written by Dustin
France 44 would be remiss if we didn’t share our new treasure trove of German wines with you. Over the past year our market had lost one of the most famous German wine importers that had serviced the US for over 40 years. We worked tirelessly to get any news of what happened to these wines, phone calls, emails, the ever so important Zoom calls, and now we have finally found a new life line to bring us back some of our favorites.
Last week, we were lucky to land 14 new German wines. The, all important, and fan favorite Frtiz Muller Rose has reclaimed its spot in our rosé section. The Von Buhl Bone Dry Riesling and Rosé are now smiling back at us from their once empty shelf spaces. If you have never tried any of the aforementioned wines, you must, but please do not look over some of the other house favorites that have come back.
German wine is and always has been historically known for Riesling. Riesling once rivaled the storied wines of Champagne and Bordeaux in demand amongst world leaders, it has been known to be one of the most versatile food wines, and has a history of making some of the most age worthy wines of all time. The grape itself gets a bad rap due to the possibility of it having a high residual sugar content. But please, look no further, we have brought in several dry expressions for those who love a crispy white wine!
Maximin Grunhaus Riesling Monopol Mosel, Germany $25.99/ bottle
“A blend of fruit from the three grand crus that opens with clear, aromatic mango fruit and, after a while, lots of flinty notes of crushed stones. Silky, pure and enormously salty on the palate, this is a stunning, complex, tensioned and almost challenging Estate Riesling with lingering salinity and immense complexity and charisma.” – Wine Advocate
Becker Family Pinot Blanc Pfalz, Germany $21.99/ bottle
Looking past just Riesling there are many other white wines produced throughout Germany. Unfortunately, many of these other expressions of white wine are scarcely imported throughout our country. Lucky for you we have acquired wines from a small estate called Friedrich Becker Family. The winery specializes in pinot noir, pinot gris, and an exquisite pinot blanc.
“Prominent notes of toasted barrel and nut accent crisp white plum and grapefruit here. It’s a briskly composed and easy-drinking but elegant Pinot Blanc made completely dry.” – Wine Enthusiast
Meyer-Nakel Estate Pinot Noir Ahr, Germany $39.99/ bottle
One of the many hidden treasures of German wine is pinot noir. Sharing a close border to France, Germany has a history of making pinot noir that some suggest could rival its neighboring red Burgundies. Just like many of the non-riesling white wines, pinot noir is ever so difficult to procure in the US. These wines embody the vigor and opulence of world class expressions of pinot noir and are definitely worth a try.
“Bright and tangy, delivering black cherry, currant and raspberry fruit on a juicy profile. The long, spicy finish echoes sweet berry and toasty oak notes.” – Wine Spectator
