PuR Raisin

At the foot of the Alps, yet another french pilgrim has settled in Villeneuve. If you were to ask, this is where Arnaud Siegfried knows he belongs. His 25 years in Switzerland have led him to settle in Villeneuve on the shores of Lake Geneva, which forms part of the French-Swiss border. This particular location is special because Arnaud deliberately searched for a vineyard with the highest level of calcareous soil to grow his grapes.

Having grown up in Alsace and inherited a profession in the restaurateur profession, it's no surprise that Arnaud ended up producing wine, although he hardly realised it would be in the Swiss Alps ahead of time. It was in Bulle, Fribourg, where in 2017 he founded Switzerland's first 100% natural wine shop "Soufre Pas Ça Sulfite", following his eagerness to shine a light on the otherwise disastrously underexposed tradition of natural wine within the country and the quality of the otherwise small supply. From this point, it didn't take long for him to establish consultation with an otherwise impressive portfolio of winemakers and acquaintances.

PuR raisin is, as the name suggests, yet another rare alpine winery working exclusively with indigenous yeast grown on the grape skins, with no addition of sulphites, filtration or clarification, and only grapes from biodynamic farms - both his own and his negocé. Visiting Arnaud's field in Villeneuve, it's clear that not only are his grapevines full of life - but the biodiversity among them is just as vibrant. Swarming with insects, in the form of countless ladybirds, chequered snakes and ruby-red moths, it's an undeniable sign that the air he grows and vinifies in influences so much more than just his grapes.

A cornerstone in the quality of Arnaud's grapes, is that they not only live off the land, but also give life to the land and its surroundings. There is an underlying passion for living and growing in symbiosis with the Earth, so that we don't end up taking something away from the fields, and in turn bite the hand which feeds us. Arnaud carries a green heart, beating for passing on a planet to the next generation in better condition than he found it.