Origin: White Riesling is the best-known German grape variety. According to its characteristics and earliest occurrence, it was probably selected from wild vines in the Oberrhein region. It is a natural interbreeding of Heunisch × Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris x Traminer. The Origin of the name is unclear, a derivation from "Verrieseln" (couluring in German) or "reißende Säure" (lurid acidity in German) is discussed.

Characteristics: The white wine variety is frost-resistant, has a medium-late bud burst and a medium-strong upright growth. The blossom time is medium-late. Soil type, rootstock selection and fertilisation measures have a decisive influence on the flowering resistance. The Riesling ripens late. Its sensitivity to esca and stem diseases is relatively high. It has a high drought tolerance and very good wood maturity.

Grape: The grape is small to medium sized, shouldered and densely berried. The berries are small to medium sized, round and green-yellow coloured with small black dots. On the sunny side the grape turns yellow-brown. The taste is juicy, fruity, tart and aromatic-sweet when fully ripe.

Wine: The variety is suitable for the production of fine-fruited, slender quality wines and high-quality Auslese up to Trockenbeerauslese. The full ripeness of the wine is only reached after a longer period of ageing. Young wines are usually still with pronounced acidity and have an unharmonious taste. Riesling expresses the character of the respective location particularly well. Due to their relatively high acidity, Riesling wines have a good storage capacity.

Cultivation: Because of its late ripeness, this white wine variety needs the best vineyard sites. It is suitable for almost all soils and types of cultivation. Due to its high drought tolerance, it is also well suited for steep slopes and weathered rock soils. 

Clones

• The standard clone FR 52 has a high flowering resistance, somewhat denser grapes and high must weights. 
  
  
• The widely used quality clone DN 500 is characterised by a distinctly fruity aromatic.
  
  
• The quality clone 198-10 Gm is somewhat looser in the grape and minimises the risk of botrytis. It is characterised by a medium yield level. With this clone, wines of best quality with a fine acidity structure can be produced.
  
  
• The quality clone 239-17 Gm has a medium yield level, rather minimally less. This clone has a particularly high quality potential. The wines are characterised by a concise acidity structure and have the highest terpene content among the Geisenheim clones. As a result, the wines are emphatically fruity and racy. 
  
  
• The yield level, acidity values and botrytis resistance of clone 336 Gm are in the middle range. This clone achieves very high must weights. The clone is also particularly striking due to its fine fruity aroma. Depending on the vintage, the wines are reminiscent of exotic fruits such as mango or passion fruit.
  
  
• The 355 Gm clone has small grapes and loose berries, which significantly reduces its susceptibility to botrytis. It has a significantly lower yield level (usually only slightly more than one grape per shoot) and is thus clearly below all other Riesling clones. This clone is particularly suitable for producing high-quality Riesling wines without having to regulate yields.