WEINGUT ANJAN BONER
Young winemaker, old vines
The oldest vines in Malan have been in Anjan Boner’s family for several generations. They are already 70 years old. Anjan realised early on that he wanted to become a winemaker. After his apprenticeship, he studied oenology and pomology in Klosterneuburg, Austria. In addition to viticulture, he is also very familiar with a wide variety of fruit brandies. Although he wrote his thesis on the art of distilling, he is currently focussing mainly on viticulture.
The Anjan Boner winery’s first vintage in 2007 consisted of an annual production of 1,200 bottles of Pinot Noir Auslese. His range now consists of ten different types of wine and a wine production volume of over 19,000 bottles on 3.1 hectares of vineyards. Anjan’s range of wines is very diverse: Freisamer, Riesling Silvaner, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, a Rosé sparkling wine and five different Pinot Noirs (Classic, Auslese, Barrique, Umami and Federweiss). Alongside the Burgundy varieties, the rare Freisamer variety is the winery’s trademark. The 1,400 bottles are sold out in no time at all. Anjan is in the process of expanding the vineyard area to 0.46 hectares. ‘There are only about 6 hectares of them worldwide. So maybe we are the largest Freisamer farm on the planet.’
The Boner family is characterised by an innovative team of two generations who work hand in hand. Mum Tina and dad Ambrosi support Anjan wherever they can. This allows the three of them to run the business without any external help. Contact with private customers is particularly important to them – but also with restaurateurs and sommeliers: ‘After all, they are the ones who serve my wine.’ Among them are prominent addresses. Casa Caminada, for example, serves Boner Pinot Blanc from the magnum by the glass. It can happen that a restaurateur who only wanted to pick up his delivery from the Boner family’s garage finds himself in the Boner family’s kitchen hours later, enjoying stimulating conversation and coffee schnapps…
Anjan is currently launching a wine of superlatives with his Pinot Noir ‘Umami’: 100% Mariafeld clone, 100% new wood. ‘This puts us in the same league as Donatsch, Studach, Gantenbein & Co.’ There are only 587 bottles in total. An artist has designed a large-format picture of the Boner family on the front of the wooden crates. Anyone who buys a bottle also buys a puzzle piece of the unique painting.
MOLINO E PASTIFICIO SA
A story that has been fascinating for more than150 years
Until the middle of the 19th century, the mill that is now Molino e Pastificio SA was owned by the convent of the nuns of Poschavio. Samuel Fisler took over the property in 1872. His son Samuele Fisler travelled abroad at a very young age and returned from Rio de Janeiro around 1900 to take over the business. The major construction work on the Rhaetian Railway and the hydroelectric power stations brought thousands of workers to Poschiavo at the beginning of the 20th century. The demand for food grew with them. Samuele Fisler had a small pasta factory added to the mill and founded a public limited company in 1911. Today, the company is run by the 5th generation of the family.
All pasta is made using only spring water and durum wheat semolina, which comes from Switzerland, Europe and North America and is processed with great care and dedication. In addition to the famous spaghetti, the product par excellence, the company also produces ternetta and vermicelli as well as various short pasta products and pizzoccheri di Poschiavo, which are made from buckwheat flour.
Thanks to the special grinding process of the durum wheat in the company’s own mill and the pressing through a bronze die, combined with slow air-drying, the products of Molino e Pastificio SA have an unmistakable flavour. Various flours made from wheat and rye are processed in the mill to produce bread. Semolina, maize and buckwheat flour are also produced. All pasta and flours are free from any additives or corrective agents. Only GMO-free raw materials are milled.
Our tip: savour the famous spaghetti and various pasta products from Molino e Pastificio in the Golfhuus restaurant.
WEINGUT JANN MARUGG
The newest company presses grapes in the oldest cellar
Jann Marugg had the opportunity to set up his own wine-growing business following the expansion of a vineyard zone in the Bündner Herrschaft region in 1999. His vineyards are located in the ‘Fläscher Feld’ between Fläsch and Maienfeld and in the ‘Halde’ at the foot of the Fläscher Berg. Five grape varieties are grown on an area of around 2.6 hectares.
Jann Marugg has been producing his wines in the centre of the village of Fläsch, in his father Daniel Marugg’s former wine cellar, ever since. As the original cellar no longer met today’s requirements and offered too little space to press the wines, Jann Marugg completely remodelled the cellar in summer 2010. The Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc mature in steel tanks, the classic Pinot Noir in large wooden barrels combined with steel tanks. The Pinot Noir Reserve, Chardonnay and Syrah mature for over a year in oak barrels before being bottled. Jann Marugg produces around 15,000 bottles of wine each year.
Jann Marugg’s primary goal is to produce high quality wines. To achieve this, the vineyard is planted with a large number of vines, which means that the individual vines are not subjected to too much stress. By consistently regulating the yield, Jann Marugg obtains high-quality grapes. The vineyards are cultivated according to the ‘Vinatura’ guidelines.
The wine labels, which were designed by the young artist Fiona Tischhauser from Fläsch, are particularly eye-catching. The faces on the labels impressively reflect the characteristics of the wine in the chosen colour combination and in the character traits.
ZÜNDEL AZIENDA AGRICOLA SA
Il mio Malcantone!
High above Ponte Tresa, between Lago di Lugano and Lago Maggiore, is the vineyard of the Zündel family.
When the natural scientist Christian Zündel came to Ticino in the 1970s, wine-growing in southern Switzerland was considered a “wasteland”. Many producers’ quality expectations were still miles behind today’s standards. But Zündel was different. As an expert in soil science, he was perfectly suited to work in the vineyards. For him, wine-making was not insignificant, but secondary, and anyone who knows anything about wine-growing knows that good or excellent wines are created in the vineyard and not in the cellar. Zündel consistently committed himself to organic, and later biodynamic, cultivation. Since 2019, the Zündel vineyard has even been Demeter certified. Today, organic cultivation is considered good form in the world of wine.
New generation with new ideas Myra Zündel, Christian’s daughter, has big shoes to fill, but quickly established herself in the world of wine-growing, which is certainly also down to her open, curious and self-confident nature. She shares with her father a passion for natural cultivation and minimalist interventions in the production process.
Myra’s new white wine “Erbaluce”, a grape variety from nearby Piedmont, has a wonderful (salty) minerality, aromas of grapefruit, lime, jasmine as well as notes of chalk and limestone. In addition to the “Orrizonte” created by her father and known beyond the country’s borders, this is the wine that she made her first mark with. We are looking forward to the Zündel family’s next projects.
PUR DUROC
Gone to the pigs
REGIONAL BREEDING. PARTICULARLY ANIMAL-FRIENDLY STABLING. PLENTY OF RUN FOR THE PIGS. UNIQUE, FINELY MARBLED MEAT TEXTURE, AROMATIC FLAVOUR.
The Duroc meat products are backed by a regional community of three farmers and one meat producer: the Schätti family (SG), Ueli Tanner (AR), Ruedi Huber (AI) and Gustav Spiess AG in Berneck. The transport routes from rearing to slaughter and also the distribution cover a small area. As such, the concept fits perfectly with our philosophy of producing regionally. But also the quality standards in rearing, processing and taste meet our high demands.
The breed
Today’s Duroc pig breed originates from the United States and is a cross between different strains of redhaired pigs. The breed standard was set as early as 1885. The large-framed Duroc pig is solid coloured with a light red to reddish brown colouring. Another characteristic are the small floppy ears. Some small black pigment spots are also found in this breed. These cheerful, stress-resistant Duroc pigs are characterised by their docile nature and healthy constitution. They are very robust and can be kept outside even in low temperatures. Their pigmented skin protects them from sunburn when exposed to intense sunlight – making them ideal for free-range husbandry. Duroc sows produce a lot of milk and have the best mothering qualities.
The meat is evenly streaked with fine veins of fat. This high proportion of intramuscular fat makes it extremely juicy and tender. A top-class delicacy.
“TRADITION DOES NOT MEAN TO LOOK AFTER THE ASH, BUT TO KEEP THE FLAME ALIVE.”
JEAN JAURÈS
GUNZWILER DESTILLATE URS HECHT AG
“Nature does not have to be changed... there is nothing to be improved upon!”
In 1984, Urs Hecht took over his father Fritz’s mobile contract distillery. With that, he discovered his calling. A new building for the distillery and sales would soon be constructed at Grasweg 26 in Gunzwil, Lucerne. The next milestone came in 2008: the construction of a wooden building containing a distillery, fruit storage and ripening facilities.
The distillery is a real family business. Urs Hecht, his wife Theres and their three children, together with motivated employees, help to distil spirits that have been awarded gold medals. Through discipline and dedication, Urs Hecht’s schnapps has reached the very top. Both at home and around the world. Relentless pursuit of “Quintaesencia”, or quintessence, the art of distilling in its purest form. He takes his cue from nature. The high-trunk trees, grown over generations, are his particular pride and joy. Their fruits are the perfect basis for premium quality fruit schnapps. Urs Hecht has a deep respect for nature’s resources and for people. The ripening cellar is located seven metres below ground level, where constant temperatures guarantee the balanced maturation of the spirits. And the barrels represent the best of cooper craftsmanship, made from oak and cherry wood.
The master’s experience and intuition are key to achieving the perfect harmony of his distillates. He chooses the time when the fruit distillates are bottled from the barrels. Those are truly magical moments.
Selected fruits from regional farms, grown on healthy high-trunk trees, are the basic requirement for the applied sustainability and the success of the Urs Hecht distillery. The scent of the ripe fruit is intoxicating during harvest time. In the distillery, however, it is the aroma of the distillates that is intoxicating.
Portrait Alp Maran
The Koflers and "their" dairy cows
Every night between 3 and 4 o’clock the bells ring on the Alp Maran. Namely, when the South Tyroleans Thomas and Andrea Kofler and their two daughters bring the cows into the barn for milking. For us, this is an idyllic experience. We can turn over and sleep comfortably on. For the Koflers, however, who bring the cows from outside to the barn twice a day and twice a night throughout the summer, milk them and then take them back to one of the many pastures on Maran and in the surrounding area in a fixed rotation, depending on the state of the vegetation, it means exhausting “shift work”. Added to this is the burden of responsibility for the 60 or so cows that are sent to Arosa for their “summer vacations” by the various farmers in the region. But it is a nice job, says Thomas Kofler. In the meantime, he can also sleep well and is no longer so anxious about the safety of the cows, he continues.
Anyone who meets the Koflers on the way in one of the pastures senses their passion for the responsible task during a chat. Their two daughters, Hanna and Lina, also really get into their job and can tell you a lot about the individual pastures and the names and characteristics of the cows.
The Maran Alp is one of four cow pastures belonging to the civic community of Chur in Arosa. The three other alps Sattel, Prätsch and Carmenna deliver their milk with "pipelines" directly to the alpine dairy Maran. A total of around 400,000 liters of milk from all four alps are processed into high-quality products such as alp cheese, Mutschli, yogurt, butter, etc.
ISBLAATERE HUUSWURSCHT
When men travel together
It all began on a 50th birthday. A group of friends from Aargau, all of them dads, were looking for an original gift for a pal’s 50th.
As it needed to be something out of the ordinary, they chose a sausage-making workshop at a local butcher’s. On a subsequent two-day moped trip, they came up with the bold idea of putting their newly acquired skills into practice and making their own sausages. Their aim was to use as few flavourings and preservatives as possible in order to keep the product family-friendly. They got to work on their first attempts in their moped garage, trying out numerous variations – all of which needed to be exclusive – containing ingredients from their own gardens.
They tested the first sausages with their own quail eggs, experimenting with truffles and crazy combinations of prunes and Vielle Prune – always using their own families as ‘guinea pigs’. Some of their efforts got the thumbs-up, although most didn’t! The kids loved the marjoram-flavoured sausage on pizza, but the adults vetoed this idea.
The recipe that our guests at the Isblaatere have now been enjoying for some time slowly came together – a homemade sausage consisting of pork, neck fat (which is of a far higher quality than the otherwise used belly fat), onions, leek, eggs, Oeil de Perdrix rosé wine (what else would you expect from a group of hobby gourmets?) and seasoning. At the Isblaatere, we serve the homemade sausage with smoked salt and the homemade sausage with chilli. The chillies for the latter initially still came from our hobby gourmets’ own gardens, although they now buy most of these in the region. All of the sausages are made by hand and weighed.
Unique selling point – the homes of the hobby gourmets aside, the Isblaatere is the only place in the world that serves these sausages.
GePa Gemüse Germann
From the farm to the table
25-year-old Patrik Germann is a farmer with heart and soul. Growing up as a farmer’s son, he knows what’s important and already lent a hand everywhere at a young age, whether in the barn or on the pasture.
In 2018, Patrik made a strategic and thus for him a trend-setting decision. He converted his own farm from dairy farming to vegetable production. And rather uncharacteristically for a farmer, he went out and knocked on the doors of hotels and restaurants in the region in classic “door-to-door” fashion, trying to sell his products. He now serves around 32 hotels, two restaurants and over 200 private customers with two of his own vehicles. Fruits and vegetables come either from the company’s own farm or from six other farmers in the region, with a total of over 200 hectares of farmland.
We became aware of “GePa” through its rich assortment of berries. The quality convinced us from the very beginning. Due to the regional cooperation and the short transport routes, “GePa” guarantees us optimal freshness and a significantly longer shelf life than suppliers from the wholesale trade. In this way, we not only promote regional trade, but also do something against food waste.
AL CANTON
Of Berbers
and herbs
Their home is in the southernmost tip of Grisons, on the “Lago di Poschiavo”, or more precisely in the little village of Cantone: The native of Puschlaver and agronomist ETH, organic and herb farmer and breeder of noble Berber horses Elmo Zanetti. He lives there with his family, on the border with the Valtellina.
Together, the family grows over 30 tea herbs and flowering plants on the sunny slopes and in the fertile Val Poschiavo. These ingredients are gently dried, defoliated, mixed and packaged on the farm – so the added value stays in the valley.
Relax with a cup of tea: What could be better than a delightful cup of tea in the morning? Try the versatile varieties from Val Poschiavo and feel the warmth of South Grisons.
Frida K.
Apple mint, lady’s mantle and pink cornflowers.
Reminiscent of a woman whose art still touches and fascinates today. A tea for all strong women, but can also be drunk by men.
Albula
Various mountain herbs, edelweiss and red cornflowers.
A classic that almost always fits.
SENNEREI ANDEER
God forbid
The next time you drive from Chur over or through the San Bernardino, you should definitely turn right in Andeer first. The small Graubünden mountain village is home not only to the mineral spring with baths and the church in the centre of the village, but also the dairy. In one house, people sing praises to the Lord, in the other to the raw milk cheeses made by Maria Meyer and Floh Bienerth. It even seduces the priest… The numerous national and international awards speak in favour of the two cheesemakers’ round cheeses.
This Flea, who packs the roundness of life into the cheese, is a special person. For a long time he herded cows and goats in the Grisons Alps, processing their milk into fine cheese. In the Alpine world, he thought about life in general and in particular, learnt a lot about the rhythm of cows and the weather, about his own limits and how to overcome them. It is precisely this roundness of life that he has been packing into his cheese wheels ever since. And we, who buy the cheese at the Andeer dairy, feel this roundness, this love of life, of nature and of cheese.
‘Preserving instead of growing is our basic philosophy, and if you choose to preserve, the system stays as it is, or it even gets better,’ philosophises Floh Bienerth. Floh and his wife Maria Meyer have a great desire to create added value with their products.
If you think this is banal marketing blah-blah, you really need to take a right turn in Andeer or, even more conveniently, order a cheese platter for dinner at Hof Maran – with a bit of luck, one or two ‘Möckli’ cheeses from Maria and Floh will be on it. Ask our staff for more information.
THOMAS MARUGG WINERY
Fläsch – the Burgundy of Switzerland
Fläsch, the smallest of the four wine-growing communities in the Bündner Herrschaft region, is considered a gem by wine connoisseurs and is home to several renowned and well-known winegrowers. Situated on the right bank of the Rhine, the village at the foot of the Fläscherberg and below the St. Luzisteig is wonderfully embedded in the dominant landscape. The wine growing village lives from and with wine – a cultural asset that brings people together.
The Thomas and Edith Marugg family are now the third generation to run the winery. Originally focussed on mixed farming with livestock, agriculture and viticulture, they switched completely to self-pressing from the 1980s onwards. Thomas Marugg took over the winery back in 1997. Together with his family, he cultivates five hectares of well-tended vineyards in prime locations and produces varietal wines and specialities full of character.
“The foundation for great wines is laid by the terroir, which itself is influenced by numerous factors: Night and day temperatures, rainfall, hours of sunshine, slope inclination and soil composition. As a divine blessing, the Föhn wind, also known as the “grape cooker”, completes the natural work. We treat this gift of nature with respect and therefore consciously cultivate our vineyards in an environmentally friendly way. This is the only way we can preserve a fertile and liveable soil for future generations.
However, the terroir alone is not enough to produce an exceptional wine characterised by goodness and unforgettable drinking pleasure. It takes a portion of tradition for the time-honoured craft, but also a pinch of innovative spirit for the technical possibilities in the cellar. The challenge is to carefully age the wines in order to make the authentic and varietal character of the grape varieties tangible. In our architecturally designed barrique cellar, the wines mature in mystical tranquillity towards their perfection – a special kind of cellar whispering. Experience this fascinating ambience with all your senses – preferably with an enjoyable glass of wine.”
BEHIND EVERY GOOD WINE IS A WINEMAKER, A WINEMAKING FAMILY, A REGION.
GLATSCH BALNOT AG
"We love ice cream that tastes like the ingredients"
Glatsch is Romansh and stands for ice cream. The two ice cream makers Heike Schulze and Holger Schmidt from Surava have been using the name to emphasise their regional origins since 2013. And the name says it all. They mainly use local ingredients. The organic milk is supplied by farmer Andri Devonas from their own village and the cream comes from the nearby Puracenter in Lenzerheide. When it comes to the fruit, consistently high quality is crucial for the flavour. This is why regional fruit is used wherever possible – for example, ultra-ripe organic strawberries from Tomils.
But it’s not just the products that contribute to the high quality of Glatsch Balnot’s various types of ice cream. In contrast to the industrial production of ice cream, much less air is used in artisanal production. This results in a much finer and creamier consistency. The success proves the two ice cream makers right. They now supply many restaurants from the small village in the Ela Nature Park, from Engadin to Zurich.
Tip: Try the wonderfully refreshing, slightly sour and healthy sea buckthorn sorbet (lactose- and gluten-free, vegan). A “palate refresher” after a lavish dinner.
Atlantic salmon, cold-smoked at Hof Maran
Smoking is a matter for the boss!
When smoke rises behind the hotel, our head chef Cyrill Pflugi is at work once again. He has worked internationally as a chef and learnt “The Art of Smoking” directly from the masters during one of his stints in Scotland.
How do you make smoked salmon?
After being butchered in Scotland, the salmon is transported to Switzerland by the shortest route and delivered to Arosa by the fishmonger. After filleting, the salmon fillets are marinated for around 48 hours in a secret marinade consisting of 13 ingredients, which is only known to the chef and the management. However, marinating is only half the battle.
Smoking salmon is an art and requires a lot of patience and sensitivity. Too much heat during smoking produces bitter substances and, in the worst case, can even cook the fish fillets. Neither is desirable. Smoked salmon should have a mild flavour with sweet smoky notes and a firm bite. This refinement also makes the salmon last longer. The fat content of the fish has an influence on the shelf life – the higher the fat content, the shorter the shelf life. We recommend that our guests savour our home-smoked, Scottish “Label Rouge” salmon within a week.
Did you know?
In 1992, Scottish farmed salmon was the first non-French product and the first fish ever to be awarded the “Label Rouge” seal of quality. This label guarantees high quality. The criteria for farming are very strict, limit the stocking density and guarantee complete traceability from the salmon farm to the retailer. Great attention is also paid to animal welfare and environmental protection.
"Smoking salmon is an art and requires a lot of patience and sensitivity."
ENGADINE QUAIL EGG
The "Quail Mother" Imelda Schmid
In her dissertation (1997) at the University of Bern on the subject of “Development of animal-friendly quail farming”, Imelda Schmid not only laid the foundations for the guidelines for quail farming, but also for their future. Up to that point, only the breeding and keeping of laying hens was regulated. For the small quails, however, conventional battery farming was not animal-friendly enough. In 1998, the biology graduate put her knowledge into practice and gradually built up a quail farm in Upper Engadine in S-chanf. Today, she combines her hobby of recumbent cycling with her profession and delivers the eggs to regional customers – completely CO2-neutral – by bike.
Quails are the smallest members of the chicken family. There are around 40 different species worldwide. Around 22 species are kept as ornamental birds. Only the Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica, has been domesticated. The wild form is a migratory bird that is common in the regions of the Russian Federation east of Lake Baikal, in China, Korea, Japan, Manchuria and Mongolia.
The overall nutritional composition of quail eggs is very similar to that of hen’s eggs. The high content of B vitamins, iron and zinc is valuable. Eggs are generally regarded as a high-quality food, especially in a vegetarian diet. In principle, quail eggs should be used in the same way as hen’s eggs. For example, hard-boiled, peeled and halved, they enrich and embellish salads, hors-d’oeuvre platters or sandwiches. Thanks to their pretty and variable pattern, they are also very suitable as edible table decorations when hard-boiled. Fried quail eggs, e.g. on toast or in a nest of cress, are not only a feast for the eyes but also taste delicious.
Wegelin Winery
Organic single-vineyard wines from the Bündner Herrschaft region
For the makers of Wegelin wines, quality is undoubtedly the top priority. The knowledge of the specialities of the various vineyards such as Scadena, Weisstorkel, Bothmarhalde, Spiger and Frassa is what drives them. Anyone who has the opportunity to taste the different single-vineyard wines side by side should definitely give it a try. The wines do not present themselves as “one-size-fits-all”, but show character and the peculiarities of the respective terroirs.
The wines with the most character come from the Scadena vineyard. The winery also describes the vineyard as “our centrepiece”. Two different rifts pushed sandy limestone, phyllite, dark limestone and clay slate into the vineyard. This produces wines that are very compact and elegant, with a juicy tannin structure. Anyone who knows anything about wines knows that the structure of the tannins is fundamental to the quality of wines and has little influence on the longevity of the wines, but much more on their ageing potential. Good things take time, so you should give yourself a few years before savouring Scadena wines.
The old saying that good and outstanding wines are made in the vineyard and not in the cellar is impressively confirmed at Wegelin. It is the winemakers’ philosophy to give the wines time, and to influence the natural processes as little as possible. They use almost exclusively wild yeasts, only a little sulphur and no other additives. This involves a certain amount of risk and requires a great deal of knowledge about the fermentation and maturation processes. However, the effort is well worth it. The result is wines full of character that make you want a second glass. What more could we want?
GRAN ALPIN CO-OPERATIVE
Old tradition on the rise
Old Tradition on the Rise
It’s not just nostalgic and ecological reasons that speak for reviving the old tradition of mountain crop farming. “Crop farming reduces the risks of a one-sided focus on livestock farming for mountain farmers,” explains Maria Egenolf, managing director of the Gran Alpin cooperative. “Diversified farming also allows for better fertiliser management in mountain agriculture and thus more sustainable maintenance of fields and meadows.”
The Gran Alpin cooperative was founded in 1987 by a group of mountain farmers in Tiefencastel with the aim of revitalising crop farming in the canton and marketing its products more professionally. From the start, the cooperative also committed to ecological farming. Pesticides have been prohibited since its inception, and in 1996, the official transition to the Bio Suisse organic farming principles was made. “The proportion of organic farming is already generally high in Graubünden, which has facilitated the clear direction,” says Maria Egenolf. In total, 110 farms supplied Gran Alpin in 2021, producing around 700 tons of organic mountain grains together. Every year, 10 to 15 new farms join. “We had to limit the quantity of rye last year due to lack of demand. Currently, we are especially looking for producers of brewing and food barley, buckwheat, and spelt. However, growth is currently more limited by processing for most crops,” she explains.
Strong Regional Value Creation and Embedding
A logical consequence: The decades-long decline in grain cultivation in mountainous areas coincided with the closure of most mills. Currently, Gran Alpin utilises two processing plants in Bergell and Puschlav. However, spelt, emmer, and maize are ground in the canton of Glarus. In the early 2000s, the major retailer Coop became a major buyer for wheat and rolled barley, selling the products under the Pro-Montagna label. Also, the Locher brewery in Appenzell, which brews Gran Alpin beer from Grison organic brewing barley, became an important customer. Collaboration with large partners is helpful for breaking out of the niche. Nevertheless, Maria Egenolf is proud that one of the most important distribution channels remains the sale in Graubünden itself. Over 100 village and farm shops in Graubünden, as well as various bakeries, restaurants, and hotels throughout the canton, sell the flours, grains, or flakes from Gran Alpin or further process them. Farmers from various Grison valleys sit on the board of Gran Alpin, facilitating direct contact with the grassroots. But cooperation also works at a higher level, with cantonal authorities, agricultural education, and consultancy. “From the start, we had the support of Plantahof in Landquart, which was enormously important for the establishment of Gran Alpin,” summarises Maria Egenolf.
Intensive Livestock Farming as an Obstacle
Despite the professional distribution network and practical support, not every mountain farmer still wants to grow grains, even if the topographical conditions are suitable. “Even in mountainous areas, many farms have focused on intensification in livestock farming in recent years and, for example, built larger stables. High-performance breeds need enough fodder, and in organic farming, this must largely come from the farm itself, requiring all available land for livestock,” she explains. Gran Alpin published a comparative calculation last year showing that despite this, financially, it’s worth keeping one less cow and instead cultivating a hectare of mountain grain. However, it benefits not only the individual farm but also the value creation in the entire region. An exciting approach, which also has potential in other mountain cantons, especially given the discussion about climate targets. However, exchanges with other cantons are sporadic. For example, with the canton of Valais, where rye cultivation has also been increasing since 2004 due to AOC certification of Valais rye bread. Are there political hurdles hindering mountain crop farming? Since the last agricultural reform 14/17, they generally feel supported by national agricultural policy. This promotes mountain crop farming, among other things, with landscape quality contributions. However, farmers at Gran Alpin would like more support from research. “Mountain grain varieties are neglected in classical plant breeding. There is still great potential there,” says Maria Egenolf. Therefore, they still rely on the personal commitment of individual farmers who invest time in seed multiplication or the renowned grain researcher Peer Schilperoord. The latter has greatly influenced the establishment of the Gran Alpin cooperative and still participates in various projects for the development of new varieties. The example of Gran Alpin shows that in addition to livestock farming, there is still a lot of potential in mountainous areas. However, a prerequisite for such a project is that everyone pulls together: producers, processors, businesses, authorities, and also politics. Livestock farming will always have an important role in mountainous areas, that is undisputed from an ecological point of view. But even here, diversity points the way to the future.
Rheintaler Ribelmais (AOP)
The renaissance of “Turkish grain”
The “Turkish Grain,” as Ribelmais was also called in the Rhine Valley, is experiencing a true revival. It is believed that the people of the Rhine Valley imported the grain from Turkey in the 17th/18th century – hence the expression.
During this time, Ribelmais was the staple food in the Rhine Valley. The cultivation areas extended over several thousand hectares. The warm and humid climate favoured the cultivation of the robust crop, unlike other grains such as wheat.
Globalisation and the associated import of cheap food corn from distant lands almost brought the cultivation of this grain to a standstill in the Rhine Valley. Only four hectares were cultivated in the 1990s.
In 1998, the “Verein Rheintaler Ribelmais” (Rheintal Ribelmais Association) was founded as an inter-professional organisation. This commitment obliged all actors along the value chain to intensive cooperation – with the aim of producing a high-quality food product from cultivation to processing. The “Rheintaler Ribelmais AOP” was included in Switzerland’s national register of protected geographical indications as the second product in the year 2000.
Currently, about 40 producers cultivate around 90 hectares. With the renaissance of this crop, old customs like “Hülsche” are also revived. People gather in villages for the collective harvesting and processing of the cobs, called “Hülschen.” “Hülsche” is the Swiss German term for removing the husk.
Our guests really appreciate the coarse-grained cereal. For example, Ribelmais is a wonderful accompaniment to lamb.
BOUVET-JABLOIR WINERY
Vineyards with a view of Lake Neuchâtel
«Domaine Bouvet-Jabloir» in Auvernier is admittedly not very regional. But the Pinot provides an elegant connection between the Bündner Herrschaft (Maienfeld district) and Romandy with its abundant crop land. And whoever gets to experience the wines of brothers Alexandre and Dimitri Colomb, won’t care any more about where they came from. And whoever says that Swiss wine is pricey, should compare the Pinots and Chardonnays from Bouvet-Jabloir with the great burgundies – talk about a deal!
We were introduced to the wines from Auvernier through their Signature Chardonnay paired with sushi and raw cisco from Lake Neuchâtel – a truly delightful combination. At this point it became very quiet at our table in the small sushi bar located in the middle of the Old Town in Neuchâtel. There are simply no words for such a magnificent food and wine pairing. The visit to the tasting cellar in Auvernier with Dimitri Colomb, a graduate of the École hôtelière de Lausanne and a sommelier, further heightened the experience. The short visit turned into an extended tasting, which ended with the «chauffeur», who was unfit to drive, being replaced.
But what good is it to blather on about the wines from Dimitri and Alexandre? You must try them yourself! That’s why they are on our menu.
Our secret tip: The Chasselas «Legend» pairs perfectly with the Maran Alpine cheese fondue. The Chasselas shows just how elegant even the seemingly simplest wines can be. The interplay between the salty, floral aromas produced by the chalky soil in Jura is an exciting expression of the terroir, which only the best winemakers manage to capture in the glass.
Did you know?
A Bouvet-Jabloir is a plane specially designed for the artisanal production of oak barrels.
CAFFÈ DON GEORGE
«Don George» – coffee from Graubünden
It was quite an experience when we started looking for a new coffee roaster a few years ago. Our team signed up for about ten coffee tastings with just as many producers at a trade fair in the food services industry. Fortunately, we found what we were looking for. And at the end of the day, we all had sweaty, shaky hands from excessive caffeine consumption.
Georg Steiner, who learned the coffee business from scratch and is also based in the canton of Graubünden, had us sold from the first second. His «Don George» coffee is carefully roasted. However, processing beans from different exotic countries of origin can only succeed if the natural raw ingredients are of the highest quality. In this regard, caffè Don George has always been very selective and can make perfect use of international relations. Besides producing and selling high-quality coffee, caffè Don George even goes a step further by ensuring that our coffee machines are optimally configured directly on site. A local company that still puts its heart and soul into its work and is aware of how important the end consumers are.
HOPS MALT WATER YEAST
SCHÜTZENGARTEN BREWERY
Four ingredients – beer is just that simple.
About four years ago, we decided to switch from an international brewery to an independent family business in St. Gallen. And to this day we do not regret our decision to switch to Schützengarten brewery. Located in Eastern Switzerland, the brewery meets high standards of quality and often captures the zeitgeist with their conscious rejection of fast brewing methods, use of the latest technology and courage to pursue new beer trends. It’s not for nothing that they regularly win international competitions.
Schützengarten was awarded with a Slow Brewing Quality Seal in 2014 for their consistent efforts, and is the first and currently only brewery in Switzerland to receive such a distinction. The Slow Brewing Institute only awards the seal to companies that brew slowly and gently using the purest natural raw ingredients. In addition, awarded companies must operate in a fair and conscious manner across the entire value chain. Slowing Brewing is regarded as the strictest seal of quality in the fiercely competitive beer market.
For us, Schützengarten brewery is the typical Swiss expression of tradition paired with innovation. It also fits perfectly into our concept of «local heroes». For years it has brewed our «Hof Maran Huusbier», a delightfully smooth beer fresh from the cellar which is unfiltered and features a slightly sweet malt aroma. Our beer connoisseurs often mention notes of honey as well.
JUMI
Welcome to the Jumiverse!
In our family cheese dairy, we produce various cheeses from raw milk, and on the hilly pastures, we breed Omoso young cattle.
Every morning and evening, farmers from the surrounding farms bring the milk from their cows to the dairy. We process this milk fresh into raw milk cheeses. From hard to soft, from blue to red to white, and from mild to wild, there is something for everyone.
With a handful of farmers, we breed our young cattle. All our animals live outdoors, receive Swiss feed from our own farm, and are raised with their mothers. There is no place for antibiotics and hormones with us.
jumi.lu
BRÜGGLI-FORELLEN GMBH
The char – a diva
The Reichmuth family has been farming trout, salmon trout and char in Sattel in the canton of Schwyz for two generations since 1984. The high demand for local fish has allowed the Reichmuths to expand their business continuously.
If the char is moved from tank to tank too often during breeding, it goes on a hunger strike. This does not affect the quality of the meat, and char are naturally used to starvation, but growth stagnates during this period. That tends to be a disadvantage for a breeding farm. Unlike salmon and trout, the char must be nurtured and cared for meticulously.
For us, the char from the Reichmuths, farmed in fresh mountain spring water, raised with 95% vegetarian raw materials, are of very high quality. As the fish stocks in Swiss lakes continue to dwindle, there is also a strong case to be made for local farming.
BIO-GARDEN SCHANFIGG
A little sweet treat
Everyone knows the smell when the chestnut vendors set up their stalls in the streets in autumn and winter. Sweet chestnuts and «marroni» are simply part of the winter season. But what actually makes the difference? While the larger «marroni» usually have one fruit, the sweet chestnuts are somewhat smaller and usually have two to three fruits hidden under their husk covered with soft spines.
Our partners from the «Bio-Garten Schanfigg» harvest the sweet chestnuts by hand in the chestnut forests in Val Bregaglia. The sweetish, mealy fruits are then smoke-dried for four to five weeks in a complex procedure. The loss of liquid and the smoking process preserve the chestnuts, which can be stored in a dry place for two years without any problems.
In cooking, the sweet chestnuts can be used in many different ways, and the flour obtained from them is used in gnocchi, bread, pasta, etc., for example. Vegans should definitely check out the carbohydrate-rich sweet chestnut.
We mainly process the dried chestnuts in our kitchen to make a creamy soup with wonderful sweetness and pleasant smoky notes. A hearty and traditional dish.
HÖRLER WINERY
As unusual and intriguing as the winemaker himself
Anyone who talks to winemaker Silas Hörler quickly realises that he knows what he wants and is not shy about communicating it. Originally a trained chef, he has already experienced a great deal at the age of 32. He is usually busy working on several different projects at the same time.
He finished his winemaking apprenticeship at the top of his class, went on a journey to Australia, or more precisely to Tasmania, and shortly after his return to Switzerland was able to take over the position of cellar master at Davaz in the Bündner Herrschaft (Maienfeld district). A challenging task, as the winery produces a variety of wines – also for other well-known wine brands (such as von Salis). Along the way, Silas Hörler has built up a brand under his own name. He cultivates various plots of land, has his own farm producing meat (Wagyu and Angus cattle) and also runs the largest Graubünden vineyard, Schloss Salenegg.
Silas Hörler’s wines are as idiosyncratic as he is and have long since gained a large following. How about an example? He puts the Pinot noir grapes from the «Kalkofen vineyard», with slate-rich soils and low yields, into the fermentation vats as whole grapes with stem. After about two-thirds of the fermentation time, Martina, Silas’ wife, steps barefoot into the vats, stomping and thus gently crushing the grapes in the traditional way. He stirs the grape material regularly using the classic «bâtonnage» method. After gentle pressing, the juice is bottled in French barriques where it undergoes a second fermentation. This approach renders the wines very uncharacteristic of «Herrschäftler wines», wines from the Maienfeld district. Unlike the «Herrschäftler wines» with their rather red berry characteristics, the «Kalkofen wines» are characterised by black berry notes with aromas of cinnamon, pepper and cloves. As unusual and intriguing as the producer.
Silas und Martina Hörler, Fläsch
+41 (0)78 739 91 03
hoerlerweine.ch
«WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME IS THE WINE’S UNIQUE CHARACTER. THE WINE IS LIKE ME – WITH ROUGH EDGES. »
CYRILL PFLUGI – CHEF DE CUISINE AT THE GOLF- & SPORTHOTEL HOF MARAN
«All fields and meadows, all mountains and hills, this is your pharmacy.»
Paracelcus
If you are as knowledgeable as our chef Cyrill Pflugi, you will find exciting plants and mushrooms everywhere that you can use for cooking. He regularly forages in the surrounding forests and alpine meadows in summer and autumn. What he finds is preserved, dried, fermented or cooked directly. Unfortunately, this old craft of preservation is gradually going out of fashion. People often forget that not only can the storage period be extended, but the nutrients and colour are also retained if processed gently. Cep mushrooms, for example, are dried carefully and thus retain their white colour, in contrast to commercially available mushrooms, which turn completely brown. Anyone who spends time outdoors regularly and has a good eye for the often hidden delicacies will also know where to find what and where the best places are.
Things you can find in the mountains here: yarrow, alpine chives, mountain thyme, cep mushrooms, chanterelles, funnel chanterelles, wild strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, sea buckthorn, etc.
SWISSLACHS LOSTALLO
Atlantic salmon from the Grisons mountains
If you travel to Ticino through Mesocco, via the San Bernardino, you will definitely pass by the large, modern wooden building of «Swiss Lachs». In an indoor recirculation system, Swiss Alpine Fish AG farms salmon in fresh mountain water – free of chemicals, antibiotics and microplastics. The modern farming facility allows for resource-saving water consumption. Only 2% fresh water is fed into the circuit. A biogas system is operated with the filter residues obtained from production. The result is fresh, healthy salmon that does not harm the environment or ecosystems.
SOAPMAKER
A clean solution
In the beginning, there was the idea and the desire to make the world a little cleaner – and not just symbolically. A soap as natural as the beautiful surroundings of Arosa, free of any additives or other unnecessary ballast. The soapmaker Beat Urech – at home in Arosa, at home in the world – understands the miraculous process of soapmaking, because as a trained druggist he learned about glycerine, lyes and essential oils a long time ago. This has resulted in genuine Arosa natural soaps – for the body, hands, hair and soul.
As a sustainability-minded family man, yoga teacher and nature lover, Beat had long felt concerned about the shower gels, shampoos and liquid soaps available in supermarkets – products pumped full of chemical additives and fragrances. Was there a clean solution for cleaning? His research finally led him to the late Friedrich Weiss, an old-fashioned soapmaker living in Vienna at the time. His Stadtlauer Seifensiederei was an insider tip among soap connoisseurs throughout Europe. It wasn’t long before Beat, infected by soap fever, mixed his first bucket of original Arosa soap.
SHEEP FARM IN MALADERS
Winnetou and Sem watch over the herd
Sina Caflisch and Roman Nicolay run a large organic sheep farm with around 100 ewes in Maladers. Together, they have established a direct distribution network for lamb meat, and they personally supply the Chur and Schanfigg regions. But a sheep farm does not only produce lamb, it also has older sheep that have to be slaughtered. The meat of these animals is used to make salsiz sausages, cured meats, boiled and fried sausages, and minced meat. Sina processes the sheep’s wool into felt and uses it to make hand-crafted products.
When Sina and Roman aren’t in the pasture, their two llamas Winnetou and Sem keep an eye out for any large predators. The proximity of the village and a hiking trail leading through the pastures do not permit the use of guard dogs. The advantage of llamas is that they don’t have to be fed separately; just like the sheep, they consume grass, water and mineral salt.
OUR WINE PRODUCERS
A small region with big wines.
Viticulture in the rhine valley of graubünden was first documented in the will of tello, bishop of chur (765 ad). It is assumed that white wine (elbling, weisser veltliner, completer) was the main type initially grown. A turning point occurred around 1630, when in the course of the french military campaigns during the turmoil in graubünden, the pinot noir grape found its way to us and seemed quickly to become the primary variety.
Von Salis WINES
Pleasure
Andrea Davaz and two of her friends founded von Salis AG in 1994. The company has grown steadily in recent years and now obtains grapes from 60 winegrowers, with over 50 hectares of cultivated land. This makes von Salis the largest wine producer in Graubünden.
A good wine results from the interplay of climate, soil and the optimal selection of grape varieties – adapted to the natural conditions. But for von Salis, terroir is not the only thing that matters. The people who tend the vineyards are also important. They are the ones who can understand and appreciate the terroir, get the most out of the natural conditions, and thus create a product full of pleasure.
Our tip: The «Malanser Pinot Blanc» (which we serve by the glass) is distinguished by its fine mineral taste, freshness and citrus notes. It’s a wonderful wine that puts you in the mood for a second glass.
GRENDELMEIER
Vineyard in the Tschalär
The winegrower Philipp Grendelmeier is something of a jack-of-all-trades, but he has very clear ideas. He became known primarily for his exotic fruit juices and jams. He grows gooseberries, rhubarb, elderberries, quinces, plums, peaches and strawberries. The macroclimate in Zizers in the Chur Rhine Valley even provides ideal ripening conditions for kiwis and mandarins.
Grendelmeier consistently follows ecological principles in his vineyard. He uses only organic fertilisers, where necessary, and completely avoids the use of herbicides. His approach to packaging his products is also rather unusual. Wherever possible, he chooses to use recyclable packaging and containers. He doesn’t just pay lip service to the responsible treatment of nature; for him, it is self-evident.
Our tip: «Dus Alvs» is a white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris grapes. Year after year, Grendelmeier manages to bring out the aromatic notes typical of these varieties.
EICHHOLZ WINES
Organic? – Of course!
Like many Graubünden winegrowers, Irene Grünenfelder is committed to organic winegrowing and thus creates wines with a strong emphasis on terroir at her Eichholz estate in Jenins. Wine just the way we want it – not an international hodgepodge. As a winemaker, she doesn’t come from a long tradition, but has created her own winery on her parents-in-law’s land with tenacity and a passion for wine. She is now aided by her son and successor, Johannes, while her daughter assists in an advisory capacity.
Our tip: At a blind tasting in Maran, the Pinot Noir «Eichholz» stood up to other, better known Pinots without any problems. The barrel-aged «Eichholz» wine is a smooth and powerful Pinot Noir for special occasions.
HOF ROFEL
For the love of the region
Hanspeter and Rahel Margreth have deep roots in the Schanfigg. They run an organic dairy farm in Langwies together with their three children. Around two thirds of their mountain pastures are situated between 1,900 and 2,200 metres above sea level – precisely where the tastiest herbs grow.
The Margreths store around 850 kilogrammes of cheese annually in an old Walser house in the Fondei. In winter, Hanspeter collects the cheese from the mountain in a bicycle trailer on touring skis, taking up to twelve wheels at a time. This somehow calls to mind an adventure from the Swiss classic «A Bell for Ursli».
Every year in August, Rahel and Hanspeter go to the «Bördter» high plateau above Langwies to make hay. The small hay bales, produced with a great deal of effort, are lowered from the high-cultivation area via an 850-metre rope. Anyone who tries the resulting alpine herbal tea or mountain hay syrup knows why the two young farmers go to so much trouble.
By the way: You can find the organic salsiz sausage made by Rahel and Hanspeter Margreth on our menu card.
HEIDELBERG WINERY
Leaving space for nature, in the vineyard and the cellar
In 1951, Ernst Lampert, father of the current winegrower Hanspeter Lampert, took over a mixed agricultural business from his own father. Over a period of 30 years, the Lamperts completely converted to viticulture and continued to expand their acreage and vineyard. The stony and limy soils of the estate are ideal for growing Burgundy varieties. The stone walls surrounding the vineyards help even heat-loving varieties like Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen.
Our tip: Lampert’s Pinot Noir «Jubiläum» is grown in deep limestone soil in the oldest vineyards, which means that the yields are low. This makes the wine all the more appealing. It is characterised by eloquent complexity, with an intense taste and an unusually dark colour for a Pinot Noir.
LIVING WINES FROM LIVING VINEYARDS
Hanspeter Lampert
Interview
Leaving space for nature in the vineyard and the cellar. What does this mean to you?
For us, leaving space for nature in the vineyard means consistent, species-rich greening on a sustainable basis, the avoidance of herbicides and insecticides, the breakup of monoculture by means of hedges, wild shrubs and trees, and support for bird populations. In the cellar, it means that we don’t use fining measures. We give our wines the time they need to mature and we prefer to ferment with natural grape yeasts instead of pure yeast cultures, as far as possible. Less is more.
What do you think makes a good Pinot Noir? What is important for the cultivation and vinification of the Pinot Noir grape?
Good Pinot Noir vines are playful, elegant and highly complex plants with a delicate fruit. The grape is highly sensitive to errors in the vineyard and the cellar. Pinot Noir needs vineyards that are warm but not too warm, light and limy soils, and cool nights during ripening. This makes Graubünden an ideal region for Pinot Noir. For high-quality wines, the yield must be significantly reduced most years. The time of ripening is key for Pinot Noir: it shouldn’t happen too early and certainly not too late, otherwise the flavour loses its elegance and the delicate wines acquire too much alcoholic content.
You also grow international varieties such as Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Why is that?
Maienfeld has very stony soil. Each time the earth is worked, some of these chunks are brought to the surface. Over the centuries, these stones have been used to wall in the vineyards. It is too warm for Pinot Noir along the walls and slopes, which is why Syrah and Cabernet were planted there. These varieties thrive splendidly. We harvest Merlot from a very small plot that is too warm for Burgundy varieties.
If you were to rebuild your winery from scratch, is there anything you would do differently?
We would design a larger cellar right from the start. Our current cellar has been at full capacity for a long time, with barrels stored all over the place. As a matter of principle, all our red wines are kept in wood barrels for at least one year. This requires a huge amount of space.
HANS-ANDREA PATT
Organic eggs from Arosa for breakfast
The best days start with a great breakfast. And good eggs are simply a staple of a good breakfast. HansAndrea Patt from Castiel – one of the last villages of the municipality of Arosa – supplies us with wonderful organic eggs on a weekly basis. Some large, some small, some light, some dark and all delicious. Our laying hens thank us for their stress-free, freerange lifestyle free from chemical-synthetic additives with top-quality healthy eggs.
SENNEREI MARAN
Cheese from our neighbours
Sometimes you can smell a delicate waft of cheese here at Hof Maran if the wind’s blowing the right direction.
Our supply route couldn’t be shorter! We collect Alpine cheese, soft cheese, cream cheese, yoghurt and gloriously creamy Alpine butter ourselves using a trolley – all 100% CO 2 -neutral.
The Alpine dairy belongs to the civil community of Chur and buys milk, sometimes via a “pipeline”, from the four cattle Alps Maran, Prätsch, Sattel and Carmenna.
Hundreds of herb varieties, luscious meadow pastures, wonderful air and crystal-clear water make the milk, cheese and butter so deliciously tasty and healthy. Alpine cheese is only produced in summer – when the cows on the Alp are on holiday.
SONNENRÜTI FARM BUTCHER’S
For the love of animals
You can’t miss the Sprechers’ farm on arrival in Arosa by car. One flying visit is all it takes to see that this Alpine farming couple’s priority is their close connection to the animals. Natural livestock breeding and stress-free slaughter on-site are important to them. Thanks to local processing and direct distribution, the Sprechers can connect to their customers on a personal level and have peace of mind that they are delivering meat of outstanding quality. In the winter months, they use time-honoured traditional methods to produce raw sausages and dried meat specialities. Their ancestral vocations, her a chef and he a butcher, suit them very well in this respect.
Bio Natura Beef comes from 10-month-old calves that graze on the Alpine meadows in summer before being fed with only milk and hay in an open group pen in winter – no growth-enhancing additives. The calves stay with their mother until slaughter.
OUR WINE-PRODUCERS
PINOT NOIR
You don’t need to go to burgundy to find a great pinot noir. The winegrowers of graubünden have upgraded and made quality the number one priority at their small vineyards. Reduced yields, manual vine and soil maintenance, eco-friendly vineyard cultivation, modern vinification in cellars and growing typical regional grape varieties are a matter of course for many winegrowers in graubünden.
PELIZZATTI
Character wines
Annatina Pelizzatti has had a strong connection to winegrowing ever since she was a child and now runs a vineyard spanning four hectares. Her unconventional wines are very distinctive and anything but mainstream. Her red wines captivate with their elegance and spiciness. Her white wines are fresh with a pleasant but pronounced acidity. Our secret tip: Annatina Pelizzatti has been working on a small wooden cask blend of Pinot noir, Syrah and Merlot for a few years. The Sorso is a complex wine with a unique spiciness and notes of dark fruits.
LAUBER
Third generation
The vineyard and quality fruit business Gut Plandaditsch has been in the Lauber family since 1928. Grandfather Ernst Lauber, an industrious fruit grower and winemaker, was one of the first to specialise in the white wines Pinot gris and Freisamer. Nowadays, the Laubers grow a range of different grape varieties across four hectares and press six white wines and three red wines. Our secret tip: the Lauber Pinot gris is one of the best Pinot gris in the region – and has been for a long time. The Laubers always succeed in giving their wine an abundance of substance and body and a wonderful balance of sweetness and acidity. Our unconventionally elegant choice when it comes to Pinot gris.
STÄGER
In harmony with nature
Anyone who knows Markus Stäger can tell you he’s a man of few words. He prefers to let his wines speak for themselves and that they most certainly do. Markus Stäger and his family work their vineyards in harmony with nature. They produce wines typical of the location taking into consideration terroir conditions like soil, climate and weather. And all by hand – in the vineyard and in the cellar. Our secret tip: S88, produced by Markus Stäger, is an exciting sweet wine with fruity, floral notes and a wonderful acidity. Incidentally, S88 refers to the code of the grape variety Scheurebe, a hybrid produced in 1916 by the crossing of Riesling and Bukettraube (Bouquet Blanc).
MOUNTAIN POTATOES
History
Because they couldn’t make a living from growing standard commercial potato varieties in a mountainous area, in 2003, Marcel and Sabina Heinrich Tschalèr started to grow ProSpecieRara potatoes on a plot 1’000 metres above sea level. Then, in 2005, after their first significant crop yield, they launched a huge pota – to farming festival, the Patati-Hoffest. In the valley by chance, former top chef Freddy Christandl got wind of their idea. He went, ate – and drove back home with a few bags of these crazy potatoes. He was really excited, and the guests who came to the restaurant where he cooked with the mountain potatoes were delighted.
Soon the potato crop yields at the farm Las Sorts were greater than the demand from customers in the region. Marcel Heinrich started looking for ways to get this unique product onto the plates of interested chefs and potato-lovers throughout Switzerland.
When Freddy Christandl found out about Bergkartoffeln (mountain potatoes), he knew that this delicacy was too special to be sold as a mass market potato. He had just started his own business, combining his passion for cooking with an apprenticeship as an experience consultant. On a whim, he decided to take a portion of the Heinrichs’ harvest off their hands. Initially, the spuds were transported from the farm Las Sorts to Freddy‘s garage in Schindellegi by cattle truck and from there to the customer using his car.
The farmers and chef decided to continue working together after that. Together, they gradually got the project Bergkartoffeln aus dem Albulatal (“Mountain potatoes from the Albula valley”) on its feet. Thanks to his contacts from the restaurant scene, Freddy quickly found buyers throughout Switzerland – not least because he wanted to impress sophisticated high-end chefs with his culinary knowledge.
“Mountain potatoes from the Albula valley” is now an innovative project, worlds away from the mainstream and engineered processes. Marcel and Sabina Heinrich Tschalèr can now concentrate fully on the growing process while Freddy Christandl ensures that the spuds reach plates across Switzerland – using a fair and sustainable approach. After all – even in Switzerland – fair prices for farmers form an important basis for outstanding products and innovation.
To preserve the old varieties and knowledge of mountain arable farming for future generations, the duo have partnered up with Patrick Honauer and some top chefs and experts to found the Kartoffelakademie (potato academy) and have set up a support fund for it, which is now accepting voluntary donations.
Almost every variety has its own character, its own taste and often its own texture too.
Marcel and Sabina Heinrich Tschalèr, Freddy Christandl (from left to right)
Photo: Tina Sturzenegger
Portrait
Former chef Freddy Christandl has made a name for himself in Switzerland as an experience consultant using his specialist expertise and (life) experience. He discovered Marcel and Sabina Heinrich Tschalèr’s mountain potatoes in the Albula valley in 2005. These particularly aromatic varieties are never far from his mind – and he also now dedicates his time to the Kartoffelakademie. The academy was conceived as an opportunity for producers, chefs and consumers to share specialist expertise.
The academy has three primary focuses:
The preservation of varieties: “Connoisseurs, agron – omists and chefs don’t always have the same interests when it comes to this,” explains Christandl.
Manual skills are also key: growing ancient varieties organically in mountainous regions requires an un – believable amount of know-how.
Cooking techniques: the third aspect is teaching cooking techniques, because mountain potatoes have a different cell structure, and cooking properties and the saturation value are different as a result.