A matter of the heart

Rosé is more than just wine. Rosé is a way of life. It tastes of life in bloom, the airy feel of a colourful summer dress and the freshness of a sea breeze. The internationally renowned winery Wölffer Estates has succeeded in bottling all the joie de vivre of summertime, and it's a delight. "Summer in a Bottle" is a unique top wine of natural and contemporary elegance. Think of a relaxed picnic in the city park, a bike tour along the Rhine, a sunset on Monte Brè, a day off by the pool or a cheerful evening with friends on the terrace at home.

Summer also means freedom and spontaneity. The beautiful weather means that a chance meeting turns into an aperitif and the end of the day is time for a party. With a bottle of "Summer in a Bottle" in the fridge, you are always ready to savour life and the unexpected coincidences it brings. This unique rosé transforms the impromptu aperitif into a classy summer gem. And we mean that!

Pepe Mendoza sought the secret of perfect wines in foreign lands, but the old, gnarled vines of his native Alicante whispered the answer to him. The oenologist comes from a winemaking family that runs one of the largest and most successful wineries in the region. Driven by a thirst for knowledge, he travelled to Chile, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina at a young age. He wanted to learn about the latest techniques to make even better wines: "It was only years later that I realised that the solutions I was looking for could have been found right under my nose," he sums up today. He found that kind of progress in the old vineyards, traditional techniques as well as in the indigenous varieties: "Our indigenous varieties have a special secret that is rooted in their DNA: the adaptation to their place of origin that has developed over hundreds of years. This makes them more resistant to drought, less susceptible to disease - but more than anything, there's a certain landscape that comes across through the wine. Only old, local varieties take us to indigenous, aromatic plants such as orange, lemon, fennel or Mediterranean herbs." Pepe therefore likes to compare this unmistakable manifestation of origin with linguistic dialects.

Eight years ago, Pepe fulfilled a lifelong dream with his small domain, which has vineyards dating back to 1921 and 1970. He has carefully renovated the old building, which goes back to the era of Arab colonisation, and restored the old vineyards. He works with great respect for nature, with minimal intervention and low yields. It's a bit like the old days, but with modern quality standards. "In today's world, everyone wants to be an inventor... Nobody likes to see themselves as the mere recipient of an inheritance," says Pepe. Isn't it encouraging that farming methods that strive for the greatest possible harmony with the environment lead to the best flavour experiences? It feels like a declaration of love to nature, which is fully reciprocated. It's a real matter of the heart.

"This soil is old, very old. They have a special energy," Pepe Mendoza explains to us as we set off to visit his vineyards. We wonder for a moment whether the winemaker is a guru. But before we can ask, the perky dachshund Lola attracts our attention. The 11-year-old dog is always at Pepes' side when he walks through the vineyards. "Lola is always the first to discover ripe grapes!" says the winemaker with a laugh. We immediately notice the imposing dry stone walls. They are a valuable habitat for animals and plants. But that's not all! It rarely rains in the region, but when it does, it pours down in torrents. At times like these, the walls act as filters: the water flows away more slowly, retaining the valuable sediment. "The vineyard and the entire ecosystem are perfectly adapted to this particular climate," explains Pepe Mendoza. Artificial irrigation is unnecessary and goes against his principles: "Why should this vineyard need more water than it gets? If you go for more yield per plant or more plants per hectare – both are detrimental to quality."

Pepe's plants grow stress-free, remain healthy and strong – so he doesn't need any pesticide sprays. "When the soils are vital and pure, the wines simply have a different energy. This is when they show the characteristics of their soil or landscape." But now there's something we want to know. Not about the word "energy", but why his wine is called Veneno, or poison, of all things? "I named the wine after the former owner of the vineyard. His nickname was Uncle Veneno. He was notorious for being gloomy and grumpy, but he left us an exceptional vineyard." One thing we can say with certainty: there's no sign of Uncle Veneno's vibes in the wine, but there's plenty of Mediterranean energy!

These wines have been a hit like a track by Nirvana. But you won't find any airs and graces with Hannes Reeh. The Austrian may lead a carefree lifestyle, but he is far too determined and down-to-earth to want to lead the dissolute life of a rock star. In 2007, he took over the winery from his parents and set about modernising the business with the impartiality of youth. The young man didn't like all the "bells and whistles" surrounding wine. He wanted to make authentic, honest wines and dispense with any cosmetics and artificial enhancements. His wines were meant to express pure emotion, just like the music of Nirvana on the album "Unplugged in New York". It didn't take long to find a name that summarises Hannes Reeh's work: he selects the best grapes from the vintage and transforms them into "unplugged" wines - without pure yeasts, fining agents or filtration.

Today, these wines are Hannes Reeh's trademark. We have been following the talented winemaker for years and already profiled him in this magazine in 2016. His Zweigelt Unplugged remains in the top 3 of our best-selling wines year after year. Now Hannes Reeh is thanking his Swiss fans with an exclusive Rosé Unplugged. Let's hear a round of applause!

Australian wine is becoming increasingly popular. No wonder, because the hallmark of this modern wine country is impeccable quality. This is exactly what the Kilikanoon winery from the Clare Valley stands for. Over the past ten years, it has been recognised as Australia's best winery six times by three different independent institutions. Kilikanoon has also won several "Best in the World" and "Best of Australia" awards for Shiraz, Cabernet, GSM and Riesling. In total, the winery has already won over 400 medals! We therefore thought it was time to bring these high-quality Australian wines to Switzerland. "Of course we are proud of our achievements, but the victory goes to the Clare Valley," says Kevin Mitchell, founder and Chief Winemaker of Kilikanoon. The lovely valley north of Adelaide is one of Australia's oldest wine regions. The hot climate is tempered by cool breezes in the afternoon and cold nights: "This makes for vigour and elegance in the ripe grapes by preserving the acidity," explains Mitchell. A special feature of the appellation is its variety of altitudes and soils. "We capitalise on this diversity by taking grapes from all corners of the region and blending them together," says the winemaker. The "Killerman's Run" wines also speak to the potential of this rich landscape: Mr. Mr. Killerman was the name the valley dwellers gave to a man who lived self-sufficiently in a tin hut in the hills and lived off what he grew and hunted in the valley. Like Mr. Killerman, Kevin Mitchell now roams the fertile Clare Valley in search of the best grapes and the wine world's finest triumphs.

As we all know, a joy shared is a joy doubled. The food trend of the season, the tavolata, proves just how true this saying is! This Mediterranean style of eating together involves sharing different dishes and savouring them to the full! It's all about simple and relaxing hospitality with many positive side effects: in no time at all, everybody starts feeling mellow, the clocks seem to tick more slowly and there is a wonderful feeling of connection. So how about a tavolata instead of the usual barbecue? For a Mediterranean dinner party, choose hot and cold dishes that are easy to prepare in advance. Italian classics such as focaccia, tomato and mozzarella salad, ravioli, frittata, polpette or lasagne are particularly good. The best and most exciting thing is when the guests also bring something home-cooked!

But how do you choose a suitable wine for such a variety of flavours – both in terms of the food and the guests? Accessible all-rounders are needed here! Our southern Italian twins Riccorosso and Riccobianco are perfect for this. Both are full-bodied enough to keep up with substantial, flavoursome dishes, but not so intense that they mask the taste of anything. In this respect, the wines resemble the ideal tavolata guest: they participate cheerfully and actively in the conversation, but don't take over. With this in mind: Tutti a tavola!