Rainart’s Favorite Wines
Riesling
The Car Enthusiast of Germany
Meet Rainart, the car enthusiast of Germany. He's cheerful, a little protective of his me-time, and dresses elegantly in yellow. He prefers colder weather, and his charm only grows with age, though he can't quite shake a faint whiff of petroleum from all that time spent under the hood.
In wine terms? Rainart is Riesling, one of the classic aromatic white wine grapes. Germany is Riesling's homeland, especially along the Rhine and the Mosel.
He's a frequent traveler though, and you'll find excellent Riesling from Alsace in France, Austria, and Australia's Clare and Eden Valleys.
Riesling is light in body with high acidity. In the glass, it ranges from pale straw to deep yellow in color. Expect lime, green apple, and jasmine on the nose, and a distinctive petroleum note in older bottles.
Riesling has a long history of being made sweet, but styles today range all the way from bone-dry to lusciously sweet. Riesling is almost always bottled on its own rather than blended with other grapes.
Now let's find you some bottles he'd actually approve of.
Rainart's Top Picks
We picked bottles from Rainart's homeland and beyond. All available on Pop Up Wine Singapore and Straits Wine Singapore. Click any wine name to shop it.
1. For a casual weeknight
Kilikanoon : Mort's Block Riesling 2024
Watervale, Clare Valley, Australia | $36 / bottle
Rainart says: "Australia is one of my favorite places. This one's from Watervale in Clare Valley, all lime and jasmine with a crisp, minerally finish, and it scored 93 points from the Halliday Wine Companion. An easy pour after a long day in the garage."
Pairs with: Pad Thai, grilled prawns, or a simple fish and chips
2. For a taste of Rainart's homeland
Max Ferd. Richter : Riesling Signature Edition 2024
Mosel, Germany | $43 / bottle
Rainart says: "This is from my hometown. The Richter family has been growing Riesling on the Mosel since 1643, and is now in its ninth generation. This bottle is exactly what I love: lemon zest, white flowers, and that cool-climate fresh acidity. Vinous gave it 88 points. A fine expression of Mosel Riesling."
Pairs with: Roast pork, spicy noodles, or a soft cheese
3. For an easy weekend white
Pikes : Traditional Riesling 2024
Clare Valley, Australia | $47 / bottle
Rainart says: "Pikes have been making Riesling in Polish Hill River since 1984, and this bottle shows why they're so trusted for it. Lemon zest, crunchy apple, and jasmine, with racy acidity and a zesty finish. It's a five star wine from Halliday, with critics like James Suckling and The Real Review landing in the mid-90s across recent vintages. Perfect for a ‘wine’ down on a slow Sunday afternoon."
Pairs with: Roast chicken, prawn dumplings, or a soft goat's cheese
4. Great value-for-money
Pikes : The Merle Riesling 2024
Polish Hill River, Clare Valley, Australia | $62 / bottle
Rainart says: "The Merle is Pikes' reserve Riesling, and it punches well above its price. Lime, lemon pith, and wet slate, with a crunchy, mineral-driven finish. The 2023 vintage picked up 99 points from Wine Pilot, 97 from Sam Kim at Wine Orbit, 96 from Robert Parker, and the trophy for Best Riesling at the 2023 Winewise Championship. Real quality with a modest price tag."
Pairs with: Singapore chilli crab, roast pork belly, or a Thai green curry
5. To impress at a dinner party
Grosset : Springvale Riesling 2025
Clare Valley, Australia | $69 / bottle
Rainart says: "Jeffrey Grosset founded this Clare Valley estate back in 1981, and the vineyards are certified organic today. Fresh lime, red apple skin, and frangipani, with a briny, mineral edge and a finish that goes on and on. It sits at 96 points from Erin Larkin, and an earlier vintage won the Halliday Wine Companion's Top Riesling award. Serve this one and watch the compliments roll in."
Pairs with: Steamed fish, roast duck, or a creamy laksa
6. For a special occasion
Grosset : Polish Hill Riesling 2023
Clare Valley, Australia | $112 / bottle
Rainart says: "This is the one I save for a real celebration. Grosset's Polish Hill is considered Australia's most collected Riesling, and this vintage is glorious: lemon-lime, peach blossom, and beeswax, with a long finish. James Halliday himself called it irresistible and gave it 98 points. It has the acid backbone to age for another decade or so, but honestly, it's hard to wait that long."
Pairs with: Poached lobster, roast duck, or a rich mushroom risotto
Riesling Cheat Sheet
| Body | Light, with a lean, crisp structure |
| Color | Pale straw, deepening to gold with age |
| Tasting notes | Lime, green apple, jasmine, peach, with a signature petrol note in aged bottles |
| Serve at | 3–7°C |
| Best with | Spicy Asian dishes, roast pork, duck, and shellfish |
| Avoid with | Very pungent cheeses, or heavy red meat dishes that drown out the aromatics |
| Glass type | White wine glass with a narrower bowl, keeps it cool and focuses the aromatics |
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