Pinot Gris Osthofen – 2021

Oak-aged organic Pinot Gris village wine from Osthofen

The 2021 Osthofen Pinot Gris from Weingut Karl May is a dry organic village wine from Rheinhessen, aged in oak barrels. Full-bodied, powerful, mineral-driven, with plenty of melt and salty depth. A Pinot Gris of international caliber.

2021 Osthofen Pinot Gris is a dry organic village wine from Weingut Karl May in the Wonnegau region of Rheinhessen, defined by its aging in oak barrels. It is grown in the finest sites, the Osthofen Goldberg and Bechtheimer Geyersberg, from vines up to 40 years old. With only 0.6 grams of residual sugar, it is bone-dry—a great wine for making a grand entrance at the table.

Ripe pear, toasted nut, salty minerality

On the nose, ripe pear and red apple, accompanied by sweet honeydew melon, savory herbs, toasted nuts, and a hint of brioche.

On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful, and creamy, supported by a rich melt and a mineral salinity that lingers long on the finish. With 13.5 percent alcohol, it has stature; the 6 grams of acidity keep it upright, while the minimal residual sugar makes it uncompromisingly dry. You notice immediately that this is not a light summer wine, but a Pinot Gris with depth and patience. With a little air in the glass, it reveals itself layer by layer.

We serve it with pork, cod, and mature cheese

At 10 to 12 degrees Celsius and served in a large glass, this village wine displays its full power.

It loves robust dishes, such as pan-seared pork with mushrooms in a cream sauce, cod with a nut crust and pumpkin vegetables, or a well-aged cheese. Its melt and creaminess pair brilliantly with food, so you won't need a red wine at the table. A more delicate alternative is the light Pinot Gris estate wine from Weingut Karl May as an everyday sipper.

Forty-year-old vines with Fritz and Peter May

The grapes grow in the winery's oldest Pinot Gris vineyards, on deep loess soils with limestone marl, farmed organically.

Pinot Gris, also known as Grauburgunder, shows its powerful side here rather than acting as a light, casual glass. The Wonnegau is one of the warmest corners of Rheinhessen, which gives the grape variety ripe fruit and plenty of body. The old vines, with their deep roots, draw a minerality from the calcareous soil that you later find in the melt of the wine.

To ensure the grapes reach full ripeness, Fritz and Peter May prune early, leaf-thin the grape zone for more sun, and reduce yields with a green harvest in early summer. The harvest is done selectively by hand, often in several passes. The path to the new cellar is short, where the grapes are gently pressed after a brief period of skin contact, and the must is fermented spontaneously in oak barrels.

The wine rests on the lees for six months and matures in wood, which grants it power, complexity, and creaminess. The May family has been making wine for seven generations since 1815, on around 35 hectares between Bechtheim, Westhofen, and Osthofen. You can find more in the Weingut Karl May assortment and among our German white wines. Truly impressive.

Osthofen Pinot Gris – a wine and its values

• Origin: Wine from Germany
• Region: Rheinhessen
• Village wine: Osthofen
• Winery: Karl May - Fritz and Peter
• Grape variety: Pinot Gris
• Vintage: 2021
• 13.5% vol. alcohol
• 6 g/l acidity
• 0.6 g/l residual sugar

Organic inspection body DE-ÖKO-039 – German Agriculture