Dry Riesling: 10 Fantastic Bottles (2024), Flavors, What Makes It Dry

Often regarded as sweet, Riesling also makes an excellent dry wine. The drier style of Riesling originated from the Rhine River wine region of Germany.

Today, dry Riesling is produced worldwide, from old wine regions like France to newer ones like the USA.

Let’s explore everything about dry Riesling - what makes it dry, how to find a good dry Riesling, and the 10 best dry Riesling bottles.

We’ll also discover the top dry Riesling wine regions, if it’s worth investing in, and talk about some delicious food pairings.

What Makes Riesling Dry?

The sweetness of Riesling depends on the time of harvest and the winemaking practices of the winery.

The Riesling grape sugars depend majorly on the time of harvest. Typically, an early harvest yields grape bunches with lower sugar levels, producing dry wines.

During fermentation, the winemaker ferments the grape juice entirely, leaving only a minimal amount of residual sugar in the wine.

This also increases the wine’s alcohol levels.  This is because, during fermentation, the yeast eats up the grape sugar and converts it to alcohol and carbon dioxide.

The bottom line is, the less the residual sugar, the drier the Riesling.

How To Find A Dry Riesling

Here are some things to look out for when searching for dry Rieslings at the wine shop:

• Residual Sugar (RS): Dry Riesling has less than 9 grams of residual sugar per liter. Any more RS, and you would have a sweet or off dry Riesling.
• Alcohol By Volume (ABV): Dry Riesling has a higher alcohol content of above 11%.
• 1, 1, 6-Trimethyl-1,2-dihydronapthalene (TDN): This is a compound that gives dry Riesling its petrol aroma and is more prevalent in older wines. Sweetness in wine masks TDN, so look for moderate TDN levels of about 20 micrograms per liter.

Looking for the perfect dry Riesling bottle?

Top 10 Dry Riesling Bottles To Buy In 2024

Here are the top 10 dry Riesling bottles to impress your guests:

• 2008 Weingut Keller G-Max Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany 
• 2017 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese Trocken, Mosel, Germany 
• 1979 F E Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune, Alsace, France 
• 2004 Weingut Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheinhessen, Germany 
• 2015 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvee Sainte Catherine, Alsace Grand Cru, France 
• 2009 F.X. Pichler 'Unendlich' Riesling Smaragd, Wachau, Austria
• 2005 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain, Alsace Grand Cru, France  
• 1996 Georg Breuer Rauenthal Nonnenberg Riesling Trocken, Rheingau, Germany 
• 2003 Peter Lehmann Wigan Riesling, Eden Valley, Australia 
• 1999 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia 

1. 2008 Weingut Keller G-Max Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany ($2,839) 

This 2008 vintage Riesling boasts lemon, apricot, and linden flower flavor. The nose packs nut oil aromas and stone fruit notes. This great wine also has some minerality that really highlights its acidity.

2. 2017 Markus Molitor Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese Trocken, Mosel, Germany ($1,952)

A 2017 dry Riesling is bold and flinty with notes of smoke and peach followed by a citrus kick. The nose of this white wine has a green apple aroma.

3. 1979 F E Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune, Alsace, France ($1173)

Slight petrol aromas back this golden-colored French Riesling followed by notes of fresh fruit. Expect some acidity as well as incredibly aromatic peach and herbal tones on the nose.

4. 2004 Weingut Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheinhessen, Germany ($1119) 

This German Riesling has a rich yellow color with ripe aromas of white peach, toasted almonds, and pear. Expect a velvety texture, some spice, and an elegant finish.

5. 2015 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvee Sainte Catherine, Alsace Grand Cru, France ($451)

Hailing from the prestigious Grand Cru vineyards of Alsace, France, this magnificent Riesling is acidic and dry. 

Expect citrus fruit peel, ripe lime, and tart peach notes on the nose with beguiling floral scents.

6. 2009 F.X. Pichler 'Unendlich' Riesling Smaragd, Wachau, Austria ($394)

This 2009 Austrian wine has hints of minerality, honey, and key lime on the palate. It is a perfect dry white wine packed with acidity and a citrus fruit bouquet.

7. 2005 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain, Alsace Grand Cru, France ($204) 

This grand cru wine has bright acidity and earthy notes with a hint of citrus and ripe fruit. The nose of this wine permeates with peach and smoky scents.

8. 1996 Georg Breuer Rauenthal Nonnenberg Riesling Trocken, Rheingau, Germany ($331)

This German Riesling is elegant and aromatic with hints of exotic fruit followed by peach and a slight acidity. Expect elegant aromas of white seed fruit intermixed with smoky and stony aromas.

9. 2003 Peter Lehmann Wigan Riesling, Eden Valley, Australia ($47)

This Australian Riesling has lime and toasty aromas with a slight petrol scent on the bouquet. The palate is dry with even more lime notes and crisp acidity. 

10. 1999 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia ($77)

This dry wine has citrus notes of lemon, lime, and orange blossom. These tart flavors get balanced out by the green apple and honey notes.

This great wine has a long finish with salted caramel and peach aromas. 

Investing In Dry Riesling

Wine collectors prefer dry Riesling for its excellent aging potential.  Typically, a good bottle takes around 10-20 years to reach its peak.

The best ones also show consistent price appreciation. Take these for example:

• The price of 1979 F E Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune rose from $786 to $1,186 from 2020 to 2021, an increase of 50%.
• The 2015 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvee Sainte Catherine’s price increased by 647% when it went from $61 to $456 between December 2019 and November 2021.

These bottles intrigue the most astute wine investors.

If you’re looking for a partner to help you invest in dry Riesling or other fine wines, Vinovestis a reliable wine investment company that can help you every step of the way.

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Let’s get into more detail about these intriguing wines.

Food Pairings With Dry Riesling

A bottle of dry Riesling pairs well with several spectacular dishes such as Asian food, shellfish, and chicken.

Alternatively, you can pair a dry Riesling with mild cheese, grapefruit, and even jam. 

Best Dry Riesling Regions

These are some of the most famous dry Riesling producing regions:

• Germany: Dry German Rieslings have “Trocken” and “Grosses Gewächs” on their label. The blue slate soils of the Rheingau and Pfalz vineyards house the best German Riesling vines. 
• France: With over 51 grand cru vineyards of Riesling, Alsace is the most prestigious producer of some of the most sought-after dry Rieslings in the world.
• Austria: The fruit of the Kremstal, Kamptal, and Wachau vineyards produce some of the best Austrian dry Riesling wine.
• USA: The vineyards of Washington, New York, and other northern latitude regions produce exceptional quality dry Riesling. 
• Australia: The Clair and Eden valleys of Southern Australia are famous for delicious dry Riesling wines with a flinty and smoky taste when aged.

Surprise Your Guests With A Bottle Of Dry Riesling

From prestigious wines from the Grand Cru vineyards of France to the blue slate soils of Germany, there is a bottle of dry Riesling for every wine lover. 

They also make a great long-term investment and can potentially give you handsome returns.

Check out the Vinovest website to discover more about buying, storing, and selling rare and authentic wines.