Riesling as an aperitif: why this grape in particular?

Riesling works as a base for an aperitif because it brings three things: lively acidity, clear fruit and very little heaviness. The acidity keeps sweetness and bitterness in balance, the fruit carries the citrus and herbs. That's why both ODE aperitifs are built on Riesling from Rheinhessen.

What makes Riesling special as a grape?

Riesling is a white grape variety known for its pronounced acidity. Typical notes are citrus, green apple and stone fruit such as peach or apricot. Depending on the vineyard and how the wine is made, mineral or spicy notes come in too.

One special thing: Riesling can carry residual sweetness and still taste fresh. The acidity balances out the sweetness. That tension is exactly what we need for an aperitif. It should have fruit and some sweetness, but never feel sticky.

Why does acidity matter so much in an aperitif?

An aperitif comes before the meal, in the hour after work, while your palate is still fresh. A sweet drink without acidity sits heavily on the tongue at that moment. With acidity it stays lively, and it makes you want the next bite.

In ODE Bright Lemon you can taste the sweetness, but the citrus acidity pushes back. Part of that acidity comes from the lemons – seven varieties, including Amalfi lemon, cedro lemon and bergamot. Another part comes from the Riesling itself. Together they make sure that 13.6 g sugar per 100 ml doesn't taste like syrup.

On the nose, too, grape and recipe go together. In Bright Lemon, Amalfi lemon and bergamot lead, with peach behind them – notes you'll also know from many Rieslings. Thyme and rosemary only come through on the finish. The wine provides the frame in which the botanicals fall into place, instead of all talking at once.

Riesling – a German grape

Riesling is considered Germany's most important grape variety. Nowhere else is as much of it grown as here, from the Mosel and the Rheingau to the Pfalz and Rheinhessen. It suits the cooler sites in the north of the wine world: the grapes ripen slowly and keep their acidity.

For a Berlin brand, the choice was obvious: an aperitif built on a grape that's at home here.

Why Rheinhessen and Nico Espenschied?

Rheinhessen is Germany's largest wine region. It lies in the bend of the Rhine between Mainz, Bingen and Worms. Our Riesling comes from winemaker Nico Espenschied in this region.

We work with him not only on Bright Lemon and Ruby Wood, but also on Secco Secco, a medium dry, Riesling-based sparkling wine. The essences for ODE are made separately in our ODE/LAB in Berlin. So wine and essence come from two worlds: the wine from the vineyard, the essences from the lab in the city. Who we are and how it all came together is on our About us page.

Why not just water or neutral spirit?

We tried it. The first recipe, GSB8, was built on water and tasted watery. Only when we replaced the water with wine did the botanicals have a body to hold on to. Wine brings acidity, structure and fruit of its own. Water brings none of that. We explain the difference from liqueur, vermouth and bitters in What is a wine aperitif?

Ruby Wood is Riesling too

Ruby Wood is deep red, so people often take it for a red wine aperitif. But the colour comes from the botanicals, mainly red sandalwood and hibiscus. The base here is Riesling too. An overview of all three:

In Ruby Wood, you notice the Riesling mainly as freshness beneath the bold, bitter notes of bitter orange, gentian and cinchona bark. More on the Ruby Wood page.

How do you serve a Riesling-based aperitif?

The way you'd serve a Riesling: cold. Unopened, keep the bottle somewhere cool and dark; once opened, it belongs in the fridge, where it keeps for about three months. Then in the glass:

• A glass filled to the brim with ice
• 10 cl tonic
• 5 cl ODE

If you like acidity, Bright Lemon also works neat: 6 cl over ice, nothing else. The most common mistake is not keeping it cold enough. Above about 12 °C, the Riesling loses its tension and Bright Lemon loses its focus.

You'll taste most clearly how much Riesling an aperitif can hold when you drink it neat over ice – with a bottle of ODE Bright Lemon.