Rising Star’s “Premier Cru” for $25: 2017 Eva Fricke Kiedrich Riesling Trocken
Posted on: 02/14/19 9:07 PM
Of all the things Eva Fricke is doing right – be it earning the ‘Rising Star award’ from der Feinschmecker, or ‘New Comer of the Year’ from Falstaff, or ‘Rising Heroine’ from Stuart Piggot, or earning not one but two Rieslings on James Suckling’s 100 best wines, her biggest contribution has been her tireless advocacy for organic and biodynamic viticulture. It is why in some circles she is quietly (and not so quietly) being deemed the future of German wine.
Today we’re featuring her “Premier Cru” bottling, the delicious 2017 Kiedrich. A cuvee from different sites around the village of Kiedrich (which is also home to the mighty Graffenberg vineyard), this dry Riesling radiates bright exotic citrus fruits and a sublime mineral texture. This is superb Riesling for $25, a price made even more impressive for it being completely produced from (expensive) organic fruit.
2017 Eva Fricke Kiedrich Riesling Trocken (dry)
“A slew of citrus aromas here, from lemon-cream to grapefruit and orange. Medium-bodied with elegant balance running right through the long, clean finish. Where is that seafood platter? From organically grown grapes. Drink now.” 92 Points, James Suckling
More About the Wine
I had the pleasure of meeting with Eva the last time I was in Germany and it was clear from the start that her first and most important priority was producing fruit without the help of any chemicals. While she is by no means the first German winemaker I’ve spoken to about biodynamic/organic viticulture (please see Weiser-Kunstler), Eva talked about it with the most urgency. This wasn’t a “Natural” wine movement thing, or a stylistic thing, this was a health thing. And it was eye opening.
Organic viticulture is hard. Especially in on the steep slopes of the Rheingau.And requires nearly double the amount of hours than it would farming with pesticides or herbicides. But for Fricke, it’s worth it. And the quality of the fruit shows.
In this way Ms. Fricke–whose parents are both doctors–is a bit of an outsider when compared to the older generation of (mostly male) German winemakers. But slowly she is convincing neighboring growers within the Rheingau to convert to biodynamic farming. For that, Fricke, and the beautiful dry Rieslings she is producing, are not only restoring the legacy of the Rheingau but moving it into the future.
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