Weingut Eva Fricke "Verde" Riesling, Rheingau, Germany 2023

FROM GRAND CRU SELECTIONS:

THE WINE: An homage to Vinho Verde, this off-dry wine is made from Riesling grapes originating in Eltville, Hattenheim and Kiedrich blended together and fermented on the lees for 6 months in stainless steel. The wine was inspired by a terrible hailstorm in 2017 in the Rheingau which prompted Eva to make an early harvest wine with lower alcohol, a touch of sugar and a slight petillance.

THE PRODUCER: How, one might ask, has Eva Fricke grown not only her holdings (from 0.25 hectares to 17 hectares currently) but her winery, located in Eltville along the Rhein river, into one of the most admired operations in the Rheingau today? Though she has no shortage of experience, it was not by way of family lineage or luck. Her determination, precision and trust in nature allowed her to work her way up the ladder in one of Germany’s tightest-knit winemaking regions, where Fricke credits life’s serendipitous ways and her talented team for the success of the winery today.

An impressive collection of laser-sharp Rieslings show the different tendencies and flavors of the Rheingau’s rich soils. Expression and elegance are maxims at this domaine, which is why the vinification follows a purist, minimalist approach. Eva Fricke’s Rieslings are a unique triangulation of acid, sugar and salt with remarkable palate weight and texture.