From Grape to Glass

Pinot Gris, also known as Grauburgunder, is one of the oldest grape varieties native to our region. From the 1960s to the 1980s, it was one of the most widely cultivated white wine varieties in Burgenland, alongside Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling. Unfortunately, it gradually fell out of favor and became less popular.

Alois Kracher Sr. (1925-2010) never planted Pinot Gris, as he personally did not favor the variety. However, his son, Alois Kracher Jr. (1959-2007), had a great passion for Pinot Gris. In 2002, he acquired vineyards planted with this variety to produce his own dry Grauburgunder.

When Gerhard Kracher took over the winery, he decided in 2008 to create a special wine from a parcel over 40 years old, renowned for its outstanding quality: the Pinot Gris Reserve.

This wine is now highly acclaimed by both national and international press, receiving excellent reviews year after year.

Tasted a few days before bottling in late May 2024, the intense, dark yellow-colored 2022 Pinot Gris Reserve trocken opens with a deep, intense yet elegant and complex bouquet of ripe seed fruits (pears, apples) intermingled with saline, yeasty and nutty notes. From 60+-year-old vines and aged in Slavonian oak vats of 1,000 and 1,500 liters for 20 months, this is a full-bodied, lush and intense yet also refined, remarkably fresh, mineral and dry Pinot Gris that indicates perfect fruit ripeness when harvested and a deep, saline and elegant finish that is super aromatic, fresh and salivating. This is a picture-book dry Pinot Gris from the Seewinkel. 13% stated alcohol. To be bottled under natural cork in early June this year.
93/100 Stephan Reinhardt – Wine Advocate

Today, Pinot Gris is the most important variety for dry white wines in our range. Additionally, it is the only variety from which we do not produce sweet wines.