50 tons of grapes expected: Kiesen celebrates big wine festival!

50 tons of grapes expected: Kiesen celebrates big wine festival!

Next week, the Riem, Daepp & Co. AG winery in Kiesen will receive the first grapes of the season, and expectations are high. For 2025, managing director Herbert Riem, who runs the company in the sixth generation together with his daughters Katja and Claudia as well as Simon Riem, expects a harvest of around 50 tons of grapes. This is the result of a tradition that has now lasted over 20 years and began when customers asked to donate their own grapes. This collection campaign was officially launched in 2003 and since then wine lovers have been able to bring their grapes for recycling and in return receive a bottle of wine for five francs per kilo.

The grapes come not only from the Kiesen region, but also from the entire canton of Bern, eastern Switzerland and the Basel region. Participants are not only offered the opportunity to contribute their own grapes, but also the opportunity to take part in a festive wine festival. Grape acceptance takes place daily between October 2nd and 5th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Oechsle grade and wine quality

And what actually happens to all these grapes? During processing, the grapes are divided into different classes that take into account the sugar content and thus the Oechsle degree. The Oechslegrad (°Oechsle) measures the sugar content in the must and is crucial for calculating the future alcohol content of the wine. This unit of measurement, which has its origins in the invention of Ferdinand Oechsle in 1836, indicates the must weight of the unfermented grape juice. The higher the Oechsle degree, the higher the sugar content, which ultimately affects the quality of the wine.

The grapes are divided into the following classes:

• Nostrano weiss, Americano und rote Trauben unter 60 °Oechsle
• Muscat Bleu und rote Trauben unter 70 °Oechsle
• Klassische rote Traubensorten über 70 °Oechsle

An example: A must with 90 °Oechsle could, when fully fermented, produce around 12.2% alcohol by volume. The quality of the wine is not only valued, but also defined by strict specifications that are linked to the Oechsle grade.

The path from grape to bottle

But how does the wine actually get into the glass? Winemaking is a complex process that begins with the delivery of the grapes in large crates. After destemming, in which the berries are separated from the stems, the crushing follows to produce the mash. When pressed in a wine press, the must is then separated from the pomace and stored in barrels or tanks for fermentation. This often results in a subsequent conversion of malic acid into the milder lactic acid, which rounds off the taste of the wine.

Storage and aging in wooden barrels can further refine the aromas and colors of the wine. White wines have a shelf life of up to four years, while some red wines can be stored for up to 20 years or longer.

With this diverse tradition and the great commitment of the Riem winemaking family, we can already look forward to the upcoming wines. Whether as an enjoyable companion for festive occasions or simply to relax - the wine from Kiesen certainly deserves its place on every table. If you still have a few grapes left, you know where to take them!