SLOW WINE – THE NETWORK OF THE GUARDIANS OF TRADITION AND TASTE
Slow Wine is both a movement and a network for winegrowers who are committed to safeguarding biodiversity, authenticity and tradition. It currently boasts 62 members in Switzerland.
The Slow Wine Association was formed in 2018 as a strand of Bio-Agri. The majority of members present at the time decided that only certified artisanal organic producers or producers in the process of converting to organic, as well as Bio Suisse or Demeter labelled producers may participate in the Slow Wine Switzerland movement. However, artisanal producers who do not meet these criteria may now be accepted if approved by the board of the respective regional group, provided they respect the Slow Wine philosophy and apply it to their production methods.
This meeting led to the drawing up of a charter which states that:
Slow Wine does not position itself as a label but as a community that lives the values of Slow Food i.e. good, clean and fair. It is a community united by common objectives: more environmentally friendly and sustainable cultivation and safeguarding authenticity and tradition.
Artisanal producers are therefore committed to proactively implementing and promoting these values. They share information about their own terroir, participate in our national Slow Food markets and international events, market their wine at fair prices, and encourage colleagues to follow their example. Visit our website to discover a whole host of beautiful stories, including the one by winemaker Nora Breitenschmid of the Sitenrain Organic Winery:
"We produce organic wines as a matter of principle. We love and live sustainably and only cultivate robust grape varieties. Our choice of varieties enables us to meet the specifications for organic winemaking despite the suboptimal climatic conditions. The high-quality Sitenrain wines are a product of the winery’s privileged location on the shore of Lake Lucerne, the meticulous work carried out both in the vineyard and the cellar, and the courage to make compelling modern wines using new varieties".
Nora Breitschmid of the Sitenrain Organic Winery
Marco Casanova of CasaNova Wein Pur
Our winemakers, including Marco Casanova of CasaNova Wein Pur from Walenstadt (SG), are all too aware of the significance of healthy soil: “Soil is the tool for everything…” Enrico Antonioli from Mont-sur-Rolle underscores this fact with a more vivid affirmation: “It’s thanks to green manuring that the soil smells of undergrowth and the vines thrive – beautiful! The plant has everything it needs for balanced and healthy growth right there in the soil."
Meanwhile, Slow Food International has also written a manifesto and launched the «Slow Wine Coalition» with the aim of creating a global network. This network aims to unite the wine industry’s main players, including winemakers, wine traders, sellers, restaurateurs, journalists and bloggers.
The manifesto not only sets out a series of principles for viticulture, agronomy and enology, but also considers the safeguarding of biodiversity, the value of the cultural landscape and the relationship with those who work in the vineyard and the winery. All of these issues carry great urgency today, and all are closely related to the immense challenges expedited by the climate crisis, which has a significant impact on the world of wine.
Slow Food has long been at the forefront of addressing these issues. Together we want to spread awareness of good, clean and fair wine. The aim is to bring about a change in the wine sector driven by the values of environmental sustainability, the protection of landscapes and rural social and cultural growth. The role of wine can no longer be exclusively hedonistic, that is, tied purely to the pleasure of taste.
The first major meeting of the Slow Wine Coalition will be held in Bologna (Italy) from February 26 to March 1, 2022. Sana Slow Wine will present the Slow Wine Fair, an international gathering of winemakers, industry professionals and enthusiasts offering debates, taste experiences and walkaround tastings. Following the three pillars of the Slow Wine Coalition – environmental sustainability, protection of the landscape and socio-cultural growth of the countryside – delegates from various countries will share their views and experiences and pave the way to a slower future for the wine sector.
The Slow Wine Coalition is an international community centered around a desire to address the tremendous challenges facing our world and the future of our planet: the climate crisis, economic turmoil and social justice. We are proud as the Slow Wine Network of Switzerland to be part of this exciting international project.
A huge thank you to Tabea and Slow Food Association Switzerland!
