It will really help to know just a few German words to look out for, starting with Trocken, which is German for dry. Obviously, if you see Trocken on a Riesling label, the wine is dry. Likewise, any wine that says Grosses Gewachs is dry. There are also words that mean a wine is at least a tiny bit sweet, like Feinherb.

The combination of fruitiness and acidity in German Riesling makes it absolutely ideal for pairing with many types of food – especially Asian cuisine. German Riesling often displays zesty notes of lime and grapefruit balanced with sweeter notes of honey and apricot on the palate, and elegant floral aromas on the nose.

Taste: Intense floral and fruity aromas with green fruit flavors of apple, grape, and pear, which can extend to citrus and stone fruit flavors, such as lemon, lime, apricot and peach, when grown in more moderate climates.

Riesling tasting characteristics As it ages, it begins to show nutty, toasty and honeyed characters. Australian rieslings tend to be steely, dry wines with stunning citrus flavours.