The Power of Terroir: Alsatian, German, & Austrian Whites You Need to Try
Alex Pross, K&L Buyer: Alsace, Germany, & Austria
Alsace, Germany, and Austria continue to be some of the most dynamic and rewarding regions in the world of wine—regions that offer not just pedigree and history, but thrilling new releases year after year. What ties them together is a relentless pursuit of precision and purity, whether it’s the mineral drive of Dönnhoff’s 2023 Grosses Gewächs, the sculpted power of FX Pichler’s latest Wachau bottlings, or the quiet excellence of back-vintage Alsatian whites from Trimbach, Hugel, and Charles Baur. These are wines that don’t just deliver in the glass today—they age gracefully, deepen with time, and offer a glimpse into the soul of each region. This collection reflects the kind of craftsmanship that keeps me coming back vintage after vintage, and I’m excited to share it with you.
Charles Baur: The Maestro of Alsatian Values
2023 FX Pichler: Reference Point Wines of Austria
A Vintage of Clarity, Precision, and Beauty: Dönnhoff's 2023s
With Age, Or Without: Exceptional Alsace from Trimbach and Hugel
Upcoming Tasting: A White Wine Journey Through Alsace, Germany, & Austria
Charles Baur: The Maestro of Alsatian Values
Alsace has long felt like a forgotten classic—like a great novel left to gather dust on a shelf, timeless and beautifully written, yet too often overlooked. This storied region produces some of the most compelling white wines in the world, many from organically or biodynamically farmed vineyards, and yet it continues to fly under the radar. With world-class Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Sylvaner, Alsace offers depth, character, and ageability at prices that seem almost implausible when compared to other top wine regions.
Enter Charles Baur, one of the most accomplished—and perhaps most undervalued—producers in the region. Every time I taste through Baur’s lineup, I'm reminded just how extraordinary the wines from this domaine truly are. From the crisp, precise entry-level bottlings to the layered, expressive Grand Cru Rieslings, the quality-to-price ratio is nothing short of remarkable. These wines overdeliver at every tier and serve as a powerful reminder of just how much value Alsace has to offer—especially when it’s in the hands of a master like Charles Baur. Read more about Baur's current releases here.
2023 Charles Baur "Cuvée Charles" Riesling Alsace $15.99 View
2022 Charles Baur Eichberg Riesling Grand Cru Alsace 94 $24.99 View
2019 Charles Baur Brand Riesling Grand Cru Alsace 94 $24.99 View
2021 Charles Baur "Fronenberg" Gewürztraminer Alsace 93 $17.99 View
2019 Charles Baur Pfersigberg Gewürztraminer Grand Cru Alsace 93 $24.99 View
2023's from FX Pichler:
Reference Point Wines of Austria
Austria stands among the great Old World wine regions, renowned for its world-class Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings. Few producers exemplify the heights these varieties can reach like FX Pichler. A benchmark name in Austrian winemaking, FX Pichler crafts stunning, expressive wines that showcase the full potential of these grapes when grown on the region’s most prized vineyard sites.
The Pichler family's winemaking legacy stretches back seven generations to Franz Pichler II, who settled in the Wachau Valley in the mid-19th century. Today, the estate is led by Lucas Pichler and his wife Johanna Elisabeth—Lucas oversees both the vineyards and the cellar, while Johanna manages sales and marketing. It remains a deeply family-rooted operation, with Lucas’s parents, Franz Xavier and Rudolfine, still actively involved in daily winery life. Read more about these benchmark bottlings here.
GRÜNER VELTLINER
2023 FX Pichler Loibner Ried Klostersatz Gruner Veltliner 92 $44.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Dürnsteiner Grüner Veltliner Wachau 94 $49.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Ried Loibenberg Grüner Veltliner Wachau 97 $89.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Steinertal Grüner Veltliner Wachau 98 $99.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Ried Kellerberg Grüner Veltliner Wachau 99 $139.99 View
RIESLING
2023 FX Pichler Ried Klostersatz Riesling 92 $44.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Loibner Burgstall Riesling Federspiel Wachau 96 $54.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Ried Loibenberg Riesling Wachau 99 $89.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Ried Steinertal Riesling Wachau 100 $99.99 View
2023 FX Pichler Dürnsteiner Ried Kellerberg Riesling Wachau 100 $139.99 View
2023 Dönnhoff: A Vintage of Clarity, Precision, and Beauty
The 2023 vintage from Dönnhoff is a masterclass in precision, elegance, and expressive terroir—an emphatic reminder that this estate remains firmly at the pinnacle of German winemaking. Whether you're drawn to the joyful, lifted tones of their Grosses Gewächs bottlings or the ethereal balance found in their Kabinett and Auslese selections, these wines speak with clarity and confidence. With critics awarding 99- and 100-point scores, this is a collection that combines luxury with accessibility, delivering brilliance across the full stylistic range. From the shimmering tension of the "Felsentürmchen" Felsenberg GG to the unctuous grace of the Oberhäuser Brücke Auslese Goldkapsel, there’s no question: 2023 is a vintage to chase, cellar, and savor. Availability is limited—don't miss the opportunity to secure these treasures while they’re here.
2023 Donnhoff "Estate" Riesling Trocken (dry) Nahe 93 $19.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken (dry) Nahe 93 $39.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Roxheimer Höllenpfad Riesling Trocken (dry) Nahe 94 $39.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese Nahe 99 $59.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Höllenpfad Riesling im Mühlenberg Grosses Gewächs Nahe 99 $74.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Felsenberg "Felsentürmchen" Riesling Grosses Gewächs Nahe 98 $79.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewächs Nahe 100 $89.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Nahe 99 $99.99 View
2023 Donnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Nahe 99 $109.99 View
With Age, Or Without:
Alsatian Exceptionalism from Trimbach and Hugel
Few wines age with the poise, grace, and complexity of those from Alsace. The region’s noble whites—Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer—develop remarkable layers over time, gaining savory depth, texture, and aromatic nuance while maintaining their underlying structure and vibrancy.
We’re thrilled to offer a rare opportunity to explore both sides of the Alsatian story, with a curated selection of back-vintage treasures alongside current releases from two of the region’s most storied producers: Trimbach and Hugel. It’s the perfect moment to taste these wines side by side and experience firsthand the fascinating ways they evolve in bottle. Whether you're a seasoned collector or simply Alsace-curious, this lineup offers compelling insight into why these wines continue to capture the attention of the world’s most discerning palates.
HUGEL
2022 Hugel "Gentil" Edelzwicker Alsace 91 $14.99 View
2022 Hugel "Cuvée les Amours" Pinot Blanc Alsace 90 $17.99 View
2022 Hugel "Classic" Gewürztraminer Alsace 90 $21.99 View
2021 Hugel "Classic" Riesling Alsace 91 $21.99 View
2020 Hugel Pinot Gris "Classic" Alsace 92 $24.99 View
2019 Hugel "Estate" Riesling Alsace 94 $36.99 View
2019 Hugel "Classic" Gewürztraminer Alsace 92 $23.99 View
2018 Hugel "Estate" Riesling Alsace 93 $37.99 View
2014 Hugel "Grossi Laüe" (Grand Cru Schoenenbourg) Riesling Alsace 96 $79.99 View
2012 Hugel "Schoelhammer" Riesling Grand Cru Alsace 98 $179.99 View
2012 Hugel "Grossi Laüe" Gewurztraminer Alsace 94 $69.99 View
2012 Hugel "Grossi Laüe" (Grand Cru Schoenenbourg) Riesling Alsace 95 $79.99 View
TRIMBACH
2022 Trimbach Pinot Blanc Alsace 91 $16.99 View
2022 Trimbach Riesling Alsace 92 $19.99 View
2022 Trimbach Riesling Réserve Alsace 94 $39.99 View
2020 Trimbach Schlossberg Riesling Grand Cru Alsace 95 $139.99 View
2020 Trimbach Gewürztraminer Alsace 92 $36.99 View
2019 Trimbach Brand Riesling Grand Cru Alsace 96 $119.99 View
2018 Trimbach Geisberg Riesling Grand Cru Alsace 95 $139.99 View
2017 Trimbach Reserve Pinot Gris 93 $29.99 View
2017 Trimbach "Cuvée Frédéric Émile" Riesling Alsace 97 $69.99 View
2016 Trimbach Muscat Reserve Alsace 91 $29.99 View
2015 Trimbach "Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre" Gewürztraminer Alsace 94 $69.99 View
Saturday, May 31st:
A White Wine Journey Through Alsace, Germany, & Austria
$30 per ticket
3:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Hollywood
3:00PM-6:00PM — K&L Culver City
1:00PM-4:00PM — K&L San Francisco
1:00PM-4:00PM — K&L Redwood City
This tasting brings together three deeply interwoven wine cultures that have shaped Central Europe’s vinous identity for centuries. Across the Rhine and the Danube, generations of growers have worked steep slopes, and ancient terraces to express their land through grapes like Riesling, Silvaner, and Grüner Veltliner. Here, the legacy of monastic viticulture meets centuries-old family domaines, many still working the same parcels their ancestors once planted. The result is a conversation between regions—Alsace’s sun-drenched hillsides, the mineral-laced vineyards of Franconia, and the wind-swept terraces of the Wachau—each speaking in a distinct dialect of soil, structure, and soul. This is not simply a tasting of varietals, but a glimpse into how landscape, lineage, and historical currents continue to shape some of the most storied white wines in the world.
Please visit your store location's reservation page to purchase tickets in advance:
Walk-ins permitted as capacity allows. Line-up subject to change.
K&L Hollywood
K&L Culver City
K&L San Francisco
K&L Redwood City