On February 25, 2025, one of Germany’s most important winegrowers died: Friedrich Becker from Schweigen in the Southern Palatinate. He was 77 years old. He was still inspecting his vines in the vineyard the day before. „Fritz“ Becker, as he was known, was not only one of the great pioneers of Pinot Noir. Until his last breath, he was also one of the top 5 German Pinot Noir producers. Quite a few considered and still consider him to be the best. His outstanding sites are located in France: on the Kammerberg and the Strohlenberg (with the Sankt Paul and Heydenreich sites). This is where the estate’s great wines come from (for a few years now also the top wine La Belle Vue). However, Becker’s mastery is also evident in the impressive Schweigen Pinot Noir, the local wine, which also offers a good introduction to the world of Pinot Noir for a wide audience. A few years ago, Becker passed the winery on to his son Friedrich Wilhelm, who works with the same passion for wine as his father and has also focused on Chardonnay. If things have become a little quieter around the winery in recent years, this is because father and son’s political views, which they did not hide behind, have been a source of irritation for many people. However, this did not change the high quality of the Becker wines.
