CHILL SWITCH WINES: Nature’s Craft, Uncorked.

Indulge in the purity of winemaking with Chill Switch Wines, where we blend ancestral wisdom and natural practices to deliver a truly authentic and memorable experience. While there are official definitions of both Organic and Biodynamic wine, the term ‘Natural Wine’ lacks universal standards. Generally, natural winemaking follows a low-intervention approach to winemaking reminiscent of traditional methods. Chill Switch winemaker Dave Aschwanden draws on generations of knowledge from his Swiss ancestors and embraces this philosophy. At Chill Switch, crafting natural wine involves considerable time and patience (and none of the freaky stuff). It’s very important to Dave to have transparency in his process, so you know exactly what is going into your body.

Fermentation with natural yeast

Fermentation with Natural Yeast.

Natural yeast, or wild or indigenous yeast floats in the air and naturally lands on grapes as they grow in the vineyard. If left on the grapes, it initiates the fermentation once the grapes are crushed, consuming the sugars in the juice and converting them into alcohol. Since natural yeast varies by region, it imparts unique flavors and reflects the terrier of the vineyard. By allowing natural yeast to ferment on grapes, we capture the authentic taste of the fruit and create complex, nuanced flavors in our wine.

No chemicals, minimal sulfites

No Chemicals, Minimal Sulfites.

Did you know that the FDA has approved 76 additives for winemaking? These include dyes, flavorings, acids and preservatives and almost none are required to appear on the label. Here at Chill Switch Wines, Dave Aschwanden refuses to add any chemicals to speed up the process or alter the wine’s flavor or color. You can be assured that what goes into your body comes directly from the earth, honoring the ancestral method of winemaking.

No fining or filtering

No Fining or Filtering.

Filtering and fining wine are common practices to remove leftover yeast cells, grape particles and reduce cloudiness of wine. However, we do not filter or fine our wines at Chill Switch. This decision preserves the authenticity and flavor of each bottle, keeping our wine as natural as possible. Also, fining and filtering is not perfect and there are always some remnants of these materials in the wine afterwards which you, unfortunately, get to drink.

Key elements of our winemaking process

Key Elements of Our Winemaking Process.

  • Local, Hand-Picked Grapes

  • Fermentation with Natural Yeast

  • No Chemicals and minimal Sulfites Added

  • No Fining or Filtering

Local, hand-picked grapes

Local, Hand-Picked Grapes.

When grapes are ripe, they can be harvested by hand or by machine. At Chill Switch, we ensure the grapes we use are picked by hand and from a local producer. This method ensures the best grapes are selected, helps preserve the health of the vines and minimizes disturbance to the natural wildlife.