The Winery Engel Keller of Aargau

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.