A guest tells you she hates Riesling because it is sweet. That evening you pour her a bone-dry Alsace Riesling blind and she asks for the bottle. Riesling is the most misunderstood grape on board, and knowing how to reintroduce it is one of the more satisfying tricks in this job.
Riesling: high acid, huge range
Riesling gives high acidity, low alcohol potential, no oak, intense floral, citrus and stone fruit aromas, and a famous petrol/kerosene note as it ages. Critically, it can be made at any sweetness level, and the label does not always shout which.
| Region | Typical style |
|---|---|
| Mosel (Germany) | Delicate, low alcohol (often 8–9%), off-dry to sweet, racing acidity, green apple and lime |
| Rheingau, Pfalz (Germany) | Fuller; increasingly dry — look for Trocken (dry) |
| Alsace (France) | Usually dry, higher alcohol, more body, steely and citrus-driven |
| Clare & Eden Valley (Australia) | Bone dry, searing lime and grapefruit, ages into toast and petrol |
The German sweetness clue: Trocken = dry, Halbtrocken = off-dry. Terms such as Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese denote grape ripeness at harvest in ascending order — riper grapes can, but need not, mean a sweeter wine. If you are unsure, check the ABV: a low figure usually points to residual sugar.
The other principal whites
| Variety | Style | Key homes | The guest who wants it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris | Same grape, two personalities: Italian Grigio is light, dry, neutral, crisp; Alsace Gris is full, rich, spicy, often off-dry | Veneto, Alsace, Oregon | Grigio: the easy, no-thinking aperitif. Gris: someone wanting weight without oak |
| Chenin Blanc | High acid, apple and honey; dry to lusciously sweet, and sparkling | Loire (Vouvray, Savennières), South Africa | Versatile; the sweet Loire versions are world class |
| Sémillon | Low aromatics, waxy, ages superbly; prone to noble rot | Bordeaux (dry blends and Sauternes), Hunter Valley | Rarely asked for by name; carries Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux |
| Viognier | Full body, low acid, apricot and blossom, oily texture | Condrieu (northern Rhône), Languedoc, New World | The guest who says "I want a white with the weight of a red" |
| Gewurztraminer | Deeply perfumed — lychee, rose, ginger; full, low acid, often off-dry | Alsace, Germany, New Zealand | Loves spice; polarising, so pour a taste first |
| Albariño | Zesty, saline, citrus and stone fruit, medium body | Rías Baixas (Spain), Vinho Verde area (as Alvarinho) | Shellfish, sunshine, aperitif hour |
The two useful axes
- Aromatic intensity: Gewurztraminer and Viognier are loud. Pinot Grigio and Sémillon are quiet. Match to the guest, not the price.
- Acidity: Riesling, Chenin, Albariño are high — refreshing, food-friendly, long-lived. Viognier and Gewurztraminer are low — richer, but they tire on a hot deck.
Onboard Notes
- Always taste before assuming a Riesling is dry. It matters at the table more than almost any other call you make.
- Gewurztraminer with a spiced Asian course is a genuine wow moment — but pour a small taste first, because some guests find it soapy.
- Albariño is the underrated crew favourite: cheap, delicious, and it drinks perfectly with everything that comes out of the Med.