Riesling from around the world priced under twenty euros proved to be a theme that appealed to many wine retailers. More than seventy bottles were submitted. We specifically asked for thirst-quenching Rieslings to see us through the summer. The emphasis is on dry, but a touch of residual sweetness is characteristic of Riesling and therefore fits within the theme.
Text: Magda van der Rijst

The majority of the Rieslings came from Germany. That is, and always will be, the home of Riesling. With the exception of the Ahr, Baden and Saale-Unstrut regions, every region was represented. From France, the Alsace region took part; Austria was also represented; and we saw a few wines from other countries in Europe and beyond. As for the selection, it was limited to Germany, France and Austria.

Twenty euros max

This time, we’d agreed on a maximum price of twenty euros. Most of the bottles cost between eleven and sixteen euros. And those wines really made us happy. Don’t expect the layered complexity of more expensive Rieslings from world-famous vineyards. Do, however, expect excellent, pure, easy-drinking, pleasant and light wines that turn every get-together into a wine celebration.

Germany

Ansgar-Clüsserath Vom Schiefer 2023 – 5 stars

€19.62 /CHABROLWINES.COM

Sanne: ‘This is exactly the sort of Riesling I like. It has the icy quality of a wafer-thin layer of frozen water on a green leaf. Light, fresh, delicate, stony, green in the best sense of the word, with a hint of bitterness and a lively edge. You can taste early spring in this wine.’

Drinks – terrace – lunch – salad – favourite wine

Daniel Fries ‘Vom Grauen Schiefer’ 2025 – 3 stars

€16.60 /LESGENEREUX.NL

A touch of carbonation makes this already crisp Riesling even more refreshing. Very invigorating, with notes of white blossom and lemon. The juicy acidity is typical of Grauen Schiefer.

Drinks – terrace – lunch – fish 

Grans-Fassian Mineral Slate 2025 – 4 stars

€10.29 /AH.NL

Sanne: ‘Dry, crisp and refreshing, with a lovely texture. It has the crispness of green apples and a hint of floral honey. For a Mosel, it’s on the restrained side in terms of aroma, but perhaps that’s what makes it all the more invigorating. A real bargain!’

Drinks – terrace – lunch – fish – good value

Dr Loosen Blau Schiefer Dry 2024  – 4 stars

€15.99 / GALL&GALL

Sanne: ‘This is Mosel-Mosel. When you say ’Mosel”, this is what I expect. A mildly dry, fragrant white wine with floral aromas, a hint of elderflower, lovely and light, and a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity. I’m pleased with the price too. Tip: for three euros more, you can get a ‘Grosses Gewächs’ from Dr Loosen – the German term for ‘Grand Cru’, meaning a wine from the very best vineyard. Well worth a try.’

Drinks – terrace – party – lunch – salad – favourite wine

Forster Trocken 2024 – 4 stars

€10.90 /DOKTERMALER.COM

A wine you can always rely on. Thanks to its flavour and price. What fantastic value for money. It comes from Johannes and Laura Forster, young winemakers who practise good organic viticulture and, here and there, biodynamic methods. This ‘Trocken’ is, of course, dry, and also crisp and fresh with a mild aftertaste. Their Forster Seefahrer (€15.10) is a little riper and smoother, and the Feinherb (€10.90) is slightly sweeter, but all are well worth a taste.

Drinks – terrace – lunch – salad – good value

Acham-Magin Deidesheimer Mäushöhle 2024 – 4 stars

€16.90 /DOKTERMALER.COM

From the oldest vineyard in Deidesheim. Grapes have been grown on this slope, with its loam and sandy soil, since as early as 1208. The wine is dry, crisp, robust and somewhat austere, yet with good body. Plenty of citrus, white and pink grapefruit, fresh pineapple and a hint of mint. Will keep for years to come.

Salad – fish – storage

Emil Bauer Trocken 2025 – 3.5 stars

€12.45 /WINESPIRITS.NL

Many Rieslings are a bit edgy, but this one is a more mellow type. They do exist, you know. Clean, refreshing, plenty of fruit, citrus, good acidity – a lovely wine to enjoy on its own. 

Drinks – terrace – party 

Dr Wehrheim Rotstück 2024 – 4 stars

€15.60 / LESGENEREUX.NL

A light, delicate (11%) wine with fresh fruit and vibrancy. A glass to enjoy as a healthy aperitif – you’re not actually supposed to say that, of course, but that’s how it feels thanks to its refreshing style. ‘Rotstück’ refers to the red colour of the weathered slate soil, which is rich in iron. Franz Wehrheim practises biodynamic viticulture.

Drinks – terrace – salad – party 

Ellermann-Spiegel Trocken 2025 – 3.5 stars

€13.50 /WIJNKRING.NL

It’s Riesling you smell and Riesling you taste, but otherwise it’s not a wine that tries too hard to be a typical Riesling. Floral notes, a touch of tropical fruit and citrus. It’s simply there to be enjoyed, whether on its own or with a bite to eat.

Drinks – terrace – party 

Hanewald-Schwerdt Ruppertsberg Red Sandstone 2023  – 4 stars

€18.50 /CAVEDELEST.NL

Bang, boom, spot on = this is Riesling! Riesling from the Palatinate. With white and yellow fruit and mineral notes. Think baked apple and pear, peach and apricot – creamy fruit given a lift by the briny acidity. A Riesling to enjoy with a meal. From pan-fried fish to a tender schnitzel.

Wine for fish – wine for meat – wine for the evening

Hanewald-Schwerdt Limestone Reef, Leistadt 2024 – 4.5 stars

€18.50 /CAVEDELEST.NL

Also from Hanewald, but from a different terroir. Once again, the warm fruitiness of baked pineapple and stewed pear, but this time the ‘hallelujah’ acidity from the limestone-rich soil comes into play, lifting the whole experience in a marvellous way. A superb wine. Tip: try the Butsandstein and the Kalkriff side by side.

Drinks – lunch – salad – fish – darling 

Sauer Gleisweiler Buntsandstein 2024 – 4.5 stars

€13.25 /VINOBLESSE.NL

Heiner Sauer’s vineyards are situated in Germany, not far from Alsace. The warmth you taste in Alsatian Rieslings is also evident in those from the Palatinate, and yet they are different. With notes of apple, pear and peach, dried flowers and a hint of grapefruit bitterness that you might almost overlook, but which secretly adds depth. Full-bodied and smooth, with a crisp, crunchy edge. It’s a real cracker.

Drinks – terrace – lunch – favourite wine 

Von Winning in Deidesheim 2024  – 4 stars

€16.55 /LEGRANDCRU.NL

At Von Winning, you get plenty of wine. That goes for all their cuvées, but each one has something quite unique about it. This one is just a touch more tropical than the Win Win (see below). With notes of nectarine and cantaloupe (orange melon), balanced by subtle bitterness and a lively acidity. 

Wine for fish – wine for meat – wine for the evening

Von Winning Win Win 2024 – 3.5 stars

€18.80 /LEGRANDCRU.NL

Sanne: ‘Exactly what I’d expect from a Riesling from the Pfalz. No citrus, but stone fruits such as nectarines, gently underpinned by ripe Riesling acidity. Very pleasant.’ Made from grapes sourced from various highly regarded vineyards such as Kieselberg, Pechstein and Kalkofen. Pairs well with spicy curries.

Drinks – fish – vegetables

St Antony Rotschiefer 2025 – 4.5 stars

€13 /VINOTHEEKVINTAGE.NL

Sanne: ‘Interesting! A strong opening, wonderfully fruity, followed by nougat, almond paste, smoky notes and a briny, crisp finish. A mature biodynamic wine. Seems perfect with fish from the barbecue. Half a mark extra for the price.’

Drinks – terrace – lunch – fish – good value

Immel Organic Wine 2025 – 4 stars

€10.65 / GALL&GALL

This one’s absolutely brilliant crisp A Riesling from Rheinhessen. With notes of mandarin, ripe grapefruit, a hint of pineapple and a touch of fennel. Light and airy. Spring in your glass. Makes roasted green asparagus even tastier. Check the price!

Drinks – terrace – party – salad – good value

Bischel Rheinhessen 2024 – 5 stars

€18.95 / BOVINO.NL (= Fourcroy)

Sanne: ‘One hundred per cent Riesling and one hundred per cent Rheinhessen. Very well-rounded and stylish. Young, citrusy, with a pleasant green note. It’s lovely on its own, but it immediately makes me think of a ceviche served with a green herb dressing.’

Drinks – terrace – lunch – fish – salad – favourite

Stauffer Limestone 2024 – 4 stars

€13 /KWASTWIJNKOPERS.NL

Sanne: ‘That sounds lovely, let’s go for it! It’s pure Rheinhessen, but with a touch of elderflower, gooseberry, green leaves and paprika. A really lovely glass of wine to savour over time. As soon as the thermometer hits 20 degrees, it’s ready to be taken outside.’

Drinks – terrace – party – salad – good value

Thörle Trocken Sur Lie 2024 – 4 stars

€10.60 /LESGENEREUX.NL

As this Riesling has been aged sur lie (i.e. with the sediment produced during fermentation), it has a fuller body than many other dry Rieslings. With notes of lime and yellow apple, it is fresh and smooth.

Drinks – terrace – party – affordable – everyone’s favourite

Wein.Gut.Heid – Nature brings a smile to many a face 2024  – 4 stars

€ 12,96 /INFO@DEMONNIKDRANKEN.NL

If the name is anything to go by, this organic wine is sure to put you in a good mood. Its flavour certainly helps with that. Warm and ripe, combined with subtle, underlying Riesling acidity. Full-bodied, but not heavy. It comes from Württemberg, the beautiful but often overlooked wine region near Stuttgart.

Drinks – terrace – salad – fish – everyone’s favourite

FRANCE

Dopff Cuvée Europe 2025  – 3.5 stars

€ 12,60 /INFO@DEMONNIKDRANKEN.NL

A dry Alsace wine with hints of flowers, apple and pear, the smoky notes so characteristic of some Rieslings, and fresh citrus acidity. Enjoy it now with a salad, or later with sauerkraut. 

Drinks – terrace – salad – fish

Antoine Stoffel, known as Fronenberg, 2023 – 4 stars

€19.95 /HEISTERKAMP.COM

Racy Riesling, as they say. A wine that reflects its terroir. Its chalky soil and northerly exposure form the basis for this organic Riesling, which has a fresh style with citrus notes and the riper aromas of candied pineapple and tarte tatin. A classic choice to accompany a fish ragout pasty or quiche lorraine, but it also felt right at home with a green chicken curry.

Drinks – fish – meat – cheese

 

AUSTRIA

Hiedler Langenlois 2024 – 5 stars

€18.90 / HEISTERKAMP.COM

Sanne: ‘The grapes for this Riesling have clearly had plenty of sunshine. Everything is so rich and juicy, yet without losing any of its freshness. There’s a lot going on here: citrus zest, guava, yuzu, chestnut honey, pepper. It shows character and pairs well with a wide range of dishes, from deep-fried courgette flowers to saltimbocca or a farmhouse cheese.’

Drinks – meat – vegetables – cheese – evening wine – darling

Huber Traisental Terraces 2024 – 4 stars

€15.20 / LESGENEREUX.NL

Ripe and slender. Round and sleek. Fruity, but not overly so. Delicate, fresh acidity. Everything in perfect balance. A wine that brings a sense of calm, whether you drink it on its own or, for example, with a stuffed egg, a tuna salad, cold couscous with vegetables and mint, or a spicy pumpkin soup. 

Drinks – salad – fish – favourite

Domäne Krems 2025 Lower Austria – 3.5 stars

€8.69 / HEMA

Tropical aromas of mango and passion fruit, combined with the crisp acidity of green apples, come together in this juicy wine. It’s the perfect occasion for a drink. Get the whole neighbourhood round and serve it with a generous platter of nibbles. It can handle it all, and the price means you certainly don’t have to miss out.

Drinks – terrace – party – affordable

Domäne Wachau Weissenkirchen Smaragd 2024 Wachau  – 3.5 stars

€17.99 / GALL&GALL

Smaragd is a designation of quality and flavour for wines from the Wachau region. Steinfeder is the lightest and freshest; Feinherb comes next; and the fullest, richest wine, made from the ripest grapes, is called Smaragd. Some Smaragds are very full-bodied, but that is not the case with this one from the year 2024. It offers fragrant notes of guava and galia melon, along with the juicy acidity of orange.

Drinks – salad – vegetables 

Markus Waldschütz Venesse 2025 Kamptal  – 3.5 stars

€19.20 /GRANDCRUWIJNEN.NL 

Yellow stone fruits such as peaches and apricots are characteristic of Rieslings from Austria, and you’ll recognise those aromas straight away in this wine. Ageing sur lie has made this otherwise crisp wine a little rounder and softer. A wine to enjoy with a meal or whilst relaxing.

Vegetables – cheese – evening wine

Winzer Krems Ried Kremsleithen Krems 2024 Kremstal   – 3.5 stars

€12.95 /WIJNHANDELGOMMERS.NL 

Here is a Riesling made from grapes that were harvested late and when fully ripe. It is dry and fresh, yet rich and full-bodied. This makes it ideal for serving with a cheese platter. Winzer Krems is a cooperative comprising some 1,500 winzers (winegrowers).

Drinks – fish – cheese – evening wine