Charles Baur: The Maestro of Alsatian Wine Values
To me, Alsatian wines feel like a great novel that has been forgotten on a dusty bookshelf for far too long. The novel itself is timeless and perfectly written, yet it has gone overlooked for no particularly good reason, in favor of newer, trendier books. That in a nutshell is a perfect metaphor for the wines from Alsace. These wines are seriously good—and the current releases are easily the best that have ever been made from this region, especially since most of the producers are farming at least organically if not biodynamically. There are so many great producers fashioning world-class wines. Even better: their prices tend to be a mere fraction of what top producers from other wines regions charge. That fact may lead you to think these are not substantial wines, but this would be a mistake. Many of the world’s greatest Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Sylvaner come from Alsace.
One of the most accomplished producers making ridiculously affordable wines is Charles Baur. Every single time I taste through the lineup of his wines I came away stunned at the quality-to-price-ratio. Wine after wine, sip after sip, these wines are excellent values; from the entry-level Rieslings to the Grand Cru Rieslings, everything is a crazy deal.
The stable of wines Charles Baur produces is impressive, and the 2023 Charles Baur "Cuvée Charles" Riesling Alsace $15.99 is a great everyday Riesling with classic petrol notes, a hint of almond and citrus, as well as wet stone and dried herbs. Fresh and racy, this is the perfect wine for sushi or spicy Asian cuisine. We take a big step up to the 2019 Charles Baur Brand Riesling Grand Cru Alsace $24.99 94VN 94ID 93JS 91WE, which is absolutely stellar and sells for a fraction of what other producers charge from this Grand Cru site. Pure and long, this wine has gorgeous defined notes of lemon with hints of pear and apple as well as spice. Great length and density is supported by racy acidity and incredible freshness. Not to be overlooked the 2022 Charles Baur Eichberg Riesling Grand Cru Alsace $24.99 94JS 93VN 92ID is a great wine as well from one of the best vintages in Alsace in recent memory. Loaded with orchard fruits as well as anise and chamomile notes, this wine, for a Grand Crus in particular, is remarkably open and accessible with layer after layer of complexity and flavors that cascade over the palate in perfect harmony. The two Grand Cru offerings from Charles Baur represent some of the best values we currently are carry at K&L.
Charles Baur not only makes amazing Rieslings, he also crafts stunning Gewürztraminers as well! We have two great Gewürztraminers with the first being the 2021 Charles Baur "Fronenberg" Gewürztraminer Alsace $17.99 93JS. The aromatics sing from the glass with peach and spice notes, while the palate displays fresh peach and nectarine flavors as well as spice and pithy notes. Perfectly balanced and not too sweet, this is a real winner. A step up from the Fronenberg is the 2019 Charles Baur Pfersigberg Gewürztraminer Grand Cru Alsace $24.99 93VN 93JS 92ID. This luscious wine has layer after layer of rich lychee and peach flavors. What a beautiful wine—phenolic and lush in feel with tons of fruit and a hint of sweetness that quickly dissolves into the palate of fresh, bright fruit. This is the wine for Gewürztraminer lovers, or for those who enjoy Condrieu and other richly textured whites.
Get to know the wines of Charles Baur!
- Alex Pross, K&L Alsatian Wine Buyer