2_1_DiscoverGermany_May 2015_Issue26:Scan Magazine 1
27/4/15
15:03
Page 63
Discover Germany | Big Wine Special | Switzerland
Portrait: Sina and Matthias Gubler-Möhr
Möhr-Niggli winery Passion and dedication are the most important ingredients when it comes to making quality wine. Sina and Matthias Gubler-Möhr cannot imagine a life without producing wines, something you can certainly taste. TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: THOMAS KNELLWOLF PHOTOGRAPHY
The Swiss winery started out as a hobby for Sina Gubler-Möhr’s parents Fortunat and Magda Möhr-Niggli, who slowly turned their inherited agricultural farm into a wine estate. With the help of friends and family, their dream came true, as the winery became their main occupation in the 1990s. Sina and husband Matthias Gubler-Möhr joined the business after gathering experience abroad. With knowledge gained from several years of work in Italy, France, Chile and California, they were perfectly equipped to expand the parental winery further. Matthias Gubler-Möhr explains their philosophy:“Our home is Maienfeld, in the Bündner Herrschaft. It is important to us that you can taste where our wines are from. Our main challenge is to combine
traditional techniques with modern knowledge. That way we can make the most of the vine and the grape. The experience we have gained helps us to ensure we meet international standards.” The famous Pinot Noir, a fruity and complex red wine, is the most popular of the region, though not the easiest to produce. A welcome challenge for the winery, this is one they have mastered beautifully.Their flagship wine is the PILGRIM Pinot Noir, with a delicate spiciness merged with a blue almost black fruitiness. There is a hint of wooden, slightly roasted flavours such as mocha, coconut and even cedar. On the palate the wine is full-bodied with delicate yet persistent tannins and a round finish.“This wine reflects our expertise perfectly,” says Gubler-Möhr.
Award-winning chef Andreas Caminada, whose restaurant has three Michelin stars and 19 Gault Millau points, has recently discovered the PILGRIM, marking a major coup for the winery. During a promotional Swiss Air flight from Zurich to New York, passengers indulged in Caminada’s freshly prepared haute cuisine on a tray instead of in his castle restaurant. High up in the air, the PILGRIM accompanied the meal, which made the vintners rightfully proud. As there is always more to explore, the winemaking family is covering new grounds with the white wine variety Viognier, which traditionally grows further south. Gubler-Möhr smiles: “We see our estate as a small gem, where we can try everything the way we would like to.” A successful method that is reaping rewards for the company. www.moehr-niggli.ch
Issue 26 | May 2015 | 63