Weingut Friedrich Becker
Pfalz, Germany
For many years now, the Becker estate located in Schweigen, very far south of the Pfalz on the border of Alsace, has been one of the top Pinot Noir producers in Germany. The best Becker Pinot Noirs compare favorably with the best Burgundy has to offer.
In 1973 when Fritz Sr. took over the estate from his father, he stopped selling grapes to the local co-op and started bottling and selling his own wines. He was also one of the first that independently, but in parallel with Dr. Heger, Fürst and Meyer-Näkel, started using barriques for his Pinots. In the beginning he was very frustrated trying to successfully in his words “transferring the gift of nature into fine wine”, as his colleagues in France had been doing for many years.
In 2005 Fritz Jr. took over the winemaking at the estate and his father continued to oversee the outside vineyard work. In 2007, the Beckers started to work with lower must weights more in the range from 92-98 Öchsle rather than previously with 100 Öchsle or more. They learned that physiologically ripe fruit needs acid more than additional sugar.
Almost 70% of their vineyards are located in Alsace. The fruit for their Grosses Gewächs Pinot Noirs comes from two great sites: the Kammerberg, a steep single vineyard near Wissembourg was recovered by Fritz Sr. in 1966. The old vines with mostly German clones and some French grow on deep marl lime soils that produce powerful but also refined, mineral driven Pinot Noirs (it is all about the dirt here!); the other Grand Cru is the St. Paul cultivated in the 14th century by the Cistercians of Wissembourg. The site had since become overgrown but the Beckers uprooted trees and bushes in early 2000 and planted a mix of Pinot clones from Dijon and the German Marienfelder clone. The first vintage was harvested in 2004 and even then the Pinots were very fruit driven (the Dijon clones) but with lots of finesse and refinement.
St. Paul Pinots are released two years and the Kammerberg three years after the vintage. The Beckers also produce a Riesling Grosses Gewächs from the Sonnenberg with “poor” limestone soils that brings a surprisingly light and elegant wine. In addition a series of very good Pinot Blancs (a lot of limestone here!), a superb Gewürztraminer and an interesting red, “Guillaume” (a cuvee of Cabernet, Merlot, Dornfelder and Pinot Meunier).
From the 28 ha the Beckers produce over 12,000 cases annually. Plantings are 60% Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, 22% Riesling, and the remaining 18% includes Silvaner, Gewürztraminer and Muskateller.
Our Selections
Becker Pinot Noir Estate Dry 2020
Fritz Becker's vineyards straddle the French border with about 70% in Alsace and the other 30% on the German side. The soils consist of rare (for the area) limestone with a clay/loam mix. The vines are between 20 and 45 years old. The grapes for the 2020 vintage were hand-harvested and de-stemmed before pressing. The grapes were then macerated for 14 to 21 days to extract all the flavors and aromas from the grape-skins into the juice. The juice was fermented in large and small French oak barrels then left on the lees for almost 12 months in the same oak barrels.
This is one of our favorite examples of German Pinot Noir. It’s a lovely, very drinkable Pinot with sweet fruit and exceptional depth. Pleasant, clear ruby red appearance with aromas of wild berries, tobacco, spices and forest floor. The palate is juicy and elegant with good length and structure. Year after year, Becker's estate Pinot Noir offers incredible quality for the price.
13.5% Alc | 5.8 g/l acidity
Becker Pinot Gris Estate Dry 2022
This gorgeous Pinot Gris is a modest 12.5% alcohol yet the silky-satiny texture and fresh, floral aromatics, due to extended skin contact, belie the moderate alcohol. The grapes, from vines between 15 and 39 years of age, are grown on clay/limestone soils. They were macerated for 3-4 days before being pressed off the skins. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks and 2400 liter oak-barrels then left on the lees for almost 5 months after fermentation to gain more flavor and complexity.
The resulting wine has a faint blush or pale copper shade due to the pink hue of the Pinot Gris grape. This is a beautiful wine, with hints of strawberry, citrus and lemon peel. Substantial enough to stand up to most game, it's fresh enough to compare to a summer rosé.
12.5% Alc | 8.3 g/l acidity | 7.8 g/l RS
Becker Pinot Blanc Estate Dry 2022
From grapes planted on chalky, clay/limestone soils in vineyards that straddle the Franco/German border. The vines are between 21 and 45 years old and are naturally low yielding. The grapes were hand harvested then macerated for between 12 and 24 hours before fermentation in stainless steel and 2400 liter oak barrels. The wine remained on the fine lees for five months in order to gain additional complexity.
This bright and lively Pinot Blanc weighs in at approximately 12.5% alcohol, with notes of white flowers, pear, tangerine and wet stones on the nose. It finishes with clean, mineral notes and great complexity.
12.5% Alc | 7.9 g/l acidity | 4.6 g/l RS