Who makes it
Domaine Donatsch SA is a family winegrowing operation in Malans. Peter Donatsch acquired the Zum Ochsen inn and its associated winegrowing operation in 1897. Martin Donatsch, Thomas Donatsch’s son, is responsible for the estate today.
Martin trained as a winemaker and worked at estates in Australia, South Africa, Bordeaux and Spain. The estate’s current work combines this broad training with a long local history and a cellar built around Burgundian oak.
Where it grows
Malans is the home of Domaine Donatsch in Graubünden, with the estate based at Sternengasse 6. The mild Malanser climate suits Completer, an indigenous variety that is gaining importance in the estate’s vineyards.
How it is made
The cellar
The estate identifies six vineyard parcels: Frassa, Halde, Bovel, Selvenen, Spiger and Michel. The soils have been cover cropped for three generations, fertilized only biologically, and farmed under Switzerland’s ÖLN ecological performance rules for plant protection.
Grapes from different vineyard sites are vinified separately. All white wines are barrel fermented and then matured on their lees. Lees are the spent yeast cells left after fermentation, and ageing on them can add creaminess and breadth to the texture. Every red wine is matured and stored in Burgundian oak casks.
What they make
The Pinot Noir range runs from Tradition through Passion to Unique. Tradition is the classic cuvée. Passion is the middle cuvée and is presented as the estate’s equivalent to Premier Cru quality. Unique is the Grand Vin, made from a top selection of grapes from the best vineyards.
Chardonnay Passion is a single vineyard wine. It is fermented and aged in used Burgundy barrels and in 30% new Burgundy barrels. The range therefore places the estate’s Pinot Noir hierarchy beside a site specific Chardonnay bottling.