Pan-seared turbot with brown butter
Stone fruit weight stands up to the meaty fish; smoky mineral notes echo the browned butter.
Our editors write the food pairings for every bottle we review. Grouped by kind of food, the Riesling pairings come out like this, most frequent first. Each card names the bottle, so you can read the full tasting note before you cook.
511 Riesling pairings
Riesling with fish
Grilled freshwater perch with dill butter
The wine's racy acidity and stone-mineral character cut through the oily fish and echo the herbaceous dill.
Hochheim Riesling-braised pike-perch
The Steinberger's depth and herbal spice ties to the river-fish flesh and Riesling reduction.
Pan-seared Atlantic turbot
Saline minerality matches the firm white fish; racy acidity cuts through brown butter.
Pike-perch with brown butter
Salty slate and citrus drive echo brown butter on freshwater fish.
Roast turbot with brown butter
Salty slate and citrus drive echo the brown butter on rich white fish.
222 Riesling pairings
Riesling with spicy and Asian dishes
Sichuan mapo tofu
The wine's sweetness and high acidity buffer the numbing chilli oil and lift the fermented-bean savour.
Sushi
Saline-iodine register and tropical fruit suit fatty tuna and salmon nigiri.
Sushi and sashimi
High acidity and salinity make a compelling match for raw fish.
Sushi with unagi
Racy acidity and stone-fruit concentration pair with the sweet glaze.
Asian curries
The wine's aromatic depth and high acidity handle lemongrass and ginger.
Spicy Thai green curry
Off-dry Kabinett's low alcohol and racy acidity cool chilli heat while the residual sweetness flatters lemongrass and coconut.
221 Riesling pairings
Riesling with cheese
Aged Comte
Crystalline cheese against the volcanic stone.
Munster cheese
Vosges washed-rind cow's milk needs Riesling's acid to scrub the pungent cream.
Aged Allgau Bergkaese
Mineral length flatters long-aged alpine cheese.
Aged Allgau hard cheese
Salty mineral lift sharpens nutty alpine cheese.
Aged Alpine cheese
Grand-cru extract stands up to a firm, nutty cheese.
Aged Bergkase
The nutty crystalline cheese amplifies the mineral and citrus notes of the Riesling.
186 Riesling pairings
Riesling with pork
Choucroute garnie
Riesling's racy acid cuts the lard and brine of slow-cooked sauerkraut and sausage.
Choucroute garnie de la mer
Saline minerality and acid carry a seafood-version Alsace choucroute.
Roast pork loin with apple
Pfalz Riesling fruit and acid flatter pork and apple sauce.
Schweinshaxe with sauerkraut
High-acid Riesling cuts pork fat and lifts the fermented kraut.
Wiener Schnitzel with lemon
The wine's bright citrus core and raciness act as a natural palate cleanser against the fried breading.
Pork loin with apple
Yellow stone fruit echoes apple while acid cuts through the pork fat.
169 Riesling pairings
Riesling with oysters and shellfish
Brittany lobster with beurre blanc
The cuvee's density and racy acid mirror the sweet shellfish and cut the rich butter sauce.
Plateau de fruits de mer
Saline lift for a seafood platter.
Freshwater crab with herb cream
Primary-rock mineral and racy acidity provide the perfect counterpoint to rich shellfish.
Freshwater crayfish bisque
The wine's racy acidity and mineral depth are a natural partner to delicate crustacean sweetness.
Grilled langoustines with chili oil
Iron-tinged minerality matches charred shellfish; chili picks up the wine's ginger lift.
Lobster ragout
Sweet shellfish meets the wine's racy citrus.
153 Riesling pairings
Riesling with chicken and white meat
Roast Bresse chicken with morels
Smoky slate and yellow fruit echo morel cream while racy acid refreshes the palate.
Roast capon
Festive bird against the wine's saline herb and honey.
Roast guinea fowl with morels
Wine density and yellow fruit echo morel cream while racy acid refreshes.
Roast guinea fowl with thyme
Smoky slate and yellow fruit echo dark-poultry herbs while racy Riesling acid refreshes.
Roasted Bresse poultry
Yellow stone fruit and herbal lift balance the rich poultry skin.
Coq au Riesling
The wine echoes the very Riesling used in the Alsace braise; matched weight and savoury fruit.
139 Riesling pairings
Riesling with vegetables and salads
Asparagus with hollandaise
Spring weisswein convention; lime zest meets the bittersweet asparagus.
Spargel with new potatoes
High-acid Riesling lifts the herbal asparagus and balances the buttery hollandaise.
White asparagus
Classic Wachau pairing: the wine's mineral spine and fruit handle asparagus bitterness.
White asparagus with hollandaise
Salty basalt minerality lifts the buttery hollandaise and balances the herbal bitterness of Spargel.
Grilled vegetable platter
The herbal freshness and acidity cut through grilled vegetables.
Lentil and pancetta soup
Earthy mineral spine plays with the legume base.
79 Riesling pairings
Riesling with duck and goose
Seared foie gras
Botrytis sweetness and cutting acidity balance the rich liver without cloying.
Duck breast with stone fruit sauce
Stone fruit in the wine resonates with cherry or plum reductions on duck.
Roast goose
Full-bodied dry Riesling has the acid and weight to cut through rendered fat.
Roast goose with red cabbage
Dense fruit and racy acidity refresh winter fowl.
Foie gras
Apricot-honey sweetness and racy acid balance the rich liver and salt.
Foie gras au torchon
Honey and exotic spice for the duck-liver classic.
71 Riesling pairings
Riesling with beef and red meat
Roast veal saddle with morels
Wine density and yellow fruit echo morel cream while racy acid refreshes.
Veal sweetbreads
Wine density stands up to rich offal while acid cuts through brown butter.
Veal sweetbreads with morels
Smoky basalt and oak spice echo the offal richness and morel cream.
Roast veal with morels
Density and smoky slate echo morel cream while racy acid refreshes the palate.
Veal escalope
Riesling's high acidity carries breaded veal and lemon classics.
Veal escalope with lemon
Riesling's citrus core meets veal-and-lemon classics directly.
67 Riesling pairings
Riesling with lamb
Goat cheese tart
Stony mineral lift and grapefruit pith sharpen tangy chevre.
Herb-crusted lamb saddle
Dried-herb register matches the rub; acidity refreshes the fat.
Mushroom and goat's cheese tart
Earthy herb notes in the wine resonate with mushroom; acidity refreshes after the rich cheese.
Soft goat's cheese on rye
The citrus and mineral notes cut through the cream cheese richness.
Tarte flambee
Cream-bacon flatbread with sharp Sommerberg Riesling.
Goat cheese salad
Fresh acidity cuts through creamy goat cheese.
56 Riesling pairings
Riesling with aperitifs and small plates
Aperitif before dinner
Bone-dry traditional-method German sparkling cleanses the palate.
Berlin wine-bar aperitif
Bone-dry traditional-method German sparkling cleanses the palate before dinner.
Pan-fried plaice
Citrus drive and slate minerality slice through brown butter on flatfish.
Pan-fried plaice with capers
Citrus drive and slate minerality slice through brown butter and capers on flatfish.
Aperitif with light nibbles
Lower alcohol and refreshing acidity make this ideal as an aperitivo.
Aperitif
Brisk traditional-method bubbles for any aperitif occasion.
47 Riesling pairings
Riesling with desserts and sweets
Apricot and almond tart
Late-harvest stone-fruit notes mirror the dessert while acidity keeps it fresh.
Apple strudel with vanilla cream
The Eiswein's candied yellow fruit ties to the apple while racy acid lifts the cream.
Tarte Tatin
The caramelised apple in the tart finds a peer in the wine's saffron-laced raisined richness.
Apricot tart
Stone fruit lift mirrors apricot; saline mineral refreshes the dessert.
Fresh apricots
Ice wine's concentrated stone-fruit character mirrors fresh apricot.
Creme brulee
Honeyed richness mirrors the custard while acidity cleans the palate.
38 Riesling pairings
Riesling with pasta, pizza and grains
Roquefort on walnut bread
Honeyed sweetness tames the salty blue funk in a classic sweet-and-salty match.
Asparagus risotto
Stony minerality plays against creamy rice; acid sharpens the green vegetable.
Ricotta ravioli with sage butter
Floral aromatics lift the light pasta; the wine's acidity cuts through the butter.
Flammkuchen with bacon and onion
Crisp acidity slices the creme-fraiche richness while the wine's fruit complements smoky bacon.
Pasta with light herb sauce
Named by the estate. Pasta with light sauces or herbs.
Vegetable risotto with thyme
Citrus and herb tones lift the vegetable-rice umami.
26 Riesling pairings
Riesling with charcuterie and cured meats
Foie gras terrine
Rich, concentrated wine with mineral depth is a worthy partner to fatty foie gras.
Saumagen
Pfalz pork-stomach speciality finds a peer in the wine's salt-and-citrus drive.
White asparagus with Parma ham
A classic Wachau pairing; the wine's acidity cuts through the ham fat while its mineral notes lift the asparagus.
Charcuterie board
Smoky mineral lift suits cured pork while acid sharpens the fat.
Aperitivo with charcuterie
Riesling Sekt's high acid and bubbles cleanse the palate between cured-meat bites.
Aperitif charcuterie
Natural blend for a board of cured meats.
13 Riesling pairings
Riesling with mushrooms and truffle
Aged Comte with truffle
Smoky basalt and oak spice flatter long-aged alpine cheese and truffle.
Stephan Attmann Forster Kirchenstuck Riesling Privatkollektion →
Risotto al tartufo bianco
Almond cream and honey aromatics handle the white truffle's musky depth; full body holds the Carnaroli starch.
Truffle risotto
Smoky tertiary register echoes black truffle; mineral length matches creamed rice.
Mushroom risotto
Earthy spice and savoury finish suit mushroom-stocked rice.
Sweetbreads with morels
Concentration and cut carry richer offal preparations.
Wild mushroom risotto
Slate minerality echoes the earthy mushrooms.
8 Riesling pairings
Riesling with game
Roast pheasant with morel sauce
Smoky basalt and oak spice echo gamey poultry and morel cream.
Roast pheasant
The wine's concentration stands up to a richer game bird.
Glazed quail
Delicate fruit and acidity flatter the small game bird.
Roast venison
Named by the estate. Wild game and strong sauces.
Taste it with the food in Rheingau
Food and wine tastings you can book in Rheingau, the region with the most Riesling bottles on our pages that sells them.
Mainz: History & Wines of the Romantic Rhine inc wine tapas
Embark on a wine tour along the Riesling route of the Rheingau region in the Rhein Valley. Learn about the king of white wines, Riesling, and try unique German Pinot N...
Rüdesheim - Guided wine hikes with 4 wines and cable car ride
Winemaker Martin Störzel will guide you on this fascinating tour, which lasts around three hours and takes place on Saturdays from April to October, through the beauti...
Rüdesheim: Walk, Drink, Repeat, The Slightly Different Wine Tour
Extraordinary wine tour in Rüdesheim For young people For parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, clubs As much culture as necessary, as much wine as possible
Where the bottles come from
Riesling pairings by region
- Mosel (161 bottles), Mosel food pairing
- Rheingau (141 bottles), Rheingau food pairing
- Rheinhessen (99 bottles), Rheinhessen food pairing
- Pfalz (89 bottles), Pfalz food pairing
- Alsace (83 bottles), Alsace food pairing
- Wachau (71 bottles), Wachau food pairing
- Baden (32 bottles), Baden food pairing
- Franken (31 bottles), Franken food pairing
- Alto Adige (6 bottles), Alto Adige food pairing
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia (4 bottles), Friuli-Venezia Giulia food pairing
- Piedmont (2 bottles), Piedmont food pairing
- Alentejo (1 bottle), Alentejo food pairing
- Penedes (1 bottle), Penedes food pairing
- Sussex (1 bottle), Sussex food pairing
- Umbria (1 bottle), Umbria food pairing
- Valais (1 bottle), Valais food pairing
Riesling food pairing, FAQ
What food goes with Riesling?
Across the 724 Riesling bottles on Cork & Curve, the dishes our editors pair most often are fish, spicy food and cheese. For example, our page for G-Max Riesling from Rheinhessen suggests "Pan-seared turbot with brown butter": Stone fruit weight stands up to the meaty fish; smoky mineral notes echo the browned butter.
What cheese goes with Riesling?
Cheeses our editors pair with Riesling bottles include Aged Comte, Munster cheese and Aged Allgau Bergkaese.
What meat goes with Riesling?
Pork is the pairing that comes up most among meats for Riesling: Choucroute garnie, Choucroute garnie de la mer and Roast pork loin with apple are among the dishes on our Riesling bottle pages.