Bottler: Weingut Franz Keller, Badbergstr. 44, 79235 Vogtsburg-Oberbergen im Kaiserstuhl / Germany
In the glass
Colour
Luminous straw yellow with bright, delicate golden reflections, clear and radiant.
Nose
Rich pip fruit such as yellow and red apples in versatile facets ranging from fresh to baked, juicy pear and candied quince, contrasted by fresh bergamot zest as well as fine yeast notes of butter biscuits, almonds and subtle smoke.
Palate
Surprisingly slender, racy and linear with cool, taut apple and citrus fruit, a lively, tapering acidity as well as a lean, precise texture and fine toasted aromas on the finish.
Character
A Pinot Gris of great finesse, almost ascetic, which fascinates through the exciting contrast between an invitingly warm nose and a taut, cool structure on the palate.
Pairing
Excellent with fine terrines, classic French quiche or poultry in creamy sauces.
Notes
This wine breaks with the typical heavy, broad Pinot Gris cliché and instead focuses entirely on the cool elegance shaped by the Kaiserstuhl's volcanic soil and a remarkably taut freshness.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
A luminous straw yellow with bright, subtly golden highlights, clear and radiant in the glass.
Nose
The nose reveals a multi-layered spectrum of pip fruit, ranging from yellow and red apples – from freshly sliced to warm tarte Tatin – flanked by juicy pear and candied quince. A tart, fresh zest of bergamot provides an invigorating counterpoint. Behind this lie fine yeasty notes of brioche, shortbread and toasted almonds, which subtly merge with smoky, stony nuances.
Palate
Surprisingly lean and racy on the palate, carried by a taut, cool acidity. The fruit here is notably more austere and citrus-driven than on the nose, dominated by crisp apples. The wine possesses very little richness, focusing instead on a linear, almost ascetic texture. Retronasally, the delicate notes of shortcrust pastry and toasted aromas reappear, paired with chalky and smoky tones.
Finish
The wine departs in a liberating, opening and wonderfully bright finish, with the smoky-stony structure lingering for a long time.
Terroir & Origin
This Grauburgunder comes from the VDP Erste Lage Oberbergener Bassgeige in the Kaiserstuhl region of Baden. The distinctive volcanic soils of this site shape the wine, lending it its fine, stony texture and cool elegance, which stands in exciting contrast to the warmth of Baden.
Grape Variety & Vinification
Single-varietal Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), vinified dry with a moderate alcohol content of 12.5% abv. Friedrich Keller’s philosophy focuses on Burgundian elegance and gentle winemaking, made possible by the winery’s innovative, terraced gravity-flow principle.
Food Pairings
An outstanding partner for sophisticated dishes of classic French or Baden cuisine. It pairs excellently with pan-fried turbot with beurre blanc, fine veal terrine or a classic quiche Lorraine.
Special Features
What makes this wine special is its stylistic departure from the cliché of broad, rich Grauburgunder. Here, Franz Keller presents a tension-filled, almost purist interpretation of the grape variety, translating its volcanic origin with vibrant freshness and fine smokiness rather than baroque opulence.
