Eva Fricke and the Joy of Riesling – in Premeaux

I have a soft spot for riesling, and have over the past several years developed a new-found love for dry Rheingau wines.

I love these wines’ mineral notes, as well as their culinary possibilities – not to mention the aperitif joy they can bring when young and just bottled.

I love the grape’s acidity, and the purity it can offer compared to other, more oak-soaked alternatives.

The riesling grape has a majestic purity, and Eva Fricke’s wines deliver a modern, fascinating take on it in its dry iteration.

Eva Fricke: a modern take on Rheingau

I first met Eva Fricke in 2016, when I still lived in Copenhagen, and I was quickly fascinated by her take on riesling.

I was getting a bit tired of sweetish Mosel kabinetts harvested at auslese levels (90 öechle), or fermented to 11 degrees of alcohol on the relatively bony, fragile Mosel framework.

The Rheingau wines of Eva Fricke, along with other good producers, offer more substance, and are made for food and aperitifs in a dry style that’s beautifully fresh and mineral. They have the kick and weight that Mosel wines often lack.

To be fair, I should note that as global warming continues to develop, one can now find lovely aperitif and food wines from the Mosel. So the options are many, and often charming.

Still, I have a soft spot for Eva and her wines, and this week I had the opportunity to meet her to talk about riesling and the world of wine on my home turf: the restaurant Premnord in Premeaux-Prissey (read the first article about Eva Fricke here).

It was great to see her again and discuss developments over the last 7-8 years – including the Covid epidemic and its consequences for small wine growers.

Time passes at an alarming speed, and while many years have flown by (the Winehog has certainly aged), it was great to revive the link to Eva and her wines. Merci for a lovely afternoon.

The story of the photos

Eva Fricke is a charming vigneronne who is very professional. When I wrote my first article on her some years ago, I tried to sneak in one of my own photos, but this was dismissed in a friendly but firm way by Eva, who had her own photos.

At the time I was pleased to have her photos, and didn’t really think further about it. But it’s an illustration of Eva’s professionalism and attention to detail.

I will however dare to use my photo above, taken back in the day.

To the notes

Points and riesling are difficult. When I see Stuart Pigott’s ratings I am flabbergasted by the scores of the dry wines. Clearly Stuart, whom I really rate as a taster and writer, has integrated his ratings to align with James Suckling’s policies. Or is hyperinflation kicking in again?

I will go for my habitual vin d’émotion ratings, and notes that are more in line with the scores I usually use. I certainly don’t want to out-point Suckling!

As a reference: 95-96 points on my scale is the range of a 2022 Batard-Montrachet from Morey-Coffinet (for those who wonder).

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Eva Fricke Kiedrich Riesling QBA Trocken Bio 2023

The ’23 Kiedrich Trocken is a village-level wine – and a charmer. Vivid and generous, with exotic, youthful fruit, it comes from a gorgeously rich vintage. It’s more an aperitif wine at the moment, but will go with lighter fish dishes – seared Coquilles Saint Jacques with salad – or even some shellfish dishes with a bit of spice. This has a charming orange/citrus peel salinity, with orange blossom and Amalfi lemon. It also shows notes from the terroir: sandy loess, loam, clay, and quartzite. What a mineral delight.

(Drink From 2028) – Fine – (92p) –  

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Eva Fricke Kiedrich Krone Riesling QBA Trocken Bio 2021

The ’21 Kiedrich Krone has shed some of its exotic fruit and is at another level of complexity. Rich, with a substantial, almost Burgundian, terroir note, the limestone provides tremendous depth and gives terrific complexity to the wine. The nose starts out a bit deeper – delicately slate-y – and the stony texture opens up as the wine gets air. Wow; this is a great dry riesling! It’s brimming with bergamot and wet-stone minerality infused with Amalfi lemon. I love the yellow grapefruit, and the power and complexity will enhance even big fish dishes The limestone note will work beautifully with food (think turbot in a light lobster sauce), and its complexity will make this dish explode in delight. A great wine, and what an energetic, mineral treat. A vin d’émotion, without any doubt.

(Drink From 2030) – Outstanding – (95p) –