Top 100 white wines of Aargau

Discover the top 100 best white wines of Aargau as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the white wines that are popular of Aargau and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Discovering the wine region of Aargau

Aargau is a canton and wine appellation in the Center of Northern Switzerland, located immediately west of Zurich and Southeast of Basel. Its northern border traces the Rhine river, which separates it from the southern German region of Baden; this close connection is evident in the Germanic style of many Aargau wines. To confuse matters slightly, the canton's main concentration of Vineyards centers around a town named Baden at its eastern edge. Aargau produces mostly red wines, in keeping with the trends of other cantons in the German-speaking north of Switzerland.

They are produced predominantly from Pinot Noir (known here by its German name, Blauburgunder), which represents almost 85 percent of red vine plantings and 60 percent of the canton's total. The next most popular red variety is Garanoir, a crossing of Gamay and Reichensteiner, followed by the alliterative trio of Dornfelder, Dunkelfelder and Diolinoir. White wines make up approximately one third of production with Muller-Thurgau often given a starring role next to Pinot Noir when the region is mentioned. Pinot Gris, Chardonnay,Sauvignon Blanc and Kerner are found throughout the canton.

The geography which characterizes Aargau is not at all dissimilar from that which prevails across the Rhine: a Complex, gently swirling network of forest-capped ridges and hills dotted with towns, fields, vineyards and the occasional limestone quarry. Geologically, the soils here are dominated by the Jura mountains. Aargau is at the very eastern end of the mountain chain as it peters out into gently undulating hills and valleys. Soils tend to be Jurassic limestone with varying degrees of clay and while in some areas, such as around Lake Hallwil, there is a Clear glacial influence with moraine deposits in the valleys.

News from the vineyard of Aargau

Walls: Discovering St-Joseph estate Martine & Christian Rouchier

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking up at some terraced vineyards in St-Joseph with an Australian friend. He remarked that he’d never seen a steep vineyard like this in his home country. Who could afford to rip out the trees, build the access roads, construct the terraces, and plant the vines, without being certain beforehand that the resulting wine could be sold at prices high enough to recoup the investment? It might not be the most romantic way of looking at it. But that’s the modern reality ...

Leading wine families award business prize to Europe’s oldest luthier

At a lunch in Brussels, the 2021 PFV ‘Family is Sustainability’ prize was presented to Jan Strick and his son Matthijs of Maison Bernard, who triumphed over more than 100 applicants from around the world to win the €100,000 (£84,000) award. ‘Selection was difficult,’ said Matthieu Perrin, president of the PFV, ‘but ultimately the jury felt that Maison Bernard is a brilliant example of exquisite handicraft and the maintenance of an ancient artisanal tradition in family hands, exactly as we fight ...

Adapting vineyards to a changing climate: Torres look to the future

In the face of rising temperatures and more frequent droughts, what can wine producers do to adapt their viticultural practices? Catalan producer Torres, which has emerged during the past decade as one of the global wine sector’s leading pioneers in tackling climate change, is experimenting with a range of creative ideas. Planting vines at higher altitudes is one option. The company is investing in cooler vineyards high in the mountains of the region. They have planted vines in Tremp at 950m in ...

The best wines of Aargau in other styles