Mas Sibert

Simon Bertschinger

Region: Faugères
Varieties: Alvino, Viognier, Albarino, Petite Arvine, Syrah, Sangiovese, Merlot, Petit-Verdot

About

Simon grew up in a small village near Zurich. Like many around him, he began his career in the financial world, but deep down, he soon realized it wasn’t for him. Over the years, he quietly built a different life. A slower life. One rooted in the soil, with his hands in the earth. Above all, a life as a winemaker.

Visiting Simon, you immediately feel his gentle and warm spirit. Everything is cared for with precision. From the cellar to the tasting room: on arrival, you’re welcomed with a beautiful spread of local cheeses, charcuterie, regional bread and honey from his own bees, made together with his wife Sara. Everything is intentional, everything aligns with the wine. Every detail reflects his philosophy: care, balance, and simplicity.
Simon’s cellar (or cave) is a model of elegance and precision. No excess, no unnecessary machinery, just what’s needed to bring his vision of wine to life. He works on a small scale, biodynamically, though you won’t find it on the label. For Simon, it’s not a marketing angle, it’s a way of life. His rhythms follow the moon, and fermentation is done exclusively with wild yeasts. On the walls hang cross-sections of the soil that nurtures his vines: layers of clay and limestone, close to a river.

Vinification takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in amphorae. In his cave, the amphorae are arranged in a geometric layout, balanced with one another. It might sound mystical, but with Simon, it feels completely natural. Everything is intentional, yet never rigid.

His wines are made to accompany food, not glouglou-style for casual sipping, but as true companions to a well-prepared dish. They offer depth, energy, and elegance. Still, no dinner is required: they’re just as enjoyable on their own.

Simon’s vineyards are spread across several small plots, each about 500 meters apart. Between the vines, you’ll find olive trees and beehives, because for Simon, everything is about connection. Nature as a whole. And wine as an expression of both place and person.

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