Cave du Rhodan – Ahead of Its Time, Rooted in Tradition

In 2007, the third generation of the Mounir family took over the company and is ensuring that the “MOUNIR WEINE” name will continue to shine as a symbol of quality and customer focus for generations to come. In 2022, the family-owned business celebrated its sixtieth anniversary. It can look back on many successes and achievements: The 1972 World Championship title, the Grand Cru concept, the successful and disciplined implementation of biodynamic viticulture in recent years, and the title of Swiss Winery of the Year 2022 underscore Cave du Rhodan’s commitment to quality and pioneering spirit.

1962: The Founding

The history of our business begins with Leo and Edith. Both born in 1889, they left their parents’ home at an early age to seek their fortune far away. Leo’s journey took him via Geneva to the Côte d’Azur, where he gained the skills—through hands-on experience and language courses—needed to quickly climb the ranks of the hotel industry. During World War I, however, he was called up for active duty. After the war ended, Edith first worked as an au pair in Ireland. After attending the Union Helvetia Hotel Management School in Lucerne, she, too, took on a management position in the hotel industry. Leo and Edith met at a luxury hotel on Lake Geneva and decided to get married.

They bought the La Poste restaurant in Salgesch and wanted to continue working in the restaurant business. However, the clientele was not that of a luxury hotel, and business in Salgesch was struggling. So they sold the restaurant to buy a home on the outskirts of the village and devote themselves to farming. Their five children—Lucien, Edith, Charles, Leo, and Amédée—were raised in this new environment.

When it came time to choose a career path, Lucien showed an early interest in viticulture and winemaking; he helped out on his parents’ farm and expanded the modest wine business. After spending time in French-speaking Switzerland and England, their daughter Edith—like her mother years earlier—would go on to make her mark in the restaurant industry. The three sons—Charles, Leo, and Amédée—all received a solid education and vocational training.

In the 1950s, there was a spirit of optimism in the wine industry, and several family-owned businesses were founded in Salgesch. This served as a catalyst for their mother, Edith, and it was she who, in 1962, took the first step toward building the new winery and founding the company “L. Mounir & Co.” The “L.” stood for Lucien, and his business partners were his brothers Charles, Leo, and Amédée.

1972: The Pinot Noir “Perle du Rhodan” Wins the World Championship

Business got off to a good start, and demand grew. Lucien shouldered the bulk of the business management. His brothers did help lighten his load by taking on various roles on a part-time basis. Charles was responsible for the technical installations and cellar accounting, Leo for sales, and Amédée for administration. Lucien, however, remained the sole operator on site. He earned his wine merchant’s license by taking various courses at the wine school in Wädenswil. He had a keen instinct for winemaking. Successes at tastings and local competitions confirmed his talent. And so they decided to go for the big break.

In August 1972, the first World Wine Competition was held in Budapest. All of the world’s traditional wine-producing countries were invited to present their top wines for evaluation. After a rigorous preliminary selection at the Swiss Federal Agricultural Research Station in Lausanne, our Pinot Noir—along with 29 other wines from our country—was presented to the international jury. Success turned into triumph. Our Pinot Noir “Perle du Rhodan” won the Grand Gold Medal. With the additional award of the “Grand Prix des Nations pour Vins Rouges,” it was crowned the world’s best red wine, beating out over 1,300 competitors from 34 countries. The award ceremony took place in Lausanne in early 1973. The media response was overwhelming, and a reception was held in Salgesch, attended by prominent figures from the worlds of business and politics.

Although already severely weakened by illness, Mother Edith was still able to experience this moment with joy.

1979: Leo Becomes Managing Director; The Basement Expansion

The general economic situation of the 1970s and the impact of the success in Budapest meant that both the overall structure of the winery and Lucien’s capacity had reached their limits. A fundamental discussion was needed. The business had to be expanded, and the on-site workforce had to be increased. The prospect of returning to their sun-drenched, fog-free homeland set many a Valaisan’s heart racing. And so Leo, as managing director, decided to return to Salgesch and take on this new challenge. The cellar was expanded, and Leo and Esther set up a condominium on the upper floor. Sales efforts were intensified under the new corporation “Gebr. Mounir, Weine AG, Salgesch.”

Under Leo’s leadership—with the active support of his wife Esther—the “Cave du Rhodan” grew into a model business in Salgesch, the red wine capital.

1988: The Grand Cru Concept

In the early 1980s, demand for wine was extremely high, and there were signs of a potential decline in quality in Valais and in Salgesch as well. At the municipal council meeting on April 28, 1987, Mayor Amédée was granted the authority to take the necessary steps to develop a “wine concept.”

Prof. Dr. E.B. Blümle of the University of Fribourg was enthusiastic about the challenge and accepted the commission. Under his leadership, the goal was to create an “independent, compelling, and distinctive quality label.” Following research both domestically and abroad, and in collaboration with the wine schools in Changins and Wädenswil, the Grand Cru project took shape. At the press conference on July 27, 1988, the Burgerstube was packed with journalists from all over Switzerland. Cave du Rhodan became a film set for the television crews, and Leo became a TV star. Salgesch was now Switzerland’s first Grand Cru municipality and the first with an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) designation.

In 1991, the family and the company suffered a bitter blow—Lucien died of cancer at the age of 61.

In the years that followed, the winery continued to grow steadily; facilities were expanded, and above all, quality was consistently improved. New wine varieties were created, and the AOC Valais was established.

They worked hard for this success!

2007: Cave du Rhodan Ready for the Third Generation

After Leo’s retirement, management of the company was placed in the hands of outside executives. However, it became clear fairly quickly that this could not be a forward-looking solution. They weren’t looking for just a managing director, but rather an owner who was willing to acquire a majority stake so as not to be constrained in decision-making. Olivier expressed interest. Although he was a co-owner of a successful IT company, he was suddenly drawn to this new challenge. Or was it, in part, just as it had been with his father, his deep-rooted Valais spirit calling him home?

Olivier and Sandra, both business administration graduates, wanted to run the company as partners. Olivier immediately began training as a winemaker through various modular courses at the Wine School in Wädenswil and later went on to earn his master winemaker’s diploma. Biodynamic viticulture was the trend. Although not particularly well-known in our part of the world, this ecological viticulture method was rigorously applied in several pilot plots. The new renovations and additions also bear the hallmark of the new winemaking family.

The third generation has taken over the company with enthusiasm and is committed to ensuring that the “MOUNIR WEINE” name will continue to shine as the epitome of quality and customer focus for generations to come.

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