The wine glasses and snacks are already set out when I arrive at Pauser’s Vinothek in Flonheim, in the heart of Rheinhessen. But my eyes are still far too busy taking in the beauty of the surroundings—the spacious sofa area beneath the bright red-and-green painting, the warm wood tones of the bar, the view into the barrel cellar, and the view out the window over the vineyards of Rheinhessen. “It’s a shame you can’t caress wine…” reads the inscription on the facade of the new cellar. Well, at Pauser’s, they come pretty close.

“The first architect tried to sell us turrets and lattice windows,” says Eva Pauser, laughing, “but I wanted something simpler, something authentic—no frills.”  Now, on the outskirts of Flonheim, stands a state-of-the-art complex of buildings with clean lines and rusted-steel elements, a modern yet cozy interior, and a wine cellar that works with gravity. “We built the cellar so that a woman can operate it without having to exert much physical effort,” says Eva. They call it Pauser’s Quartier—and with it, they won the Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Award 2017 in the Architecture & Gardens category.

"The winery has actually always been run by women," Eva explains. It’s one of those typical Rheinhessen stories of hidden champions and down-to-earth masters. Grandmother Amanda Pauser was one of the region’s first female winemakers; in the 1960s, she began selling bottled wine directly to consumers. In 1978, her son Friedrich was among the top ten winemakers in Germany—though few people know this.

“He never made a big deal of it,” says Eva, “so when I was 16 or 17, I said: We need to step it up and get the word out.” And that’s exactly what she did: In 2005, Eva became Wine Queen of Rheinhessen, one of the first to revolutionize the image of the wine queen—transforming it from that of a demure hostess to that of a modern wine expert. “I wanted to show that I’m not just a figurehead, but that I’ve got a brain too,” she says: “I’d rather spend an extra hour working on my speech than standing in front of the mirror.” A mind of her own—Eva has always had one.

She wanted to become a winemaker as early as age 16, but first completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at a large winery in Bingen, followed by her viticulture technician certification in Bad Kreuznach. But what changed her life was a work trip to California, to Napa Valley: “I came back a different Eva,” she says: “Much more self-confident—and with a passion for red wine in my nose.”

Since then, her Syrahs, Merlots, and Cabernets have garnered acclaim and awards, even though no one thought these full-bodied reds stood a chance in Rheinhessen. “Those will never grow here,” the older generation said, but Eva remained undeterred. “I knew we had the right soils and climate for it here,” she emphasizes. Here in Flonheim, they have heavy loam-loess weathered soils mixed with sandstone, plus plenty of sunshine. “Bread-dry,” says Eva.

Down-to-earthness and a pioneering spirit—they have both here. Her father, Friedrich, planted Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc with a special permit. To this day, father and daughter work side by side in the cellar—he on the whites, she on the reds. “I love that,” says Eva, “nothing can separate us.” She always listens intently to the elders’ knowledge about vineyards and winemaking—only to then fuse it with modern ideas.

Now she’s 33 years old and the mother of little Vincent—where will the journey take her next? “To the stars,” Eva laughs—and points to the wine label. “There will be less gold on the new labels, and we’ll name our quality tiers after stars.” Capella, Vega, and Sirius—the brightest star for the highest tier—combined with natural colors. “We’re working with the good Lord, after all; our workshop is under the open sky,” says Eva, “so it fits.” Heaven and earth—they’re having a meeting at Pauser’s in Flonheim.