Oculus is the flagship wine, merlot-based, but the rieslings were some of my favorites too.

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And a "petrol" aroma (it's really more a suggestion of motor oil than gasoline) is a badge of distinction among Alsatian Rieslings.

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Although I had restricted my tasting to a relatively narrow range of Rieslings, it was still an impressively diverse group of wines.

WSJ: Demystifying German Riesling White Wines | On Wine by Lettie Teague

"Now when someone asks if our Rieslings are sweet, we say, 'No, they are Ohio Dry, ' " Mr. Loosen said with a laugh.

WSJ: Demystifying German Riesling White Wines | On Wine by Lettie Teague

Outside of France, Vin Santo in Italy (Isole e Olena is a favorite) and the glorious high-acidity Rieslings found in Germany are worth exploring.

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Old Rieslings, white Rioja and young Chardonnay all improve with aeration.

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Without doubt, the best Rieslings are found in the vineyards of Germany, where, on the slopes of the Rhine, Nahe and Mosel, it finds its most precise definition.

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Pierre Gaillard is a sunny and gregarious vigneron whose seriously dirty fingernails testify to his passion for his vines, though he's also a well-traveled connoisseur who can speak knowledgeably about California cabs and German Rieslings.

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Ernst Loosen, a top winemaker in Germany's Mosel region, home to some of the most famous and most aromatically intense Rieslings in the world, has long acknowledged English as a necessary marketing tool and has put English words on his labels for years.

WSJ: Demystifying German Riesling White Wines | On Wine by Lettie Teague

Now, what Rieslings to serve?

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