Portraits

We met Georg Fromm in his beautiful tasting room, which provides a view on the one side to the moutainous region of the Bündner Herrschaft and the other to the oak barrels lined up behind a glass wall. Wine has been flowing through the veins of the Fromm family since several generations; in 1912 Barthelemy Fromm was already awarded a gold medal for his red wine Schöpfi-Wingert at the Swiss Hospitality Industry Exhibition in Zurich.

For over 20 years, Clement Buffetrille has been the Maître d’hôtel in the restaurant of the “Trois Tours” (Three Towers), in Bourguillon, which is located a few kilometres from the centre of Fribourg. He also assumes the function of chief sommelier with the complicity of the chef Alain Bächler. His first love with Swiss wine happened in Vully, where he was charmed by the Traminer. Even today, Clement speaks passionately about the Vully, 150 hectares of vineyards straddled across the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg and cultivated by passionate winemakers.

Davide is a young Italian waiter, native of Puglia, he grew up in Milan with his family. His father, a Chef, will be his first link with the world of wine and gastronomy. Davide loves smells that rise from the kitchen, but he is less attracted to working there, so he turned to the indoor service and imagines himself a happy bartender. He followed the renowned Carlo Porta hotel school in Milan and it is by listening to his teacher Giuseppe Vaccarini (Best Sommelier of the World in 1978) that the young Davide decided without hesitation what he wanted to do later. After his training he lived two years in England, where he became multilingual and practiced his craft.

The Mid-Autumn Festival in China celebrates the harvest time. For chinese people, this event is almost as important as the Chinese New Year, it also is the second most important holiday of the year. On this occasion Philippe Huser, owner of Napa Wine Bar in Shanghai, shipped 6000 bottles of Swiss wine which will be proposed to his customers on the Bund. 

The small wine region of the Bündner Herrschaft (Graubünden) which also happens to be land of Heidi has continuously gained momentum in the past years. Wine lovers have not only discovered its wines, but also their prices which are on average higher than those produced in the Southwestern part of Switzerland. We asked ourselves if it was due to the relative proximity of the rich metropolis of Zurich, ultimately we found out that if you consider the quality, there are still pretty good bargains available in the Graubünden.

Daniel Marugg received us in his cellar, located in the small town of Fläsch in an area called "Bovel". The man exudes a calm and reassuring serenity. Deeply convinced by the regions high potential for great wines, he summarizes "If you have the will and the talent, anyone can produce great wines in the Graubünden"... 

Irene Grünenfelder grew up in the Albula region (Graubünden), she has been a teacher in Arosa and a journalist in Geneva before becoming a self-taught and passionate winemaker. It was during a trip to Burgundy and a visit to Lignier Hubert, owner of Clos de la Roche Morey St. Denis in Côte de Nuits, that she became passionate about the Pinot Noir.

Donatsch is a "success story" particularly the last two generations. In the early seventies, Johann, Martin's father, was at the Romanée Conti Domain in Burgundy as a trainee. When he returned to the Graubünden he had plenty of new ideas and a French oak barrel, which at the time was very uncommon in Switzerland. He also brought with him Chardonnay grapes, which he was the first to plant in the region. At the time the grape was unauthorized by the local authorities but today things have changed and it produces remarkable wines.

Thibaut Panas was born in 1984 in the historic province of Champagne. He was raised in a modest family that loved to eat and drink good products from the terroir. At 15 he became interested in the hospitality business and very naturally he took the path of training as a sommelier. When asked about Swiss wines, he tells us that the first Swiss wine he tasted was a Buxus, Sauvignon Blanc by Louis Bovard, this happened in London, a city he had chosen to learn the language while exercising his profession. 

Michele Caimotto is originally from Padua in the Veneto region. He spent his youth immersed in the world of gastronomy, taking part in the active life of the family restaurant. His father, renowned chef and bon vivant, always strives to enhance the quality of local products, authentic and tasty, such as homemade duck sausage that Michele likes to remember.