The winegrowing tradition in Switzerland is so well-established that it’s easy to overlook the fact that there is a younger, vibrant cohort coming up the ranks and busy making wine waves. It was to this purpose that the organisation Junge Schweiz, Neue Winzer (JSNW), meaning “Young Switzerland, New Winemakers”, was founded in 2010.
The initiative grew out of informal monthly gatherings amongst a group of young winemakers, who would get together during the quiet winter months to taste one another’s wines, exchange experiences and bounce ideas off one another. Although the idea was born in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland, its membership (currently around 30) is steadily expanding to the rest of the country. Apart from a shared passion for producing small-scale, authentic wines of quality, the only other criterion for membership is to be under the age of 39. (It’s not clear what happens when a member hits the big 4-0, but the organisation shows enough signs of shared objectives and flexibility that I feel sure they will handle this creatively when the moment comes.)
Some of the most dynamic young growers who feature in these pages are members – Alain Schwarzenbach from Meilen on Lake Zurich, Anne-Claire Schott in Twann on the Bielersee, Sandrine Caloz and Isabella Kellenberger in the Valais and Cristina Monico of Fattoria Moncuchetto are examples. It’s important to note that theirs is not some kind of official quality label; rather they are united in their objective to produce diverse and different wines at the highest level possible. It’s a sign of the growing confidence of the younger generation in the quality of their wines, as well as a wish to work cooperatively to present these new wines of young Switzerland to a wider public.
They do this in a number of ways, with a presence at various wine events, shows and salons – you’ll find their stand, staffed by its young members, at Mémoire des Vins Suisses events in Zurich and at Festivins in Fribourg. Another important initiative for them is to work with enlightened wine bars and restaurants around the country so that they offer a selection of members’ wines by the glass. So-called “open wines” are nothing new in Switzerland, but these are usually confined to the lowest common generic denominator – and they’re not always Swiss. The JSNW approach provides the opportunity for a new, curious generation of wine drinkers to taste young Swiss growers’ wines that are a cut above the usual by-the-glass selection. Look out for them at the Platzhirsch in Zurich’s trendy Niederdorf, at the beautifully renovated, classic Emmentaler Hotel Bären in Dürrenroth or the legendary Ermitage Hotel in Schönried near Gstaad. On occasion too, there’s the chance to meet and greet the winegrower whose wines are featured that month.