The PIWI-CH association
Executive Board
- Roland Lenz, President info@weingut-lenz.ch
- Bea Steinemann, Vice President, Board Member PIWI International bea.steinemann@fibl.org
- Bruno and Philippe Bosshart, PIWI Weinzeit info@bosshartweine.ch
- Ruedi Meyer, communication, website, media ruedi.meyer@bluewin.ch
- Nora Breitschmid, Events nora.breitschmid@sitenrain.ch
- Daniel Rediger, actuary and minutes daniel.rediger@gmx.ch
- Remo Räz, finance and secretariat info@piwi-ch.ch
Become a Member
In our brochure you will find information about our association. To register, please fill out and sign the membership application/bultin d'adhésion info@piwi-ch.ch to send.
agenda
- Sun/Mon, April 29 / May 01, 2023 Day of the open wine cellars D-CH
- Fri, June 02, 2023 General Assembly PIWI-CH (see information above)
- Thu-Sat, June 22 – 24, 2023 PIWI-International member meeting and assembly in Krems
- Sun/Mon, 20./21. Aug 2023 Wine trip PIWI-CH (Lake Neuchâtel, Western Switzerland)
- Tue, December 05, 2023 Practitioner Day PIWI-CH
- January 2024 Culinary theme (Wine & Dine)
- Tue-Thu January 23 – 25, 2024 Agrovina, Martigny
News 2022
research
consultation
Grape varieties
market
members and winemakers
sources and links
Practitioner days at the organic winery Roland and Karin Lenz in Uesslingen
On December 7th and 8th, 2021, the practical days took place at Roland and Karin Lenz's winery in Uesslingen TG. For the first time, PIWI CH was responsible for the implementation and Bio-Suisse generously sponsored the implementation.
The interest was huge, as there were a total of 95 registrations. The number of places was limited to 38 participants per day. So there was a big waiting list ... The program was the same on both days and had to be adjusted at short notice due to the corona. Not all speakers were able to travel to / from the event. The focus was on experience reports from the climatically difficult wine year 2021, information on the procedure for new varieties and, particularly exciting, the tasting of 33 different wines. The lively exchange on the PIWI varieties will continue after the successful event.
Here you can find the information from the practitioner days:
Info practitioner day 07/08. December 2021
And here is a report on the practitioner days in the “Red” – www.obstundweinbau.ch
Practical days at the Lenz winery
PIWI varieties at a glance - results in the rainy year 2021
PIWI vines have been around for over a hundred years. Only a few were able to establish and hold onto. While the time of the regent seems to have expired, Léon Millot or Maréchal Foch are still being grown. But in times of ecological agriculture and climate change, more and more winegrowers are interested in new varieties that spring up like mushrooms. Piwi pioneer Edy Geiger provides an overview.
Source: DIE ROTE - Swiss journal for fruit and wine growing 13/2021
How robust are PIWI vines?
The proportion of fungus-resistant grape varieties in Switzerland is 3%. Interest in them is growing steadily, and not just because of this year's capricious weather. The question arises: which varieties are best and how well are they protected against powdery mildew and downy mildew? PIWI pioneer Edy Geiger from Thal (SG) reveals his assessments below. They are supplemented by the perspective of Roman Baumann, who, together with his family in Turtmann (CVS), is growing a wide range of PIWI.
Source: DIE ROTE - Swiss journal for fruit and wine growing 13/2021
2nd General Assembly in Hohenrain LU
The PIWI CH association met for its second general assembly at the BBZN Hohenrain. The trend is clear: tasks, members and areas are growing.
It was no coincidence that Central Switzerland was chosen as the venue for the general meeting. With a share of 35 percent, most of the Piwis are there, well above the Swiss average. Solaris, Johanniter, Divico, Cabernet Jura and Souvignier gris are in the top ten grape varieties. Before the AGM, the vineyards could be viewed by Josef Estermann from the BBZN (Vocational Training Center for Nature and Nutrition), winemaker Rafael Schacher and Thomas and Doris Roth, all in Hohenrain. The year 2021 was ideally suited to addressing downy mildew. The Piwi varieties looked very pleasing in this regard.
Corona-related restrictions
The association's activities were restricted due to the corona. Nevertheless, there was a tasting with world champion Marc Almert and the "Weinzeit" bulletin was published twice. The association was supported by the contributions of the members and by donations. President Roland Lenz was able to mention Bio Swiss and Delinat as important financiers. The membership grew to 100, 65 of whom are active. Nora Breitschmid from the organic winery Sitenrain in Meggen and Ruedi Meyer from the Meyer winery in St. Erhard were newly elected to the board. Both grow exclusively Piwi varieties. Meanwhile, Fredi Strasser was adopted. He is considered a pioneer and last year immortalized his visions in the book “Mushroom-Resistant Grape Varieties”. He will continue his work in the biodynamic winery "Stammberg".
future
The association hopes to be able to continue its growing tasks again. A tasting of Piwi wines in Wädenswil, a Wine & Dine in Hiltl Zurich, the Bio Swiss practitioner days and an appearance at the Agrovina with the Auer nursery are planned. The publication of the “PIWI Wein Zeit” association bulletin is also planned. Interested new members are always welcome, contact persons are President Roland Lenz in Uesslingen (info@weingut-lenz.ch) or actuary Daniel Schwarz (info@piwi-ch.ch). (© Beat Felder)
Large PIWI dossier - varieties, wines and options in DIE ROTE - fruit and viticulture CH
Ganz in der Tugend der Zeitschrift DIE ROTE – Schweizer Zeitschrift für Obst- und Weinbau, die seit 157 Jahren im Zeichen des Wissenstransfers steht, widmet sich DIE ROTE in der Ausgabe 08/2021 intensiv den PIWI-Sorten, zeigt ihre Möglichkeiten auf, aber verschweigt auch die Probleme nicht. Der PIWI-Anteil liegt im Moment in der Schweiz bei 3 %, aber man braucht kein Prophet sein, um zu orakeln, dass er nicht so tief bleiben wird.
Chefredakteur Markus Matzner
I don't want to spray my vines! Interview with agronomist and organic pioneer Fredi Strasser
Fredi Strasser is considered a pioneer in PIWI viticulture and from an early age was inspired by the idea of not having to spray his vines. Following this ideal, he devoted his life to researching and cultivating fungus-resistant grape varieties and recorded his experiences and findings in the book Fungus-Resistant Grape Varieties.
Listen to the podcast with Daniel Bayer on Youtube
You can find more podcasts on the topic of PIWI at Daniel's www.wein-verhaben.de
The wine that nobody knows ...
REBAU. Organic quality is also becoming more and more popular with wine. But of all things the grape variety that is best suited struggles.
TEXT: SELIM JUNG | PHOTOS: DANIEL AMMANN
Edy Geiger is honest, but this morning he is deliberately breaking the law. It's still early, foggy and pretty quiet. Dew lies on the vineyard in the St. Gallic valley. Normally at this time the vintner sits in the office with a shirt and tie, now he's out and about with new seedlings in his vineyard. An environmentally friendly variety: Maréchal Foch. What he's doing is good for nature, but unfortunately illegal.
…
Source: Observer 8/2021 - CH
Continue reading
PIWI WEIN - Departure for new wine times PIWI CH January 2021
Dear readers
Dear Piwians and connoisseurs
"It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most likely to adapt to change." Charles Darwin
Yes, the year 2020 is really tough. These days, the positive and negative are often not far apart. The everyday is questioned, the unusual suddenly becomes normal. 2020 is pure change!
Reflection is once again the order of the day. Unfortunately, this is linked to the realization that we can only change and influence the world positively on a small scale. But at least we should enjoy that to the full!
It is unbelievably positive that we are allowed to make our life worth living in democratic Switzerland! A huge privilege!
Shift down a gear, give yourself and your loved ones more time, create something special in everyday life and consciously treat yourself to something good every now and then ...
This is what Marc Almert, Sommelier World Champion 2019/2020 said to himself. Since his place of work, the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, was not exactly busy at the beginning of July due to Covid 19, he took a little PIWI break. After an extensive tour through our vineyards and winery, the focus was on tasting various PIWI wines: a real wow experience for Marc! But read his tasting notes for yourself right away!
The implementation of the first general meeting of PIWI CH on June 30, 2020 can really be described as successful. 60 people took part in the informative rebuild tour. Around 50 members and guests stayed for the meeting, followed by a tasting. We will therefore also plan the practical linking of technical PIWI cultivation topics and the general meeting next year. Unfortunately, the pandemic thwarted the rest of the annual planning: we were unable to carry out the wine trip to Poland or the W&D in Hiltl in Zurich. But, as is well known, postponed is not canceled!
Social change, global warming, the pandemic and other changes will continue to concern us in 2021. Flexibility and a spirit of innovation are required more than ever, which is nothing new for us Piwians!
Have fun reading and "stay healthy!"
Roland Lenz / President of the PIWI CH association
Is the market ready?
NEW GRAPE VARIETIES
The marketing of PIWI wine is characterized by various challenges.
Text: Christoph Kiefer, M.Sc. and Prof. Dr. Gergely Szolnoki, Hochschule Geisenheim University
Mushroom-resistant (PIWI) grape varieties are the next logical step towards sustainable cultivation within organic viticulture. Although PIWI grape varieties achieve economic and ecological advantages for winegrowers, fewer than three percent of German vineyards are planted with them. Other wine-growing countries such as France and Italy are registering increasing breeding successes, but the proportion of PIWIs in these countries is also at a low level. This mainly results from the lack of market acceptance by the consumer. Customer acceptance of these innovative grape varieties remains low despite the increased demand for sustainable food.
Within the VitiFIT, the team from Geisenheim examines the complete value chain of PIWI wines in order to better understand the attitudes and needs of producers, marketers and consumers. Based on this, a communication strategy is to be developed at the end of the project in order to establish PIWIs on the market in the long term.
This article analyzes the current market acceptance.
Source: Deutscher Weinbau 25-26 / 2020
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