The Sankt Gallen wine region

Discover winemaking in St. Gallen: here you can experience a wide variety of wines, picturesque vineyards and a rich winemaking tradition.

Wine from Sankt Gallen: Exceptional quality thanks to poor soils

Distribution of grape varieties

Map

Sankt Gallen Rhine Valley

Sarganserland

Lake Zurich

Viticulture in Fürstenland

Table of contents

Wine from Sankt Gallen: Exceptional quality thanks to poor soils

The Sankt Gallen wine region covers just over 200 hectares, with around 70% planted with red grape varieties. The vineyards are spread around the Alpstein, along the steep southern slopes of the Rhine Valley and Sarganserland, as well as near the upper shores of Lake Zurich and in the urban area of Wil-Bronschhofen.

Thanks to ample summer sunshine, the vineyards enjoy optimal growing conditions. The Föhn wind in the Rhine Valley and Sarganserland, along with the nearby Lake Constance in the southern Rhine Valley, also contribute to the favourable climate.

The poor soils force the vines to root deeply, resulting in lower yields but enhanced quality in Sankt Gallen wines. The primary varieties are Pinot Noir and Müller-Thurgau, complemented by a wide range of white and red specialty wines.

Winemaking in Sankt Gallen dates back to Roman times and was later promoted by monasteries and wealthy merchants. In the 19th century, the region suffered from vine diseases and the import of cheaper southern wines. However, in recent decades, viticulture in Sankt Gallen has been successfully revitalized. The canton of Sankt Gallen is divided into four wine-producing regions.

Distribution of grape varieties

Quick facts about wine production in Sankt Gallen.

Surface CH

68%

Red surface

(145 HA)

32%

White surface

(68 HA)

100%

Others, 213 HA

Map

AOC St. Gallen

Sankt Gallen Rhine Valley

Known for its Föhn winds, the Sankt Gallen Rhine Valley stretches along the Rhine from Sargans to Lake Constance. This area includes Berneck, the canton’s largest winegrowing municipality, with 40 hectares of vineyards, and also features the smallest vineyard, which serves as a display garden showcasing the region’s common grape varieties. The Sankt Gallen Wine House is also located here.

Most vineyards in the Rhine Valley are farmed using either "integrated production" methods or organic practices. Vintners are increasingly planting fungus-resistant (PIWI) grape varieties.

The steep south-facing slopes of the Rhine Valley offer excellent exposure to sunlight. However, the steep terrain makes mechanization challenging. To reduce the cost of manual labour, cross-terracing has become a popular method.

More information

Sarganserland

Vineyards in the Sarganserland stretch between Sargans and Weesen on Lake Walen. These include some extremely steep vineyards with chalky soils, such as Nidberg in Mels and the vineyards in Quinten, which are accessible only by boat. Porta Romana in Pfäfers, at an altitude of up to 720 meters above sea level, is the highest vineyard in German-speaking Switzerland.

About 90% of the vineyards in Sarganserland are planted with Pinot Noir (Blauburgunder), with the remainder dedicated to Müller-Thurgau and specialties like Chardonnay, Maréchal Foch, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Seyval Blanc, and Syrah.

The wine trail from Sargans to Mels provides visitors with insights into vineyard locations, grape varieties, Pinot Noir specialties, and the diverse wines of the Sarganserland.

Lake Zurich

The westernmost wine region in Sankt Gallen lies along Lake Zurich, between Rapperswil-Jona and Uznach. Some of the vineyards here are located in urban areas.

The "Höcklistein" vineyard is considered one of the most picturesque along Lake Zurich. As in neighbouring Zurich, this area produces the white wine specialty Räuschling. A century ago, Jona was the largest winegrowing municipality in the canton.

Viticulture in Fürstenland

The area around the municipality of Wil forms the smallest wine region in Sankt Gallen, located in the north-western corner of the canton. The smallest winegrowing municipality, Berg, covers only 0.17 hectares, where about 800 vines are cultivated.