Gantenbein is based in Fläsch, in the Bündner Herrschaft of eastern Switzerland, and is run by Martha Gantenbein and Daniel Gantenbein. Established in the 1980s, the estate has become one of the defining references for fine wine in Switzerland, centred on pinot noir and chardonnay grown on the warm, stony slopes along the Rhine valley.
The vineyards are planted on limestone-rich soils with a high proportion of gravel, where föhn winds and strong diurnal shifts allow for slow, even ripening. Pinot noir is the core of the estate, alongside chardonnay, with a focus on low yields and careful vineyard work to achieve the desired level of balanced concentration.
Winemaking is precise and controlled. Fermentations are carried out with fastidious attention to extraction, and élevage takes place in French oak, with a significant proportion of new barrels. The wines are structured and long-lived, defined by clarity, depth, and a measured use of oak that supports rather than dominates the fruit.
Gantenbein wines are found in the cellars of serious wine collectors around the world, and only a very tiny quantity makes it to Australian shores each year.
