“The Klettgau has never been on the wine tourism trail”, observes Ruedi Baumann of Baumann Weingut in Oberhallau. He draws the contrast between this remarkable – and remarkably well hidden – enclave close to Schaffhausen on Switzerland’s northern border and Graubünden’s Bündner Herrschaft further east. The latter needs no introduction on the Swiss wine front; besides, it’s on the way to some of Switzerland’s greatest ski resorts, so visitors can combine wine visits with winter sports. The Klettgau, on the other hand, is known only to a few insiders, and it’s not on the way to anywhere (except southern Germany). For anyone on the trail of Switzerland’s little-known vinous treasures, the region’s relative anonymity makes an exploration even more rewarding. Besides, since vineyard visitors are few and far between, once you find your way up here you’re certain of a warm welcome – and some mighty fine wines.
Today the family domaine, founded in 1978, is run by Ruedi and Beatrice Baumann together with their son Peter, whose time working in both New Zealand and California has given him valuable New World perspectives. Pinot Noir is very much at home on the sunny, limestone-dominant slopes of the Klettgau and accounts for 75 percent of the Baumanns’ production. Take a stroll in their prime vineyard, a gentle, southwest-facing slope named Röti that sits above the village of Oberhallau, and you’ll soon see why: röti is a diminutive term in dialect meaning “reddish”, referring to the striking colour of these deep, fertile soils.
Though Pinot Noir is king in the Klettgau, white wines are increasing in importance for the Baumanns. If time permits – and above all if they still have some available, for production is limited – you should try at least their Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. There’s also an appealingly fleshy, copper-hued Federweisser (a Blanc de Noir). The chief reason to join the mainly local crowd of faithful customers at the winery on Saturdays is the chance to embark on a rich and varied palette of cool-climate Pinot Noir. Start with Beerli (“little berry”), the traditional, cheerful name for the local, light red wine. Raised in stainless steel with no oak influence, it’s pale and fresh with just enough fruit to make it interesting. Pinot Noir Auslese, which is aged in large wooden casks, has a little more ripeness and mouthfeel but no perceptible oak input, while Classique spends some months in small, used French barriques, which adds extra spice and interest to the finished wine.
The two jewels in the Baumann Pinot crown rejoice in the enigmatic names of ann mee and R The former (whose name in dialect means “one more”) acknowledges the fact that with an already impressive collection of Pinots, they decided to add yet another one to the list - “as if we didn’t have enough already”, smiles Beatrice ruefully. The latter, of which they make between two and three thousand bottles each year, 60 of them earmarked as their contribution to the Mémoire des Vins Suisses collection, is named after the celebrated, red-earth Röti vineyard where it grows. Both demonstrate a skillfully managed oaky component, giving racy, spicy wines with elegance and complexity, capable of long ageing.
A final wine to try is ZWAA, whose name (meaning zwei or “two”) is yet another reflection of the region’s fondness for dialect in winery names and wine labels. For this two-handed job from two different terroirs by Ruedi Baumann and Michael Meyer (of the winery and restaurant in nearby Bad Osterfingen), half of the grapes come from Baumann’s richer, heavier soils in Oberhallau, the other half from the lighter, chalkier soils of Osterfingen. The grapes are co-fermented and the wine raised in barriques (partially new, the proportion varying from year to year) for 15 months. ZWAA is a big wine with complexity and plenty of ageing potential, best kept for three to four years and paired with the kind of rich game stew and home-made Spätzle that the Bad Osterfingen restaurant serves up in autumn.
Despite (or perhaps in response to) Ruedi Baumann’s protestations about this not being a wine tourist destination, the Schaffhausen Tourist Office has constructed and signposted a wine-themed vineyard trail. Named the Blauburgunderland Panoramaweinweg, it celebrates the key role of Pinot Noir (Blauburgunder in German) in this splendid, rolling landscape of the Klettgau and takes a panoramic sweep through these secret vineyards.
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ADDRESS: Dorfstrasse 23 8216 Oberhallau CONTACT: Tel. 052 681 33 46 |
WINES TO LOOK OUT FOR: Pinot Noir Auslese Pinot Noir Classique Pinot Noir aan mee Pinot Noir ‘R’ ZWAA rot |
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mail@baumannweingut.ch |
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baumannweingut.ch |
Price range 15 to 42 SFr. |
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HIGHLIGHTS: Visits welcomed Saturdays 9–4 or weekdays by appointment. Wines are available online or at the winery shop. Blauburgunderland Panoramaweg hiking trail |
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