Gerard Richardson is a wine columnist
IF, like me, you're hitting the vegetarian menus a bit at the moment then riesling is the grape for you. It’s one of the classic white grapes and also one of the most misunderstood. Many of us will have abused it a bit in our late teens, go on, tell me you didn't hit the Blue Nun or the one that made us all feel classy, Piersporter Michaelsburg?
It's the flexibility of the variety that confuses folk, though, as the same grape in similar-looking bottles can vary from icky sweet to bone suckingly dry, but once I found the right fit for me, it became a lifelong relationship. The style I love is medium to dry or in German terms, kabinett, but to be perfectly honest, I'm just a tart when it comes to riesling. If a sweet one is all that's available I’ll serve it chilled to the bone and enjoy the lovely waxy mouth-feel that's unique to the variety.