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Saalwachter, Grauerburgunder, 2023

White Wine from Rheinhessen, Germany
$39.99 $45.99
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
In Germany, Grauburgunder sells on its name alone, the way Chardonnay or Sancerre does here. That's exactly why so few producers bother making a serious one, and Carsten Saalwächter does. Grauburgunder is the German name for Pinot Gris, and his version is dry, crisp and light on its feet but still has real grip. Carsten is known for pressing his grapes very slowly to draw out phenolics, so you get texture as well as freshness. His vines sit on limestone-heavy soils in the cool north of Rheinhessen, many of them on flat, windswept sites. Those conditions favour tension over plush ripeness. Don't be surprised by a very faint pink tint in the glass, since his Grauburgunder tends to have one. If you've written off Pinot Gris as the bland by-the-glass default, this organically farmed bottle from a family estate founded in 1853 is the one that might change your mind.

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Antonio Galloni

91 points

"The 2023 Grauer Burgunder is from two sites, Lottenstück and Steinacker, both on Tertiary limestone, made in wood and aged on gross lees. It had six hours of skin contact before pressing. There is just the merest touch of rose gold in its color. A shy nose leads to a palate that is supple with deep yeast, bright with lemon freshness and tangy with yeasty, salty lemon zest. The entire wine seems buffered and supple, despite its undeniable freshness." —Anne Krebiehl MW

Robert Parker

93 points

"Macerated for 12 hours in whole clusters and aged in large oak for 24 months and six months in stainless steel, the antique pink/orange-colored 2023 Grauer Burgunder opens with a refined yet intense and elegant as well as savory and brioche-like nose. This is a pure, tight, fresh and lemony, still phenolic and biting Pinot Gris with positive yeast reduction. On the palate, this is a remarkably finessed and textured Pinot somewhere between a white and red wine. It's a bit like oxidative Champagne but with much more phenols. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in April 2026." —Stephan Reinhardt

More about Saalwachter

Carsten Saalwächter is being called one of Germany's most exciting young winemakers, and he runs a historic vineyard that Paul Christian Saalwächter founded in 1853. Located in Ingelheim in the Rheingau, it's on limestone-rich soils that give wines precision and complexity. Carsten makes elegant, gastronomic Burgundy-style wines from Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, plus slate-grown reds from Assmannshausen. Natural winemaking meets German precision.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Pinot Gris

  • Vintage

    2023

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Style

    Crisp

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Light Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Pork schnitzel with lemon and potato salad; pan-fried trout with brown butter and almonds; roast chicken with mushrooms; Alsatian tarte flambée with onions and bacon; white asparagus with hollandaise.

Tasting Profile

Expect a dry, crisp and light-bodied Pinot Gris in the cool-climate style: pear, yellow apple and citrus with a stony, limestone-driven edge. Slow pressing typically adds real grip and texture to the freshness, so think much more structure than a by-the-glass Pinot Grigio, finishing taut, clean and lightly savoury.

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WINE GUIDES

German Wines

Is there a better grape than Riesling? Is there a better value? Its fruit purity, its perfume, and its mineral nuance are all unparalleled. And for centuries, the top German Rieslings were priced accordingly: at least as expensive as the top red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. But nowadays you could spend a lifetime exploring Germany’s great Riesling-producing regions while staying well within your budget. You might take an occasional break to try Germany’s other white grapes or perhaps a glass of Spätburgunder (the local name for Pinot Noir). It’s time to get started!

Learn more about German Wines