A typical Riesling vineyard in Germany’s Mosel region. Some of the steepest vineyards in the world are found in Germany. The white Riesling grape, a Vitis vinifera variety that has played a dominant role in the development of Washington State’s wine industry, typifies the rise and fall of wine varieties in response to changing consumer tastes. Riesling’s beginnings are unclear. Some wine historians believe that Riesling originated in Germany’s Mosel region and is a selection from a native German vine. The origin of the name Riesling is also murky. “Russ” means dark wood, which could describe the dark wood and […]