(Wines&Vines) - Riesling has made great strides since Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Ernst Loosen joined forces to organize the first Riesling Rendezvous in 2007, Chateau Ste. Michelle president Ted Baseler crowed at this week’s event in Seattle.

But greater strides are needed if producers are to keep pace with the effects of climate change, which stand to be almost as varied as the styles and classifications of Riesling being made around the world.

Germany leads the world in Riesling production, followed by the United States, where Washington state has led a resurgence of the grape. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s 2015 harvest report, Washington growers produced 44,100 tons of Riesling that fetched an average price per ton of $760. Total Riesling production has grown 39% from 2011.

The variety is earning a reputation for quality in the Finger Lakes AVA of New York, and has champions in Oregon as a contender for one of the state’s top five varieties. (The Ontario province of Canada leads in Riesling production east of the Rockies, ensuring the grape’s prominence continent-wide.)