meet our winemakers...
the kellenbergers
of vin d’oeuvre
Isabella and Stéphane Kellenberger met as students, with different dreams and wide interests that converged at the point where wine is made. They both grew up in Bern, he in the city, she in the countryside. As a high school student he went off to Missouri to learn English and discover one face of America; he also spent a good deal of time perfecting his game as a highly ranked competitive chess player. She worked in marketing in other fields. The two of them liked to travel and spent time abroad, picking up Italian, which part of his family speaks fluently, and Spanish, which she learned while training in Chile and traveling in Argentina and Peru.
The Terroir of vin d’oeuvre's Vineyards
When Isabella and Stéphane left school and before they even had a vineyard or a cellar, the Kellenbergers, by now a couple, bought vines in canton Valais on the high and steep slopes of Fully, near Martigny and then Raron, a village in Upper Valais, some 40 miles apart. The cellar came in 2013, an opportunity in the form of an old house with winemaking facilities in the hilly, history-laden town of Leuk-Stadt. They added vine parcels in Visperterminen and Leuk, both in Upper Valais. This is a dry area drenched in sunlight, with old vines, among the highest in the region. Ten years later they have some 20 grape varieties growing at both ends of the valley.
Fully, downriver, is at the point where the Rhone is wider and deeper. Soil varies, from Fully’s granite to Leuk’s dolomite rock, calcareous, to Raron’s sedimentary deposits, sandy and moderately calcareous. Here the high percentage of gravel and porous structure allow the vines to develop good roots. Due to the small clay content, the total potential storage of the soil is relatively limited and the soil dries out quickly. Terraced slopes and the space between rows are planted with vegetation to preserve the diversity of flora and fauna and to improve the structure of the soil and protect it from erosion. In all areas a high priority is soil conservation: ensuring biodiversity of grasses, herbs and insects in the vineyards.
Impacting Biodiversity
The Kellenbergers actively participate in cantonal projects such as Vitisol’s efforts to find alternatives to the use of herbicides. The vineyards in Raron, with a diverse flora, are part of the recognized biodiversity promotion areas in Canton Valais.
To obtain a perfect harvest quality, they consciously use—but limit to an absolute minimum — plant protection products. The products used are precisely targeted and are neutral towards the beneficial insects in the vines.
The philosophy of sustainable production carries over into the cellar, as well for the whole company, “we regularly consider current ecological requirements and are gradually improving the infrastructure.”
All the wines carry the Vinatura label, which recognizes the above points as a holistic concept and focuses on sustainable production in viticulture and in the cellar. For purely aesthetic reasons, the logo does not appear on the bottles.
And between working the vines and tending the cellar, there are trips to soccer matches and circus school lessons and homework supervision – all the usual parental duties that come with having two children.
Our Hand-Selected white Wines
from
vin d’oeuvre's Vineyard
Chasselas: a sigh in the sky
Wine Profile
Beautiful pale gold. Delicate and light, subtle, dry: “If heaven drank wine, it would sigh with pleasure at each sip.” Nose – floral, white flowers, earthy. Mouth – lemon zest, pear, long finish for a Chasselas, very slight and pleasant tingle to the finish.
Cultivation and vinification
Vinatura Certified. Cold fermentation, which imparts intense floral notes to the white wine instead of the minerality which normally dominates Chasselas in tasting. Grown in Leuk-Stadt.
Food pairings
Poultry, fish, cheese dishes.
Heida: reach the highest
Wine Profile
The Kellenbergers planted their Heida vines in 2010 in the highest vineyard in Europe, at an altitude of just over 1000 meters. Heida, Païen or Savagnin blanc as it is called in other wine regions, is carried by its strong acidity. The aroma is rather neutral, although sometimes credited with exotic fruit notes, but it belongs to the family of non-aromatic Traminer. The alcohol level tends to be high for a white wine.
Cultivation and vinification
The vineyards of Visperterminen are among the driest in Switzerland in terms of climate. This is in the inner alpine climate area with a moderately continental character; the influence of the Foehn drying wind is great, but the annual precipitation is small (< 24 inches). Winter temperatures are not extremely low (no inversion). The Kellenberger’s vineyard is located on a slope facing southeast and the Heida grown on this parcel benefits from optimal sun exposure. The weak, black-gray, slaty soil (called Bündner Schiefer in German) can release stored heat during the night, so that the grapes can ripen well even at over 1000m (3,288 feet above sea level). The high gravel content and the weak clay and sand content in the soil cause the rainwater to drain away quickly. Irrigation of the vineyard during the summer months is therefore essential.
Food pairing
Poultry, cheeses hard and soft.
Pinot Gris: le gris en rose
Wine Profile
“…and then, there is an air of la vie en rose…” The name is a reference to the lovely pale salmon hue of the wine and the color of these grapes, more commonly called Malvoisie in Switzerland. Nose – pure, discreet and classy, notes of white fruits and flint. Mouth – more intense fruit than in the nose.
Cultivation and vinification
Grapes grown in Leuk-stadt, not far from the winery. The wine’s delicate salmon pink hue comes from the maceration period, that is, the time when the juice comes into contact with the skins of the berries, thus acquiring its color. This pressing process is used before the grapes are crushed and lasts 4-6 hours. The result is stronger colors, where the juice picks up the coppery tones of the grapes, and more intense aromas.
Food pairing
Classics are chicken and fish, notably salmon, pork, quiche, veal. Also good with oysters and mussels. But consider Indian and Asian foods – sushi – and many vegetarian dishes.
Chardonnay: serendipity
Wine profile
Sunny yellow in color, a dry yet luscious classic. Nose – mango, pineapple, papaya notes. Mouth – supple and elegant with the same exotic fruits and now a hint of citrus.
Cultivation and vinification
The fact they have a Chardonnay in the range is a happy coincidence – a twist of fate, because they were just in the right place at the right time. Not left to fate: the aging. Aged for 18 months in French oak, the wine develops aromas of yellow, tropical fruits and sometimes saffron – and yet it remains unmistakably a typical Chardonnay. Even when still young a sip is serendipitous.
Food pairing
Roast chicken and other grilled or roasted poultry, spicy cheeses, Asian dishes with medium spiciness.
Humagne Blanc: born to be wise
Wine Profile
Light yellow robe. Nose: citrus. Mouth: lovely freshness, citrus with notes of pear, Granny Smith apples and white tea. Very light touch of fizziness.
Cultivation and vinification
Grown in Leuk-Stadt, produces very large grapes, rather delicate in the vineyard, as this grape is susceptible to disease.
Food pairing
Excellent with seafood, fish and summer dishes.
Johannisberg: anywhere anytime
Wine Profile
This is a very aromatic grape which gives a more discreet wine, but the floral notes with fruit orchards and a hint of almonds give the wine a voluptuousness. The grape’s name has long been a cause for some confusion: from the mid-19th century to 1928 it was a synonym in Switzerland for Riesling, but from 1928 to now, particularly in canton Valais where most of it is grown, the name is a synonym for Silvaner (Sylvaner). A fun fact: Castle Johannisberg still exists in Germany, but it is surrounded by Riesling.
Cultivation and vinification
Made as a dry wine to bring out its charm and versatility.
Food pairing
It is excellent as an aperitif, but it works well throughout a meal, including dessert, with a wide number of dishes. It is a Swiss springtime favorite with asparagus and in particular asparagus risotto. Can be drunk anywhere and at any time.
Viognier: trip the light fantastic
Wine Profile
Pale yellow robe with green highlights. Nose: intense ripe apricots and Mirabel plums, sometimes tangerine, with hints of vanilla and grilling. Mouth: full, a powerful white wine that melts in the mouth, with threads of whisky in the finish. Elegant, not heavy, as Viogniers can be.
Cultivation and vinification
Light extraction due to maceration before pressing, aged a year in barrels. The vineyards of Raron are very wild with many animals – deer and ibex live in the area and sometimes pick the grapes. Trip the light fantastic is in homage to Milton’s poem L’Allegro, where the nymphs are dancing.
Food pairing
Poultry dishes with spicy sauces, terrines, fresh mushrooms in season.
Our Hand-Selected red Wines
from
vin d’oeuvre's Vineyard
Pinot Noir: chant du Rhône
Wine Profile
“The Rhone river murmurs softly as it meanders through the riverbed – it rushes, splashes and gurgles and tells us stories of green meadows, mountains and cows, of wild and mild weather, of children’s laughter and of the grape year. It must have enchanted our Pinot Noir with its singsong. Just as it has enchanted us.” – Vin d’Oeuvre. Light red garnet robe, nose of red berries with a thread of leather. Mouth: supple, dense, melting, with a long fruity finish.
Cultivation and vinification
Vinatura Certified. Grapes are grown in Leuk, on the mountainside above the winery.
Food pairing
Perfect with uncomplicated dishes – starters, vegetables, pizza. A wine designed to enhance the simple pleasures of life.
Gamaret: flames of desire
Wine Profile
Deep red garnet color. Nose: notes of whisky, tobacco and grilling. Mouth: supple, melting ,aromas of black olives, violets, young tannins and elegant spice notes. Can age somewhat.
Cultivation and vinification
Vinatura Certified.
Food pairing
Perfect with red meat, potato gratin and rich, festive dishes.
Humagne Rouge: born to be wild
Wine Profile
Strong and delightful character. A fine medium-bodied delicately oaked example of this grape, sometimes referred to as a bit “animal”, considered the perfect companion to game dishes. Nose – fresh black berries, prunes, damp underbrush, chocolate. Mouth – earthy, a bit peppery, bark, a hint of smoke, powerful, good tannins, juicy, long and typical slightly bitter finish.
Cultivation and vinification
A grape that is a bit wild in every sense, including labor-intensive in the vineyard. Time in oak adds complexity and gives it an elegant finish.
Food pairing
Especially game and beef, but also raclette, duck, lamb.
Syrah: love never dies
Wine Profile
A wine with character! “You know this annoying so-and-so who is always a bit better than you – more successful, a nicer house, a better job, a faster car? Vin d’oeuvre’s Syrah is also such an achiever. Something you can brag about. Or in the worst case: wash it down (with lots of pleasure).” -Vin’doeurve
Nose: Black olives and moist earth. Mouth: supple attack with tannins that are intense and very ripe when young, fruity with pepper, tobacco and some vanilla.
Cultivation and vinification
Vinatura Certified. The vines are grown in Raron.
Food pairing
Juicy meats like entrecotes and lamb cutlets, vegetable ragout.
Assemblage Rouge: red temptation
Wine Profile
A Gamaret, Syrah, Pinot Noir blend. Ruby red with purple highlights. Nose and mouth: fruity black berries. Mouth: peppers and intense red berries. Round, with a creamy finish.
Cultivation and vinification
Vinatura Certified.
Food pairings
This is an easy, versatile wine that goes with many, many dishes. The blend is made differently every year, from these three grapes. The goal is to achieve an easy drinking dark red wine.
Gamay: to die for
Wine Profile
“Fresh, elegant, and youthful. Pure fun!” the winery says. A classy crowd-pleaser that was Vin d’oeuvre’s first-ever submission to the Swiss national wine competition, the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse, in 2013 – and it won best wine of the competition. Nose – red berries, notably strawberries, with a hint of spices. Mouth – Fresh fruit, good structure, balanced, juicy tannins.
Cultivation and vinification
Vinatura. The cellar’s only wine from grapes in Fully, at the place where the Rhone bends sharply. The Gamay parcel is located in the nature reserve of Les Follatères, which is home to unique, sometimes rare flora and fauna. A Mediterranean climate and the dry, continental climate of central Valais influence winemaking here. Low rainfall (600mm per year), strong northwesterly winds and the sometimes strong Foehn wind characterize this area’s viticulture.
The geology in the Follatères area is complex: a mixture of dolomite, gneiss and granite form the parent rock. The lime-free soil is shallow (less than 1m deep), slightly gravelly, with a medium sand content. The clay content is moderate but it enables water to be stored in dry periods, then released to the plant as needed.
Food pairings
Grilled foods, vegetarian dishes, poultry, fish, mild and soft cheeses.
Pinot Noir: noblesse oblige
Wine Profile
Deep ruby red color, nose of fresh woodland red berries, slightly spicy. Its time in oak gives it aromas of roasting – vanilla, caramel, coffee. The attack in mouth is smooth and dense, with tannins that can be young, a wine that will gain in complexity with time.
Cultivation and vinification
Vinatura Certified. Grapes are grown in Leuk, on the mountainside above the winery.
Food pairing
Braised veal, ragout, rabbit, or “simply ending the evening sitting around the fireplace.”
Cultivation Method
At Vin d’oeuvre, all cultivation is done by hand. Yields are kept small to be able to harvest high-quality grapes. “In order to obtain a perfect harvest quality, we consciously use, but limit to an absolute minimum, plant protection products. The products used are precisely targeted and are neutral towards the beneficial insects in the vines.” - Stéphane Kellenberger
