Fruity young Rieslings

The second of the four tastings at last month's International Riesling Symposium focused on Rieslings with perceptible residual sugar – while still leaving room for the final tasting of decidedly sweet wines.

The tasting was presented by Stéphane Gass, Alsace-born sommelier at the Hotel Traube Tonbach, a famous Black Forest establishment where, he told us, for a whole month last summer, he insisted on serving Riesling to all those customers who asked for champagne. This got him a long round of applause from symposium participants, as you might imagine. He claimed that customers were delighted, but even I, a confirmed...