Weingut Friedrich Becker Dry Pinot Gris 2024 750mL

GERMANY : PFALZ : SCHWEIGEN-RECHTENBACH

Pinot Gris

MED-BODIED, SALMON-PINK, STRAWBERRY, GRAPEFRUIT, LEMON ZEST, TEA-TANNIN GRIP, NO OAK

Friedrich Becker has farmed the southern tip of the Pfalz for seven generations, with around 70% of the estate's vines sitting on the French side of the German-Alsatian border — a cross-border arrangement from before the modern boundary existed. The Pinot Gris grows in the same deep shell-limestone soils that anchor the estate's acclaimed Spätburgunder, and it is made the same way it has been for years: hand-harvested, macerated on its skins for 12–24 hours, then gently pressed to capture texture without extracting bitter phenolics.

Fermentation happens in a mix of stainless and large-format 2,400-liter oak barrels, followed by five months on the fine lees. The result is a pale copper wine at 12.5% — closer in color to rosé than to amber, with the silky, satiny mouthfeel of short maceration and a light tea-tannin dryness on the finish. Raspberry, white cherry, citrus peel, and dried rose. A lighter-touch entry into the skin-contact style, and a VDP member estate at $27.

ECOLOGY : Certified Sustainable

PAIRINGS :
Seared duck breast with cherry reduction — the wine's red-fruit character and light tannin bridge between white wine and a light red cleanly
Aged Comté or Gruyère — nutty cheese amplifies the mineral and textural qualities; the wine's light grip cuts through the fat
Grilled branzino with herbs — citrus acidity and lean phenolic structure cut through the oil; herbal finish mirrors the herb crust
Pork rillettes or pâté de campagne — classic charcuterie pairing for Ramato-style wines; fat and salt balance against light tannin
Roasted beet and arugula salad with goat cheese — earthy beet picks up the mineral notes; goat cheese acidity aligns with the grapefruit character