Is Zug becoming a wine-growing canton

The area used as vineyards in the canton of Zug now covers around ten hectares. Not only has the scene grown, it has also become more professional. A book is set to give greater visibility to Zug's winegrowers.
 

Climate change is causing major upheavals in viticulture. Wines from the Bordeaux region of France, for example, are currently undergoing significant changes. Due to the higher temperatures, winegrowers are having to trying out new techniques – or are growing different grape varieties.
But what poses major challenges elsewhere is having a positive impact in the Canton of Zug. A wine-growing scene has emerged and grown here in recent years that has nothing to be ashamed about.

A total of around 20 different grape varieties are now thriving in 24 vineyards in Zug. This data was collected by Dominik Stocker. He is the president of the ‘Die Weinmacher am Zugersee’ association (The Winemakers on Lake Zug), which was founded in 2024 and which brings together Zug's winegrowers.

‘For a small wine region, we have a remarkable variety of grapes,’ he says. The economist, who heads the marketing department at the Schwyz-based chocolate company Felchlin, has always had a flair for wine – his father used to run the Zug-based beverage retailer Weber-Vonesch AG. ‘With the association, we want to raise the profile of Zug winegrowing and promote it,’ he announces.

The largest vineyard is located in Meisterswil
41 tons: that’s how many grapes were harvested in the canton of Zug last year. And it’s also a record, as a glance at the harvest report shows. Ten years ago, the figure was only 10.5 tons. According to Dominik Stocker, the bountiful harvest is due in part to the very favourable climatic conditions. A mild winter and a warm spring ensured early budding of the vines, with virtually no frost damage. ‘For wine regions that are not subject to restrictive varietal requirements, climate change actually has advantages,’ notes the association president: ‘As a young, completely open wine-growing canton, Zug can benefit from this.’

An impression of the harvest at the Hotz winery in Deinikon.  
The Holzgang winery in Buonas.
The Guggi vineyard belonging to the Weingarten Interest Group in the city of Zug.
The Eschenmatt vines are located in the middle of Steinhausen.
The Solaris grape variety is popular in Zug
Vines being pruned in Meisterswil            
Dominik Stocker (left) and Andreas Busslinger have collaborated on a book about winegrowing in the canton of Zug             Photos: Andreas Busslinger
 

In addition to the weather and climate, the record harvest was also due to the fact that the vineyard area has grown significantly. It now covers around ten hectares (about 24.7 acres). The canton's largest vineyard, covering around 2.2 hectares (around 5.4 acres), is located in Meisterswil near Hünenberg on a hillside directly on the Reuss river. ‘This vineyard generated its first full yield in 2025,’ says Dominik Stocker.

Around 87 % of Zug's vineyards are planted with so-called ‘Piwi’ varieties. The abbreviation stands for fungus-resistant varieties. These have been popular for some time, and there are now a large number of these cultivars. The advantage is that they are ideally suited to the climate in Central Switzerland and require fewer pesticides, which makes cultivation more sustainable. ‘Zug is primarily a white wine canton,’ explains Dominik Stocker, and this accounts for around two-thirds of production. The most widely grown grape variety is Solaris, followed by Divico, a red wine variety. These are followed by lesser-known varieties such as Muscaris and Souvignier gris, which, according to the expert, are also growing in popularity.

The wine scene in the canton of Zug is not only growing, it has also become more professional. Smaller private vineyards and cooperatives, such as those in Steinhausen (Erli-Wy) or Hünenberg (Chäppeli-Wy), have been joined by larger producers such as the Hotz winery in Baar, the Holzgang winery in Buonas and the Zum Hofmeister winery in Meisterswil. ‘It’s not realistic to make a living from wine growing alone in the canton of Zug,’ says Dominik Stocker. All the winegrowers have other jobs or produce other agricultural products.

Growing interest in local products
Zug wine will therefore remain a niche product, if only because of the limited space available in this small canton. However, it is a niche product that is enjoying increasing popularity, he says: ‘I see a growing interest in local products. Zug wines are also increasingly being offered in restaurants.’ But public perception, according to Stocker, ‘is not yet where we want it to be.’

This is set to change – not only with the association and the newly created website www.zuger-weine.ch, but also with the book ‘Weinkultur am Zugersee’ (Wine Culture on Lake Zug), which will be published in March. The illustrated book was created jointly by author Dominik Stocker and Baar-based photographer Andreas Busslinger. For a year, they accompanied the people who ply their trade around Lake Zug – from harvesting to pressing. ‘The founding of the association led to many good contacts and conversations’, says Dominik Stocker. ‘That's how the idea for a book came about. We realised that the momentum was there.’ The author is looking forward to the launch on the 26th March: ‘The book is intended to arouse emotions and whet the appetite.’

Further ideas already exist, but are not yet ready to be announced. One of the association's long-term goals is to start pressing wine locally in Zug again. According to Dominik Stocker, this currently only happens at the Zurlaubenhof in the City of Zug, where a small circle of winegrowers from the IG Weingartenhof produce wine.

For more information about Zug wine (in German):
www.zuger-weine.ch