By The Glass Roberto Viernes

Give Rieslings a fair chance

WHAT is wrong with Riesling? It is the most revered grape variety by many sommeliers and wine geeks around the world and yet its sales don't hold a candle to Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc, for that matter. Riesling is perhaps the most recommended wine when it comes to dishes created by local Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs like Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, Hiroshi Fukui and George Mavrothalassitis. But people still opt for a Chardonnay or Cabernet when given the choice. It may be revered but it is obviously misunderstood.

There are no bones about it, Riesling is a light wine. Most people prefer to have wines with weight and impact. Riesling has plenty of impact but more like the edge of a Samurai sword rather than a baseball bat.

Most drinkers have to search to find the complexity in Riesling; it is full of delicacy and elegance. It is not as "loud" as other wines. It speaks, rather than shouts, of minerality, citrus and flowers.

It has no oak. Oak in wine is easy to appreciate so I understand why people love it so much. But in some wines it can be overpowering, downright obnoxious. Riesling has none of that.

RIESLING HAS almost no color. I've seen examples that are almost as limpid as water. I normally don't talk about color, but it certainly plays a part in our subconscious. We associate full flavor with full color, so we expect something that looks light and watery to be just that. Riesling is deceiving; it can be utterly intense on the palate with only a slight suggestion of green color in the glass.

The name of the vineyards where Riesling is grown, especially from Germany and to a lesser extent, Alsace, is hard to pronounce. I often give restaurant staff pronunciation lessons because if they can't say it they won't sell it. And if someone can't say it, they are likely to avoid the possibility of embarrassment by not ordering it, even if they want to try it. It's the equivalent of tourists trying to pronounce Kalakaua Avenue. It's not easy to say Neiderhauser Hermannshohle, Graacher Himmelreich, or Rudesheimer Schlossberg. But all of these are outstanding vineyards, home to some of the greatest Riesling on earth.

Lastly, Riesling can range from being steely, bone dry all the way to syrupy sweet. If you're not familiar with the qualifications of German Riesling, you are likely to get something sweet when you wanted something dry or vice versa. If you don't know the wines, just ask your waiter or sommelier for a recommendation. Those who buy the wine should know how sweet it is.

But for all its difficulty, Riesling is indeed a "noble" variety. It makes some of the greatest wines on earth. They are also some of the most long-lived wines in famous cellars. They age so gracefully and pair so well with so many different types of food. It really is a shame that more people haven't found the joy in Riesling. Have you?

2005 Betts & Scholl Riesling ($24): This Australian beauty is dry and has a purity and elegance that is almost weightless and effortless; plain delicious and easy to drink.

2005 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese ($32): Don't worry about saying it, just find this sleek, mineral, pick-me-up that is sweet and refreshing. Not to be missed.