Riesling Pairings

By Food & Wine
Updated June 15, 2016
Wrongly maligned as overly sweet, good Riesling has a brightness and balance that make it delicious with an astonishing range of foods. Here, a look at six of the most important styles of Riesling, from steely to luscious, with recipes to match.—Megan Krigbaum
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Steely & Dry Rieslings

Credit: Snapper with Charred Tomatillos & Pepper Salsa
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These bright, citrusy Rieslings are similar to Sauvignon Blanc. They're delicious with foods that have "green" flavors, like the lime, jalapeño and tomatillo in this snapper dish. Their vibrant acidity and minerality can also be terrific with rich dishes flavored with a squeeze of lime, like beef curry.

Wines to Seek Out:
Most Australian Rieslings

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Rich & Dry Rieslings

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Much like white Burgundy, full-bodied Rieslings are great with earthy flavors and perfect with luscious sauces like the ones in the dishes here.

Wines to Seek Out:
Alsatian Rieslings and smaragd bottlings from Austria

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Faintly Sweet Rieslings

Credit: CON POULOS
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Sommeliers sometimes call these daytime wines. Their low alcohol and whisper of sweetness are superb for light meals or salty snacks.

Wines to Seek Out:
Many Washington bottlings and German feinherbs

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Moderately Sweet Rieslings

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If a dish is so intense or fiery that beer seems the only option, try an off-dry Riesling instead. The extra sugar in the wine counters the heat, while the chiles in the dish make the wine taste less sweet.

Wines to Seek Out:
Traditional German Kabinetts and most New Zealand Rieslings

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Distinctly Sweet Rieslings

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Whether light or decadent, dishes that combine sweet and savory flavors work best with sweet Rieslings that still have refreshing acidity.

Wines to Seek Out:
Semisweet Finger Lakes wines and traditional German Spätleses

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Dessert Rieslings

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While dessert Rieslings could be paired with fruit tarts, sommeliers love them with cheese.

Wines to Seek Out:
Eisweins and German Beerenausleses

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