The fact that Thomas Litwan, a resident of Zurich, produces wine in his home canton is actually down to chance. As is the fact that he makes wine at all. Tom originally trained as a bricklayer, but in 2006 he swapped his trowel for pruning shears. After completing a second apprenticeship as a winemaker, he laid the foundations for his vineyard – which now covers 8 hectares – in and around Schinznach. Until then, no one in the Fricktal and Schenkenbergertal regions had bottled single-vineyard wines – Tom was a true pioneer in this regard. His vision of a delicate Pinot Noir with a ‘sense of place’ diverged from the trend at the time towards heavy extraction and new oak. He placed his trust in biodynamics, the Jura limestone and the microclimate of his vineyards; and in the cellar, in a delicate touch, gentle extraction and the use of barrels that had been in use for several years. It has been amply demonstrated that these wines have the potential to age. Not least for this reason, they are held in such high regard within the international collectors’ and gastronomic scenes.

For many generations, a member of the Boulay family has been toiling on the steep slopes of the village of Chavignol, known as the ‘cursed hills’ or Monts Damnés in French. A curse and a blessing in equal measure, as the hard work is rewarded with particularly mineral-rich, complex wines. The Boulay family has been based in Chavignol since 1380. In this village, which is also home to the famous goat’s cheese, they have been bottling their own wine since the 1950s – a rarity. That they produce what are perhaps the longest-lived Sancerres is therefore well documented! Anyone looking for a kitsch Sauvignon with superficial fruitiness is in the wrong place here. Fermentation is spontaneous, followed by long ageing periods on the lees, partly in stainless steel tanks, but mostly in used demi-muids (500-litre barrels). Nevertheless, the wines do not lack Sancerre character – on the contrary: this is arguably the true, authentic expression of this great benchmark from the Loire Valley.

Bénédicte and Luc Briand are setting new standards of quality by letting things take their natural course. This becomes clear during a tour of the biodynamic vineyards as Luc explains: to set out his philosophy on vine management here in full would go beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say that the overriding aim is to ensure the grapes ripen as uniformly as possible. To this end, the Terra Vita Vinum team spares no effort. “My staff think I’m mad,” comments Luc. Things continue in a similar vein in the cellar: no sulphur until bottling (if necessary), but close monitoring and regular tasting of every batch. Bénédicte is in charge of this, as well as marketing and sales. The couple met in Nantes in 2015. Luc comes from a family of winegrowers in the region, but had previously worked as an organic consultant in fruit growing. Bénédicte has a background in the wine trade. In 2018, the pair founded Terra Vita Vinum together. Their crystal-clear, crisp Chenin Blancs already have a solid international following!

In the heart of an old smithy in Martigny, Christophe Abbet – who has for some time been assisted by the younger Hugo Bozzo di Borgo – transforms Valais specialities into liquid essences. The grapes ripen on steep terraced slopes amidst the rugged landscape of the Valais. Three hectares in total – a ‘manageable’ size, in Hugo’s words. By this he means: large enough to provide for two households, but small enough that everything can be managed self-sufficiently, using simple machinery and a great deal of hard manual labour – both in the vineyards and in the cellar. Sales are also very personal, and the website is deliberately minimalist. Anyone interested in the wines is welcome to drop by. Abbet wines are often described as idiosyncratic and artistic, and defy categorisation. There are hardly any set formulas; each wine is an individual, maturing on the lees or in the bottle until it is ready.

Cantina Buonariva was founded in 2016 by Silvia and Stefano Genovese, two people from the region who had switched careers. For us, it was love at first sip: a glass of ‘l’Ora d’Oro’ during a visit to a restaurant in Bologna was followed by a brief email exchange and, before long, our first import. Silvia and Stefano work with minimal intervention in a superbly equipped micro-winery: a press, tanks, concrete eggs and a small disgorging facility – all of the highest quality. The entire process takes place in the cantina, with riddling carried out by hand in small batches. The organically certified vineyards directly surrounding the cantina are planted exclusively with native grape varieties, the undisputed queen of which is Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro. Its juice produces a particularly berry-flavoured, spicy, dark Lambrusco that smells of violets and has a distinctive structure.

Sergio’s life revolves around the mountains of the province of Agrigento. He only left home briefly to study in Palermo, Alba and Lisbon, graduating with a Master’s degree in oenology and mountain viticulture. However, a career at large vineyards, far from home, was never an option for him: “Casteltermini is my hometown; this is where I was born and raised. My family and friends are an important part of my life.” In 2016, he took over a small vineyard, which he has been tending with great dedication ever since: no pesticides, no herbicides, no fertilisers; even the natural vegetation between the rows is cut with a scythe. He tends (and inspects) seven small individual plots to cater for their different microclimates and stages of ripeness. Project name: Le 7 vendemmie. He also carries out all other tasks by hand himself. “My hands touch every grape and every bottle, and it will always stay that way.”

The Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation would not be the same without the Landron family! Jo, who took over the estate in 1979, is a pioneer of biodynamics in his region. He has dedicated his entire career to the goal of putting Muscadet on the map: transforming it from a mass-produced wine into a mineral-driven, terroir-driven wine with a long ageing on the lees. This is his gift to the world of wine and to his family, who now run the domaine through Hélène. Her focus is not on change, but on consistently building on her father’s work – both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The methods are simple: slow, gentle pressing; short sedimentation; spontaneous fermentation; and long ageing in glass-lined concrete tanks located underground. The Melon de Bourgogne variety is linear, taut and precise. It acts like a soundboard, directly translating the different soils into the wine.

Since 2011, Tamás Kis has been working tirelessly to capture the unique terroir of the Somló region in his white wines. The fact that this region is capable of producing great wines is, however, nothing new: viticulture has been practised here since the 13th century, and the wines have always been regarded as powerful, long-lasting and of exceptional value. The name Somlói Vándor (the Wanderer of Somló) dates back to Tomi’s early years, when he was constantly commuting between a project in Eger and his own in Somló. Today, he tends his often-old vines using traditional trellis systems, with great care and sustainable methods. The low yields result in grapes of the highest quality. This yields wines full of energy and excitement: precise, almost electric, with ideal fruit ripeness and a distinctive mineral edge that characterises the finish. Within just a few years, Tomi has established himself as one of Hungary’s great winemaking talents. Roland Velich has accompanied him on part of this journey. The two are linked by their work on the Hidden Treasures projects.