Tom Litwan, swiss Aargau

Oberhof, Aargau

Tom Litwan: Biodynamic pioneer from the Aargau Region in german-speaking Switzerland, nestled between Basel and Zurich, near the german border (Baden). The eastern foothills of the Jura mountains shape the region's soil, while the Aare River and its tributaries add to the agricultural importance of the area. Though Tom originally trained in masonry, in 2006 he decided to pursue his passion for winemaking and established a micro-winery on 2 hectares of land. The motivator behind this change? After completing his apprenticeship, Tom ventured into the hospitality industry and spent three years working at a château in Chablis. It was there that the "jack-of-all-trades" discovered his true passion for fine wine and sustainable farming practices. Today, Tom produces top-tier wines on 8 hectares of land (Demeter-certified), authentic, minimalistic, uncompromising.

Switzerland. With just under 15,000 hectares of vineyards, it's quite a tiny wine country. Even Austria has three times the vineyard area! What's more, only about 2% (!) of the wine produced here is exported (mostly to Germany, France and overseas). This means nearly all of the already small production stays within the country. The Swiss produce wine of the highest quality, from Geneva to Lake Constance and up into the Alps. However, all on a microscopic scale. The average vineyard size per winery is 1-2 hectares. Only a tiny percentage of producers have more than 10 hectares. Most are family-run farms, where wine is more of a side hustle than the main business. For most of these producers, export simply isn’t on the agenda— the market is right on their doorstep.

All the more reason for us to be excited when we actually get our hands on something to try. Or when it’s put in our hands, like in this case. Tom Litwan, a rising star from the German-speaking Aargau region of Switzerland, visited Vienna in 2018. We think back - Switzerland as guest country at Vievinum. Hurra! The excitement only grew when Tom left a few bottles for tasting at the afterparty at Heunisch&Erben. We loved it. We wanted more. Then came Covid – radio silence for a while. But now, finally, the time has come. Four Pinots from Tom's small, old plots, scattered across the western Aargau along the Jura mountains, which stretch from northern Switzerland all the way to the French wine region of the same name.

With his wines, Tom highlights unique characteristics of the Aargau terroir – a cool region known for its fine, elegant wines. "Unique" is an understatement here, because the four wines could hardly be more different from each other. We had the pleasure of tasting them all side by side in our bar this April, and we were amazed by the clarity and distinctive character of each wine. From small to grand. These discoveries are too good to keep to ourselves, so here’s a rundown – but first, let’s clear up two terms for the curious.

Tom loves working with whole clusters, meaning pressing and fermenting the grapes along with their stems - as "bunches" or "clusters". That might sound a bit freaky, but before the widespread use of the destemming machine in the mid-20th century, this was actually quite common. Hand destemming, of course, is a lot of work. But that’s not the point here. This decision has its roots in physics—temperature, alcohol, color, tannin, acidity, freshness, and depth!

The presence of stems in the fermentation vessel gives the berries more room and air contact, leading to better temperature regulation during fermentation. This is especially important when fermentation happens without strict temperature control. As a result, the risk of wine faults decreases, and even alcohol can form more slowly—and in smaller quantities!

An instinctive criticism many people have about using stems in the fermentation tank is the fear of releasing unripe or overly green aromas into the wine. But with sustainable practices and the careful selection of ripe, healthy stems, this isn’t an issue. A gentle extraction during pressing may lead to slightly higher tannin levels in the wine, but even then there is no comparison to the impact of, say, an extended maceration and a firmer press, as was the style of the "Parker-Era".

When we pour Tom’s “Unterem Berg” in the Pub, the first thing that stands out is the bright red, raspberry-juice-like color. Aside from flavor overlap, this too can be traced back to the use of whole clusters! The stems also draw out color compounds. They release potassium and calcium, helping with the removal of tartar and naturally reducing acidity in the must, resulting in a smoother perception of the wine’s acidity. In contrast to the color and lower alcohol, we find a "deeper" aroma and a more complex mouthfeel.

The second point: whole berries. In his fermentation tanks, Tom uses not only whole clusters (multiple berries attached to the grapevine structure, which are mashed to start the fermentation process) but also whole, intact individual berries (what we commonly call “grapes” in this context). These are added to the juice of their fellow, crushed grapes. The next step is fascinating. The sealed berry starts an intracellular, internal fermentation with the help of its own enzymes. After one to two weeks, the berry bursts open, and the fermentation continues in a classic manner.

This technique, known as carbonic maceration, or maceration carbonique (read with a french voice), as we know it from Beaujolais, is often boosted with CO2 in mass production and has a specific purpose: the fun factor. It produces fruit-forward, early drinking wines. The proportion of these unmashed, intracellularly-fermenting berries can, of course, be controlled and adjusted. And that is exactly what Tom does, depending on the vision he has for each vineyard.

With that cleared up...

Obermumpf "Unterem Berg"

Our flagship of Tom’s vineyard portfolio is the “Unterem Berg” site in Obermumpf. He took over this plot in 2022 from a colleague and immediately began transitioning it to Demeter.

Here, on 1 hectare of land, only Swiss Pinot clones are grown, planted back in 1980.

Spontaneous fermentation for about 2 weeks with 20% whole clusters; the rest is destemmed but not crushed. Afterward, it’s aged for 12 months in mostly used Burgundy Pièces (228L). Sedimentation and blending in stainless steel, with minimal sulfur added at bottling for stability.

How's it taste? On the nose, we get aromas of cherry, strawberry jam, quite the juice. On the palate, there's more depth than expected—creamy, velvety, with a juicy structure, fine tannins, and a finish that tightens up, crisp acidity leaving you wanting another sip. Lingering finish with notes of sour cherry and red apple. Yummy.

Elfingen "Rüeget"

The Elfinger "Rüeget" offers a darker counterpart to the "Unterem Berg." This vineyard sits lower and is more exposed (no surrounding forests), meaning it doesn't cool down as much as the others. On the palate, this results in rich blackberry and cassis flavors, with more intensity and more present tannins, though still incredibly fine. There’s firm acidity, pleasant richness, a slightly creamy, jammy note, but it still retains a cool finesse. A perfect match for stewed dishes, like a Gulasch!

Here too, only Swiss clones are used, planted back in 1986.

Spontaneous fermentation for about 2 weeks with 20% whole clusters; the rest is destemmed but not crushed. Afterward, it’s aged for 12 months in mostly used Burgundy Pièces (228L). Sedimentation and blending in stainless steel, with minimal sulfur added at bottling for stability.

Thalheim" Chalofe"

In the “Chalofe” we find Tom’s oldest vines, with plantings going back as far as 1968. We even find some Burgundian clones alongside the usual Swiss ones. This is an interesting point, because this wine is undoubtedly Tom’s most reminiscent of Burgundy!

Spontaneous fermentation for about 2 weeks with 20% whole clusters; the rest is destemmed but not crushed. Afterward, it’s aged for 12 months in mostly used Burgundy Pièces (228L). Sedimentation and blending in stainless steel, with minimal sulfur added at bottling for stability.

On the nose, we take a little detour to the French side of the Jura, where the youthful lightness and playful primary fruit remind us of the light red hedonists of Arbois. The palate then pulls us further to the Côte d’Or. A cool spot, feminine, patient, timeless. Only with a few years of bottle age will the full potential of this Pinot reveal itself—a vibrant acid structure and velvety tannin framework predestine it for greatness. But even now, Chalofe's already a lot of fun, if you give it some air. Somethink like dark cherry chocolate. May we say, a romantic wine?

Oberhof "Haghalde"

The Haghalde is a small, cool, and rather barren limestone plot of just 0.9 hectares. It was planted in 1992 with Swiss Pinot clones.

Spontaneous fermentation for about 2 weeks with 20% whole clusters; the rest is destemmed but not crushed. Afterward, it’s aged for 12 months in mostly used Burgundy Pièces (228L). Sedimentation and blending in stainless steel, with minimal sulfur added at bottling for stability.

This wine really has reminiscence of Jura. A bit dirty, with lots of primary fruit on the nose. A breather, and it reminds of modern-rustic Blaufränkisch from Leithakalk. That slightly darker fruit, the herbal spice. Also brings to mind Cabernet Franc, Saumur-Champigny (again, limestone)! On the palate, it’s razor-sharp, yet probably the broadest of Tom’s Pinots. Quite the darker fruit—back on blackberry juice, some bitter chocolate, slight cherry notes in the background, becoming more pronounced as the wine opens up. A great wine with clear aging potential.