Hot days and a well-chilled glass of Riesling are just made for each other. Throw in some soft cheeses and summer sausage with a platter of fresh fruit and you're all set. What better respite from the sweltering summer heat?

Riesling is the noble white grape that originated in Germany's Rhine Valley, but that has come to be grown extensively worldwide in countries including Australia, France and the United States.. It comes in a variety of styles and sweetnesses ranging from dry to exotically luscious. In America, riesling once rivaled chardonnay in popularity but has since fallen from those heady heights as fashions and tastes have changed. Slowly though, Americans are rediscovering the diversity and simple charm that good riesling embodies.

Germany, riesling's ancestral home, also happens to be one of the world's northernmost wine-growing regions. Consequently weather conditions can be challenging. But here, Dr. Ernst Loosen produces some of the country's finest rieslings from the slate-covered slopes along the Mosel River Valley. The rocky slate soil insulates the vines, which are planted on south-facing slopes to capture as much of the sun's warmth as possible. Here the grapes ripen slowly, producing a vibrant backbone to balance the ripe flavors of apple, mango and lime. The Loosen, Dr. "L" Riesling ($14) is a perfect entry-level wine, that complements dishes ranging from spicy foods to light desserts. A wine with consistent quality that exhibits bright fruit, cleansing acidity and low alcohol (8.5%). This wine arrives in a screw-capped bottle, which is a better closure for capturing the crisp characteristics native to German rieslings.

Across the Rhine River in the French region of Alsace, riesling is the most popular varietal cultivated. It comes in the hock-style bottle common in Germany, but the French give the wine their own twist—fermented dry, with higher alcohol levels. The Trimbach Riesling ($24) is a great example of the Alsatian style: clean, dry, with flavors of ripe tree fruits that match well with fish and pork, grilled or in a sauce. Alsatian riesling drinks well upon release but will age for greater complexity.

Like the Alsatian styled dry riesling, the rieslings produced in Australia are fermented to dryness. The Clare Valley is known for producing South Australia's best examples. Kilikanoon's Mort's Reserve ($20) has a delicate aroma of lemon-lime, with a natural acidic tone. Fermented in stainless steel, this wine is crisp and translucent, and shows expressions of minerality derived from the regional terroir.

Closer to home, the NxNW Riesling ($14) from the Horse Heaven Hills is a rich but dry-style wine typical of Washington State rieslings. Dry and crisp with tropical and citrus flavors, this makes a great aperitif wine, or matches well with spicy Asian foods. And it's priced to be enjoyed.

Riesling is a no-oak, pure expression of the varietal. For this reason, riesling should be enjoyed for its simplicity and transparency. No; all rieslings are not sweet. Generally, a good rule of thumb to remember is, the higher the alcohol content, the drier the wine.

Steve Staples has been encouraging the enjoyment of wine in Baton Rouge for twenty-five years. By day a rep with Glazer’s Companies of Louisiana, by night Steve teaches several wine appreciation classes as part of the LSU Leisure Classes program. More information on Steve's classes HERE.

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