Open Wine Cellars 2025: This is how the Büchli winery welcomes its guests in Aargau

Sibylle Büchli, how important are the Open Wine Cellars for your business?

Sibylle Büchli: The Open Wine Cellars are a very special moment for us every year: we bottle the first white wines at the end of April, and this event is the first opportunity to present the new vintage. As a relatively small business with around six hectares and many private customers, personal contact is important to us – and this is precisely what we can cultivate at the open wine cellars.

What makes the event special at your winery?

Our winery is located in the middle of the vineyards, just outside the village. That alone makes a visit an experience. Guests taste the wine where it grows. The tasting takes place in the anteroom of the wine cellar. You can see where the wine is stored, walk through the barrique cellar, and see our bottling and labelling machines. We often let the labelling machine run so that visitors can experience the entire process. There is also a small festive restaurant with raclette.

Are you seeing an increase in demand for regional products?

Yes, definitely. People appreciate it more and more when they know exactly where a product comes from. We know many of our customers personally. They give us direct feedback and we can respond to their wishes. This is incredibly rewarding for us as producers – and for our customers as well.

Which wine is your particular focus?

Our heart clearly beats for Pinot Noir. This variety grows excellently in our area, and my husband produces four different wines from it in the cellar. The differences in taste are clear, and it is a pleasure to show our guests where these differences come from. We also love our fruity white wines: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and soon Chardonnay.

How do you work in the vineyard and in the cellar?

We don't work with certified organic methods, but we do work very closely with nature. There is a lot of manual work involved with our vines. In the cellar, we follow a clear line: we want our wines to bear a recognisable signature, without extreme fluctuations between vintages. Of course, this is a challenge because the grapes are different every year. But the aim is to compensate for difficult years, such as 2024, with high quality.

What are your biggest challenges at the moment?

There are a few. The administrative burden is constantly increasing, which is particularly difficult for small businesses to cope with. The climate is also presenting us with new challenges: we do benefit to a certain extent – for example, Merlot would not have ripened in our region in the past, but it does now. However, the extremes are increasing: sometimes it's very wet, sometimes very hot or dry. Rising costs are also an issue, from glass and electricity to pesticides. We try to make everything as efficient as possible, but not everything can simply be passed on to the customer.

What does this mean for you as a winery?

It means that we have to keep developing. For example, we are considering how we can make our cellar more energy efficient. And we also take a very considered approach to plant protection. We explain to people transparently how we work – this creates trust. Our goal is to use resources responsibly without compromising on quality.

Finally, do you have any tips for visitors to the open wine cellars?

Be sure to bring plenty of time! In Aargau, the vineyards are a little further apart than in other regions. It's best to plan a small excursion, perhaps by car or even with a hiking backpack. Those who embrace the atmosphere, enjoy the tasting in the vineyards and perhaps visit three or four wineries will have a wonderful day.

Info

• The open wine cellar days in German-speaking Switzerland will take place on 1, 3 and 4 May 2025. More information.

• The Büchli vineyard will be welcoming guests on Thursday 1 May from 11 am to 5 pm and on Saturday 3 May from 11 am to 8 pm. Further information.