Weingut Friedrich Becker Family Pinot Gris, Pfalz, Germany

Pale copper-pink in the glass, 2024 Weingut Friedrich Becker Family Pinot Gris combines ripe orchard fruit with citrus, delicate florals and a subtle savory edge. Fruit from mature vines rooted in limestone beneath clay and loam receives brief skin contact before fermentation in stainless steel and large oak, giving the wine both its unusual color and an appealing layer of texture. Nearly five months on the lees adds breadth without diminishing its bright acidity, resulting in a dry, incisive Pinot Gris that balances juicy fruit with structure and freshness.

Product Details:

• Owner & Cellarmaster: Friedrich Wilhelm Becker
• Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Gris
• Vine Age: Approximately 17 to 41 years
• Soils: Limestone with clay and loam topsoil
• Harvest: Hand-harvested
• Skin Contact: Approximately 24 hours before pressing
• Fermentation: Stainless steel tanks and 2,400-liter oak barrels
• Lees Aging: Approximately 5 months
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Total Acidity: 6.8 g/L
• Residual Sugar: 2.9 g/L

Sensory Description:

Very pale pink to copper in color, reflecting the natural pigment of fully ripened Pinot Gris skins. The nose combines orchard fruit and ripe stone fruit with citrus and delicate pink floral notes. The palate is juicy and finely textured, with pear, peach and citrus carried by lively acidity and subtle phenolic grip from the brief skin contact. Lees aging contributes a silky, lightly rounded mid-palate before the wine closes dry, fresh and incisive.

Winemaker's Background:

Weingut Friedrich Becker is a seventh-generation family estate based in Schweigen on Germany's border with Alsace. Friedrich Becker Sr. transformed the family operation into an estate-bottling winery and helped establish its reputation for Pinot varieties, while his son Friedrich Wilhelm Becker took responsibility for winemaking in 2005 and now serves as owner and cellarmaster. The estate is particularly unusual because many of its historic vineyards cross the modern border into France, yet remain eligible to produce German wine through longstanding family ownership. Today the winery remains focused on Pinot varieties, limestone-rich sites and restrained cellar work that allows vineyard character to remain clear.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve well chilled at approximately 8-10°C. Its combination of ripe fruit, lively acidity and subtle skin-derived texture makes it especially versatile with roast poultry, pork, grilled fish, creamy vegetable dishes and mildly spiced Asian cuisine. It also works well with richer salads and soft cheeses where its freshness can provide contrast.