Valentina
Andrei
From Botoșani to Biodynamics
Born in Botoșani, northern Romania, Valentina discovered wine through Hungary's famous Tokaji and Moldavian wines. At age 20, she left her homeland, dreaming of Bordeaux's oenology institute. Fate intervened—she found Valais instead, with its "vines in the sky" clinging to impossible slopes [^98^][^109^].
Her first internship at Domaine de Beudon with Marion and Jacky Granges introduced her to biodynamics—an initiation that would define her career. After studies at Châteauneuf Agricultural School and Changins, she spent four years as cellar master for Marie-Thérèse Chappaz, perfecting biodynamic viticulture and tasting skills [^109^][^113^].
The Garage Revolution
In 2012, Valentina took the leap. Starting with one hectare scattered on steep Valais slopes, she converted a garage in Riddes into her winery. No proper equipment—she bought tanks as grapes came in, never knowing exact yields. She rejected mechanical destemmers, preferring to hand-destem alone after harvest, ensuring whole berries for carbonic maceration [^98^][^108^][^109^].
Today, she manages four hectares across Grimisuat, Leytron, Sion, Martigny, and Fully (Chargeux, Seilles, Carroz, Combe d'Enfer, Combe de Noutse). Her first vintage—Magnificents'13, a Petite Arvine-Roussanne blend—was a commission that launched her into Valais's "firmament of best wines" within a decade [^98^][^109^].
Tokaji Dreams
Beudon Internship
Marie-Thérèse Chappaz
1 Hectare
Valais Star
The Artist's Touch
She speaks to her vines and listens back. All work done by hand—pruning, bending canes, disbudding, leaf stripping, strict berry sorting. She destems manually after harvest alone, rejecting machines that damage berries. Herbal teas, essential oils, silica, lunar calendar guidance—but no dogmatism [^100^][^109^].
Small is Precious
Each variety vinified separately in small 300-liter tanks due to tiny volumes. She buys equipment as she goes, adapting to each vintage's surprises. This meticulous, small-scale approach allows her to craft wines with "strong identity"—precise, refined, terroir-driven rather than variety-driven [^98^][^109^].
Forgotten Varieties
"My aim is to revive forgotten Valais grape varieties. I'm focusing on quality rather than quantity," she says. Her passion: Petite Arvine, Païen (Heida/Savagnin), Humagne Blanc/Rouge, Cornalin—the indigenous varieties that define Valais identity but risk disappearing [^99^][^100^].
"Creating this wine required extreme rigour from me and often made me very anxious. The joy of working on this sincere project, however, was always a stronghold against doubt and the impossible."— On Her First Vintage, Magnificents'13
The Collection
From the debut Magnificents blend to her terroir-specific Cornalin—wines that "reveal the terroir rather than the grape variety" [^98^][^100^].
Magnificents'13
The wine that started it all—commissioned for a special project. Two-thirds Petite Arvine, one-third Roussanne. No malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness. White flowers, citrus, white peach nose with strong minerality. Grapefruit and lemon on the palate with a touch of saltiness. Total SO2 only 90 mg/L [^109^].
Païen AOC Valais
Rare indigenous grape variety from Swiss Alps (also called Heida or Savagnin). Grown in Saillon. A lovely rendition showing Valentina's commitment to forgotten varieties. Aromatic, elegant, with the grape's characteristic freshness and mountain herbs [^105^][^107^].
Cornalin Calcaire
From calcareous soils, showing the "parcellaire" approach that defines her work. Indigenous Valais red variety vinified with precision. The wine demonstrates her philosophy of revealing terroir through strict sorting and attentive cellar work. Rising star on the Swiss wine scene [^103^].
Humagne Blanc
One of Valais's indigenous treasures. Low yields, meticulous hand-harvesting, and sensitive vinification in small tanks. Valentina's careful daily tasting ensures the wine matures without unnecessary intervention, showing the grape's subtle aromatics and Alpine character [^100^].
Gamay
From her four hectares scattered across multiple communes. Hand-sorted, vinified in small tanks with carbonic maceration from her careful hand-destemming. Fresh, crunchy, showing the lighter side of Valais reds—proof she handles international varieties with same care as indigenous ones [^100^].
Syrah
Part of her expanding range of favorite varieties. Shows her versatility while maintaining the same meticulous approach: manual work, strict sorting, small tank vinification, daily tasting. The result is elegant, balanced, terroir-expressive Valais Syrah that complements her indigenous variety focus [^100^].