Gantenbein

Gantenbein Winery: The Swiss Pinot Noir icon from Fläsch

The Gantenbein Winery, situated in the tranquil village of Fläsch in the Bündner Herrschaft region, ranks amongst Switzerland’s most iconic wineries and enjoys legendary status far beyond the country’s borders. It was founded in 1982 by Martha and Daniel Gantenbein, who made a name for themselves right from the start through their uncompromising commitment to quality and a consistent attention to detail. Daniel, a trained mechanical engineer, and Martha, who comes from a family of winegrowers in Fläsch, planted carefully selected Burgundy clones – including those from the legendary Romanée-Conti estate – in their vineyards from the very start, thereby laying the foundations for an unparalleled success story.

The estate’s vineyard area is deliberately kept small at just over six hectares: five hectares are dedicated to Pinot Noir, one hectare to Chardonnay, and a further twenty ares are planted with Riesling. The terroir in the Bündner Herrschaft combines calcareous and schist soils with an alpine climate and cool nights, lending the wines exceptional balance, minerality and purity. In the cellar, the philosophy follows the principle of gravity: grapes and must move solely by natural gravity; there is no pumping or filtering. Production is strictly limited to a maximum of 30,000 bottles per year, and the wines are so sought-after that every vintage sells out completely – often as early as the annual subscription period.

This uncompromising approach is regularly rewarded with top marks by the world’s leading critics. The Fläscher Pinot Noir received 96+ Parker points (Wine Advocate) as well as the maximum score of 20/20 in the Graubünden Wine Awards. The Chardonnay achieved 96 Parker points. GaultMillau honoured Martha and Daniel Gantenbein as ‘icons of Swiss wine’. The Gantenbein winery has thus become, far beyond Switzerland’s borders, the undisputed benchmark for mineral-driven Chardonnay and great Pinot Noir.