Wine encyclopedia
Welschriesling as Austria’s Secret Weapon
At first glance, this grape variety contains one of the greatest names in white wine. Once that first glance is over, however, so too are the similarities with its illustrious namesake. For this white wine contains the word Welsch, meaning foreign, and that is a fairly clear indication. The wine clearly reveals itself as a false Riesling.
3 min read
The origins of one of the most important grape varieties in Burgenland and Styria are much debated. No one knows exactly where that patch of earth was from which a tender little plant first emerged. Some say northern Italy or Romania. Others suggest Slovenia, which would also make perfect geographical sense. In terms of ancestry, this white grape variety is considered related to Elbling, Europe’s oldest grape variety. It is particularly popular as a crossing partner. New varieties such as Bussanello, Cosmo, Flavis, Goldburger and Goldriesling were developed with Welschriesling as a parent.
The area planted with this grape variety
The largest vineyard areas are in Croatia and Hungary. But Austria is clearly also a stage for this dry wine. Is it really only dry, though? No, no. From more than 3,597 hectares under vine, the second-largest area after Grüner Veltliner, this wine emerges with plenty of fruity freshness. Around Lake Neusiedl, where the sites favour Botrytis cinerea, it can yield dry, off-dry and nobly sweet white wines. In Burgenland around Lake Neusiedl, it is a master of Trockenbeerenauslese in the Prädikatswein segment as a DAC wine. Sandy gravels deposited by the Danube are characteristic soils for Welschriesling. This is where it shows its full potential.
In Austria, people are simply proud of this wine
What Welschriesling tastes like
If I were a phylloxera louse, Welschriesling would be one of my great favourites. For among dry white wines, off-dry, medium-sweet and sweet wines, it is simply an eminently drinkable grape variety. In fact, you can put it straight on the table with almost any dish, except perhaps spicy food. It offers a delicate honey flavour, paired with aromas of green apple, lemon, grapefruit and mandarin. Wines from Styria, where growing conditions involve greater temperature fluctuations and rather different underlying rocks such as gneiss and slate, also develop distinctly noticeable nutty aromas. Incidentally, Welschriesling and Sauvignon Blanc are running neck and neck in Styria. Both are absolute crowd favourites. The earlier Welschriesling is drunk, the more pleasure this popular grape variety gives. If it is cellared, a characteristic aroma of black tea develops step by step.
The plant’s characteristics
As a typical white wine grape, the vine has a light-green shoot tip covered in white, woolly hairs. Like its illustrious namesake Riesling, Welschriesling also ripens very late. Its bunches are medium-sized, very dense and also have small dots. This plant is a champion performer and virtually always produces high yields.
The many names of Welschriesling
Because this grape variety also has a history stretching back centuries, countless winegrowers in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and around the world have given it a name of their own. Here comes a whole mountain of other names for one and the same wine. Have fun learning them by heart.
Aminea Gemela, Biela Sladka, Biela Sladka Grasica, Biela Sladka Grassica, Bielasladka Grasica, Borba, Borba Blanca, Glasica, Grasevina, Grasevina Bijela, Grasevina Italijanska, Grasevina Talijanska, Grashevina, Grasica, Italia Riesling, Italian Riesling, Italianski Rizling, Italienischer Riesling, Italijanski Rizling, Italiya Rislinqi, Italy's Risling, Klein Riesling, Laski Riesling, Laski Rizling, Laskirizling, Meslier, Meslier De Champagne, Nemes Olasz Rizling, Olasriesling, Olasz, Olasz Risling, Olasz Rizling, Olasz Rizlingi, Olasz Szoeloe, Olaszriesling, Olaszrizling, Petit Riesling, Petracine, Rakusky Rizling, Riesler, Riesli, Riesling Italian, Riesling Italico, Riesling Italien Blanc, Riesling Italien White, Riesling Laski, Riesling Vlachsky, Risli, Risling Italyanskii, Risling Italyanskij, Risling Vlashskii, Rismi, Rizling, Rizling Italico, Rizling Italien, Rizling Italien Blanc, Rizling Italijanski, Rizling Italjanskij, Rizling Italsky, Rizling Talijanski, Rizling Vlassky, Rizlink Vlassky, Ryzlink Vlassky, Talianska Grasevina, Talijanska Grasevina, Talijanski Rizling, Talijanski Zizling, Taljanska Grasevina, Velchrisling, Vlasak, Waeleschriesling Weisser, Waelschriesling, Weisser Waelschriesling
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