of wines it produces in such huge amounts each year. Not only are the finest red wines in the world said to come from the beautiful regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but elsewhere in the country we find the Champagne region, and areas such as the Rhone Valley and the Loire, whose white wines consistently receive awards and accolades by the plenty. This range is a result of the great variety of climatic conditions and terrain found in France, coupled with generations of wine makers working within single appellations. Their knowledge of specific terroirs and grape varieties has, over time, perfected the production of wines within their region, and the end results continue to impress the world to this day.