Chardonnay 2017 - Weingut Daniel & Marta Gantenbein (mag., 1.5 L)

Chardonnay 2017 — Weingut Daniel & Martha Gantenbein

This Chardonnay 2017 from Weingut Daniel & Martha Gantenbein, offered here in magnum 1.5 L, belongs among the rarest and most sought-after expressions of Swiss Chardonnay. From the slopes of Fläsch in Graubünden, it combines Alpine precision with a highly Burgundian reading of the grape variety: ripe lemon, yellow apple, pear, white flowers, fresh hazelnut, fine butter, wet stone, delicate smoke and a long saline finish.

Daniel and Martha Gantenbein have been producing wine in Fläsch since 1982, with an approach based on the quality of plant material, precision of work and vinification that respects the fruit. The estate planted Burgundian clones in its vineyards and works by gravity, without pumping or filtration, in order to preserve the integrity of the fruit and the wine. The Chardonnay 2017 shows a remarkable balance between richness, energy, tension and depth.

Terroir: Fläsch, the Graubünden Rhine Valley and Alpine precision

The Gantenbein estate is located in Fläsch, in the Bündner Herrschaft, at the heart of the Graubünden Rhine Valley. This Alpine region benefits from a distinctive climate, with bright days, cool nights and the influence of the foehn, which encourages ripeness while preserving acidity. These conditions give Chardonnay an expression that is ripe, taut and crystalline at the same time.

The Gantenbeins planted Burgundian Chardonnay clones and work with great attention at every decisive stage. Grapes and juice move by gravity, without pumping, to limit mechanical extraction and preserve aromatic purity. In the 2017, this terroir translates into ripe lemon, apple, pear, white flowers, hazelnut, wet stone, fine smoke, salinity and great mineral tension.

Tasting notes

Appearance: pale gold with golden and slightly green reflections, bright, clear and still full of brilliance. In magnum, evolution should remain slow, with a colour that preserves freshness, luminosity and depth for a long time.

Nose: precise, deep and refined, with ripe lemon, citrus zest, yellow apple, fresh pear, white flowers, fresh hazelnut, fine butter, wet stone and delicate smoke. With aeration, nuances of white peach, almond, light brioche, flint, chalk, fine honey and sweet spices may appear.

Palate: broad, pure and very balanced, with a silky texture and clear acidity that structures the whole. Ripe fruit mingles with citrus, apple, pear, hazelnut and stony notes, supported by persistent salinity. The finish is long, fresh, lightly smoky and mineral, with an impression of precision and great class.

Expression of the 2017 vintage

The 2017 vintage gives Gantenbein’s Chardonnay an expression that is ripe, precise and taut at the same time. The wine shows fine concentration without heaviness, with balance between yellow fruit, citrus, floral notes, refined ageing and saline tension. The estate’s signature appears in the purity of the palate, aromatic precision and ability to unite richness and freshness.

Today, this Chardonnay 2017 in magnum is entering a very interesting phase: the fruit retains brightness, while early nuances of hazelnut, brioche, warm stone, noble smoke and fine honey may develop. The large format gives it further evolutionary reserve, with potential for additional complexity over several years.