International Riesling Day Date in the current year: March 13, 2024

Riesling is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region of Germany. The earliest written reference to Riesling dates from March 13, 1435; it can be found in the annual storage inventory of Johann IV, Count of Katzenelnbogen in Rüsselsheim am Main. According to the inventory, the administrator bought Riesling vine cuttings for the vineyard for 22 schillings.

Today, Riesling is the leading wine grape variety in Germany. It is also grown in Austria, the Alsace region of France, Hungary, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Moldova, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the United States, and Canada.

Riesling can be used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling white wines. It is primarily used to produce varietal wines with high acidity levels, flowery aromas and fruity notes. Riesling is a versatile grape variety that is considered “terroir-expressive”, which means that the flavor and character of Riesling wines are greatly influenced by the place where the grapes are grown. For example, Riesling wines produced in cooler climates tend to have green apple notes, whereas Riesling wines produced in warmer climates often develop peach and citrus notes.

The most expensive Riesling wines are dessert wines produced from the grapes that are harvested late and affected by noble rot (botrytized wines) or by freezing (ice wines). Such wines have complex flavors, as well as high sugar and acidity levels that balance each other out.

Due to their versatility, Riesling wines can pair well with a variety of foods. Dry Riesling works well with grilled fish, seafood dishes (including sushi), and white meat dishes. Semi-dry Riesling pairs well with pork chops or roasted pork, white meat dishes, and spicy dishes. Sweet Riesling will work well with foie gras, a wide range of cheeses (especially aged cheddar, blue cheese and goat cheese), and desserts.

The German Wine Institute, a communication and marketing organization representing the German wine industry, designated the anniversary of the first written mention of Riesling as Riesling’s official birthday. The birthday of Riesling is often referred to as International Riesling Day or World Riesling Day.

There are many ways to celebrate this amazing wine holiday. You can learn more about Riesling and the many styles of wine which can be produced from this versatile grape variety, attend a wine tasting or book a winery tour, splurge on expensive bottle of ice wine, host a wine and cheese party for your friends, etc. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #InternationalRieslingDay, #WorldRieslingDay and #RieslingDay.

In addition to International Riesling Day, the German Wine Institute organizes Riesling Weeks in various countries around the world to promote different styles of German Riesling wines taking into account the peculiarities of different markets. In 2023, Riesling Weeks took place in China, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.