Once again, a German wine has us questioning conventional wisdom on where the greatest Pinot Noir values in the world are found.

Most of Germany falls within Europe’s Zone A—the coolest band of growing zones. Baden is in Zone B, along with Alsace and Champagne. Both Baden and the Pfalz have long histories with the entire “Pinot” family, so whether it’s blanc, gris, or noir (or, rather, weiss, grau, or blau), there’s a trove of excellent wines waiting to be discovered.

Pfalz is named for a Rhine tributary and runs all the way to Germany’s border with Alsace. The Vosges Mountains, which shelter Alsace from storms from the west, become the Haardt range in the Pfalz, so, like Alsace, Pfalz is a drier, warmer region than many of the other Rhine wine regions. Pfalz’s soils highly variable and include pockets of clay/limestone marl reminiscent of what’s found in Burgundy.

The Beckers source fruit for this wine from vineyards rooted in limestone, with vine age ranging from 18 to 42 years. Grapes were hand-harvested, de-stemmed, and macerated for about three weeks on skins during fermentation, after which the finished wine aged in small oak barrels for about 12 months before bottling.

In the Becker family’s case, the “Pinot” family of grapes—Noir, Gris, and Blanc represent some 60% of their vineyard holdings. They are members of Germany’s exclusive VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter), an invitation-only association of 200+ producers which sets quality standards for its members (identified by the eagle trademark on the capsule).

The wine is a relatively light ruby red in the glass, with a slight smokiness that is typical of many German Pinot Noirs. Tangy and bright, it displays notes of raspberry, wild strawberry, cranberry, and underbrush, with soft tannins and fresh, mouth-watering acidity. A great lighter-bodied style of Pinot Noir for pairing with salmon or roast chicken.