Germany Uncorked: Hidden Treasures of Baden & Franken, 6/24, 5-7pm
Grand European Wine Tour
Wine Wednesday
Wednesday, June 24th
5:00–7:00 PM
10% Off All Featured Wines During the Tasting
After exploring the Mosel, Ruwer, Rheingau, and Rheinhessen, our German Wine Wednesday tour heads south and east to two of Germany’s most fascinating and underappreciated regions: Baden and Franken.
While Riesling often dominates the conversation, these regions showcase a different side of Germany, one defined by world-class Pinot Noir, distinctive Silvaner, and Burgundian varieties that thrive in some of Germany’s warmest and most diverse vineyard sites.
Baden – Germany’s Burgundy Country
Stretching nearly 250 miles along the Rhine Valley and bordering France and Switzerland, Baden enjoys the warmest climate of Germany’s thirteen wine regions. Here, limestone, loess, and volcanic soils provide the foundation for exceptional Chardonnay and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).
The southern district of Markgräflerland, situated near the Black Forest and Alsace, has become one of Germany’s most exciting sources of Burgundian varieties. Increasingly, producers in Baden are crafting wines that rival Burgundy in elegance and precision while maintaining a distinctly German sense of freshness.
Featured Producer: Weingut Greiner
A rising star in Markgräflerland, Weingut Greiner farms exceptional sites with a Burgundian philosophy. Their wines emphasize transparency, low-intervention winemaking, and meticulous vineyard work. The estate’s volcanic soils and warm climate produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of remarkable depth and finesse.
Featured Producer: Dennis Wolf
Located in the Kaiserstuhl district, Dennis Wolf is among a new generation of German growers embracing traditional farming and minimal cellar manipulation. His Spätburgunder combines vibrant fruit with earthy complexity and beautifully illustrates why German Pinot Noir has become one of the wine world’s great insider secrets.
Franken – The Home of Silvaner
East of the Rheingau and centered around the city of Würzburg, Franken occupies a unique place in German wine history. While Riesling grows here, the region’s true signature grape is Silvaner, a variety that achieves profound expression on the shell limestone (Muschelkalk) soils that define the region.
Franken wines are traditionally bottled in the distinctive flattened Bocksbeutel bottles and are celebrated for their dry style, savory minerality, and exceptional compatibility with food.
Featured Producer: Stefan Vetter
Stefan Vetter has become one of Germany’s cult producers, crafting tiny quantities of old-vine Silvaner from organically farmed vineyards. Inspired by the wines of the Loire and Jura, his low-intervention approach produces wines of remarkable tension, texture, and mineral complexity. His bottles are highly allocated and sought after by sommeliers around the world.
Featured Wines
10% Off All Featured Wines
2021 Dennis Wolf Spätburgunder, Baden
$39.59 (regularly $43.99)
2021 Stefan Vetter “Muschelkalk” Silvaner, Franken
$35.99 (regularly $39.99)
2024 Weingut Greiner Estate Chardonnay, Markgräflerland, Baden
$35.99 (regularly $39.99)
2023 Weingut Greiner “Vulkan” Pinot Noir, Baden
$80.09 (regularly $88.99)
Why These Wines Matter
German Pinot Noir, known locally as Spätburgunder, has quietly become one of the world’s great values. Cooler climates and limestone soils produce wines with aromatic complexity, bright acidity, and Burgundian finesse.
Meanwhile, Silvaner remains one of Europe’s hidden gems. On Franken’s ancient shell limestone soils, it delivers wines that are savory, mineral, and uniquely expressive of place.
Join us as we conclude our German wine journey by exploring regions that reveal just how diverse and exciting German wine can be.
Wine Wednesday
Wednesday, June 24th
5:00–7:00 PM
10% Off All Featured Wines
No Reservations Required