Eva Fricke

History and Terroir

Eva Fricke’s path to winemaking is an unconventional yet inspiring journey. Born in Bremen, with no family ties to viticulture, she discovered her passion for wine through internships in Nahe and South Africa before pursuing oenology studies at Geisenheim University. Her career took her across prestigious estates worldwide, including Château Cissac in Bordeaux, Dominio de Pingus in Ribera del Duero, and Castello di Verduno in Italy. Returning to Germany, she worked at Weingut Leitz in the Rheingau, eventually rising to technical director. During this time, she began producing her own wines from a tiny plot in the Lorcher Krone vineyard. In 2011, she fully dedicated herself to her independent domaine, and today, Domaine Eva Fricke spans 18 hectares with a tasting room in Eltville. Her wines are sought after by Michelin-starred restaurants and collectors worldwide, and she has garnered accolades such as 100-point scores from Robert Parker and James Suckling—an unprecedented achievement for a female winemaker in Germany. Eva Fricke’s vision and relentless pursuit of quality have brought new life to the historic but once-overlooked vineyards of Lorch, cementing her place among Germany’s most respected winemakers.

Farming and Winemaking

Eva Fricke’s philosophy is rooted in meticulous vineyard care, organic farming, and minimal intervention in the cellar. Since 2006, she has eschewed herbicides and pesticides, committing fully to organic practices by 2011 and achieving EU certification in 2016. Her vineyards, many on steep slopes exceeding 44 degrees, are tended exclusively by hand, ensuring the health and balance of old vines up to 70 years of age. Vinification is tailored to each vintage rather than following rigid formulas, allowing the terroir’s natural characteristics to shine. Her Rieslings, which comprise 98% of her production, express the contrast between the loess and clay soils of Kiedrich and Eltville, which produce fruit-forward wines, and the mineral-rich slate and quartzite soils of Lorch, yielding refined, saline-driven expressions. Fricke has also embraced biodynamic applications and conservation efforts, working to restore historic vineyard sites and preserve the cultural landscape of the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley. With a relentless focus on quality and sustainability, Domaine Eva Fricke continues to push the boundaries of German winemaking, earning its place among the country's elite producers.