2013 Birkweiler Weissburgunder Trocken aus dem Muschelkalk

“We were able to make wines that I am more than proud to show,” said Franz Wehrheim shortly before bottling his 2013s, “but it was a lot of work for very little volume. I hope I don’t see another harvest like this anytime soon.” As it was more or less his first crush after returning to the family estate, his father spoke, tongue in cheek, of “baptism by fire.” What was left after their severe selections was perhaps only half of a normal crop, but the quality was first-class. The estate’s 2013 Mandelberg Pinot Blanc Grosses Gewächs was again the finest of the vintage. That surprises few insiders in the Pfalz, but not very many collectors think that Pinot Blanc can be as good as or better than Chardonnay or Pinot Gris. In the southern Palatinate, though, it can. While this has long been Wehrheim's signature wine, his Rieslings and Pinot Noirs have gained in stature, making him across the board one of the most reliable producers in the region.