Here you can find another variation of the chicken in wine recipe
Chicken in "Riesling" (white wine) in Baden style Haehnchen in Risling (Steba multicooker-pressure cooker)Some very interesting information about Riesling wine.
The main German grape variety, Riesling, cannot be called anything other than "universal". Its main competitor - Chardonnay - never dreamed of such a variety of wines produced. Dry, semi-sweet, sweet, ice wine - it's all about Riesling. A century ago, white wines from this variety were among the most expensive, the best examples were even more expensive than Bordeaux. Producers of mediocre wines did not fail to take advantage of this popularity - trying to increase sales, they simply began to use the word "Riesling" in the name of their products. To this day, Riesling is trying to clear his name of negative associations.
The first mention of Riesling dates back to the 15th century. Then, in 1435, Count Johann IV of Katzenelnbogen from Rüsselsheim, a small principality on the Rhine, acquired 6 Riesling vines for his vineyard, which he made an entry in the business book. But Riesling was destined to become truly popular much later. The turning point can be considered 1716, when the Benedictine Fulda bought the Johannisberg monastery, badly destroyed during the Thirty Years War. In just a few years, the once neglected vineyards were put in order and planted with a single variety - Riesling. By the end of the 19th century, this variety was valued on a par with the great wines of France.
Perhaps it would have remained so to this day, if not for a big fly in the ointment introduced by imitators and unscrupulous manufacturers. From their "light" hand in the 60s and 70s, the word "Riesling" could be found even on the labels of wines that had nothing to do with this variety. It was only in recent years that Riesling began to rehabilitate itself in the eyes of its admirers.
Wine from the banks of the RhineToday in Germany more than 21,000 hectares have been allocated for Riesling - this variety is not so dominant in any other country.And this fact is quite understandable. The fact is that Riesling is very fond of coolness. In hot countries, it loses all its attractiveness, the wines turn out to be "flat" and uninteresting. Germany's temperate climate gives the Riesling what it needs for perfect balance - a long and very slow ripening. Harvesting often begins here no earlier than mid-October and can last until the end of November (when it comes to sweet wines).
Most often, Riesling can be found on the slopes of the Rhine River and its tributary Moselle: in the Rheingau, Pfalz and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer regions. The wines of the first two regions are distinguished by their elegance and balance, while Mosel wines are often light, invigorating drinks.
Classification of German winesIt is not so easy to understand the classification of German Rieslings. Unlike, for example, France and Italy, where a territorial feature is the basis, Germany has its own multistage system. Firstly, all wines are divided into three categories: table wines (Tafelwein (Tafelwein), wines of a certain area (Landwein (Ladndwein)) and the so-called “quality wines.” Table wines are produced mainly for domestic consumption and are almost never exported, so much quality wines are of more interest. This category includes: Qualitatswein Bestimmer Anbaugebiete, abbreviated (Qualitatswein bestimter Anbaugebit) - QbA - quality wine from a specific wine region, and Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (Qualitatswein mit Predikat), abbreviated with Qm Only the best German wines can get the QmP badge, while QmP, depending on the density of the must and the sugar level in the harvested grapes, is subdivided into 6 more subgroups: Kabinett (Cabinet), Spaetlese (Spatlese), Auslese (Auslese), Beerenauslese (Beerenauslese ), Eiswein (Eiswein), Trockenbeerenauslese (Trockenbeerenauslese). The wines of the last subcategory are the rarest and, accordingly Responsibly, the most expensive. It takes about 15 kg of raisins to produce one bottle of Trockenbeerenauslese!
Riesling of the Old and New WorldsIn the vicinity of the Rheingau, there is another region whose Rieslings are universally respected - the French Alsace. The scale of Riesling cultivation here is not so impressive, only 3400 hectares, but the fame of local wines has spread all over the world. A special microclimate, region-specific soils and wine-making traditions make it possible to create wines that are completely different from German ones. Rieslings from Alsace are very dry, strong (about 12%) and rounded due to the long aging in steel tanks. Most wines of this variety belong to the Alsace AOC category (aka Vin d'Alsace), but there is an even higher level - the elite of wines - Alsace Grand Cru. Sweet Rieslings of Alsace also have their own classification. It is customary to divide them into Vendange tardive (VT, vandage tardive - translated as “late harvest”) and Selection de grains nobles (SGN, select de gran noble - “selected noble berries”). Wines belonging to the latter category are made from berries covered with noble mold. As well as dry, sweet Alsatian Rieslings differ from German ones in their higher alcohol content.
Riesling is doing well in Austria as well. Here it accounts for about 1,500 hectares of vineyards. The greatest success in the production of Riesling was achieved by the winemakers Wachau and Kremstal. Austrian Riesling is most often characterized as a full-bodied expressive wine with mineral and lemon notes. It can be recognized by its long aftertaste with hints of pepper.
Riesling vines can also be found in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and northern Italy.
Cold freshnessRiesling is a very gentle variety that loves coolness. Therefore, manufacturers have to adapt to his whims. Many technological processes take place at low temperatures. So, to keep the future wine fresh, the harvested berries are cooled a little. This procedure is repeated before fermentation. Wine fermentation also occurs at low temperatures - only 10-18 ° C.
As a result of this careful attitude, very fresh and elegant wines are born with a rich aroma of green apple, peach, spices, citrus fruits, green herbs and mineral notes. After a long aging, the wines acquire an unusual note for this drink - "oil". Moreover, this feature is typical mainly for expensive and high-quality specimens.
Sweet wines also do not lose their freshness. There is not even a hint of sugaryness in them - the taste and aroma are very balanced due to the high acidity.
Unlimited potentialDue to their high acidity, Rieslings can claim to be long-lived. A vivid confirmation of this is the oldest Riesling in history. In 1961, a bottle of the 1540 harvest was opened in London, by that time the wine was more than 400 years old. But, as it turned out, the "venerable old man" was full of strength and health - the wine retained its aroma and pleasant taste.
Of course, it is not necessary to store wine for that long. Riesling can be drunk both young and mature. The optimal storage period for dry wines is 5-15 years, for semi-sweet - 10-20, for sweet - 10-30 years.
Both fish and meatThe variety of Rieslings allows you to combine them with almost any dish. Dry wines will make a good company with white fish, seafood, cheeses, Asian dishes. Sweet Rieslings can serve as a pleasant end to a meal. They go well with many desserts or fruits.
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