Styles of Riesling: Alsace and Baden

The joy of winetasting stems from solving the puzzle in each glass. On a recent trip to Germany and France, I investigated the neighboring regions of Alsace and Baden to figure out what makes them unique. To highlight their differences, I compared their styles of my favorite grape: riesling.

Above all, terroir is the name of the game with riesling. It is prized for its ability to express itself in different ways according to where it’s grown. In this blog, I’ll explain how the two climates result in distinct styles of wine.

Alsatian Climate

Alsace, protected by the Vosges mountains in the west, has a dry and moderate climate. Cut off from the warm gulf stream, the winters can be quite cold. On the other hand, it enjoys a long and warm growing season. The soils here vary considerably, offering the winemaker a plethora of choices for style.

At VinExpo in New York, I tried a delicious Alsatian Riesling grown on sandstone soils, produced by the “Sohler et Fils” winery. Check them out!

Baden’s Climate

To the east of Alsace is the Rhine River, drawing the border between France and Germany. On the western bank lies Baden. Here the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) shields vineyards from harsh winds. The Rhine River and stony soils insulate the vineyards, further ripening the grapes. Like Alsace, there is a wealth of soil diversity.

A vineyard in the Ortenau area of Baden.

Stylistic Differences

I found the Alsatian riesling to be rounder on the palate despite its’ well-structured acidity. The 2014 Domaine Gresser was quite aromatic and floral. It produced notes of ripe pear, peach blossoms, and chalk. Honeyed notes were starting to develop, typical of aged riesling. The younger Alsatian wine from Sohler et Fils, a 2021, was much brighter on the palate. It tasted of blood orange and had a refreshing mineral character. Both wines were grown on sandstone soils.

The Baden riesling I tasted during my visit was more similar to the Sohler et Fils. It showed a clear-cut acidity with notes of wet stone, and more tame citrus fruit. It was lighter in body and alcohol than the alsatian wines. The color was lemon-green, typical of a cold climate riesling. Other Baden rieslings I tasted followed that trend.

A huge Bocksbeutel in Baden

Closing thoughts

Overall, the warmer and drier climate in Alsace leads to generally riper and rounder wines as compared to Baden. Both are stunning wine regions that are well worth a look into. Although my ‘experiment’ could have been more comprehensive, I had a great time trying to decipher what makes each region unique. Keep in mind, there are always going to be outliers when we generalize wine regions and styles. Nevertheless, comparing bordering regions make for a fun and engaging wine tasting. Prost!