Family & History
A Success Story in Winemaking Spanning Generations
Learn more about our heritage, the origins, and the rich history of the Diego Mathier family
Origins
It is reasonable to assume that the Mathier family originally had its roots in France. Judging by the two lilies in the family’s coat of arms, they must once have been close to the French king or at least rendered special service to the French monarch. This form of distinction and honor was bestowed only upon individuals or communities who had rendered truly exceptional service to the king or the royal house.
In the picturesque wine village of Salgesch in the canton of Valais, the Mathier family was first mentioned in historical records in 1387 and has been closely connected ever since to the largest wine-growing community in Upper Valais and its people. The foundation for the success of the family business—now run by Nadia and Diego Mathier—was laid by Ferdinand Mathier, the great-grandfather of the current winner of the “Swiss Winemaker of the Decade” award. As a dedicated viticultural inspector, he already understood—as early as the beginning of the 20th century—the importance of soil composition, vineyard sites, and the microclimate in Valais.
The Chronology of Events
Immerse yourself in the rich history of the Mathier family.
1387
1387
The Mathier family is mentioned in historical records for the first time. Since then, more than 600 years of tradition and winemaking history have linked them to Salgesch, the largest wine-growing community in the Upper Valais.
Second half of the 19th century
, Ferdinand Mathier
Meinrad Mathier founded the first Mathier business. However, the roots of today’s successful winery, Adrian & Diego Mathier Nouveau Salquenen AG, were laid by Ferdinand Mathier, Diego Mathier’s great-grandfather. As a viticulture inspector, he had a deep understanding of the importance of soil composition, the special significance of the vineyard site, and the Valais microclimate. Furthermore, he recognized the interplay as well as the mutual dependence of these three crucial elements in viticulture. It is largely thanks to him that the Pinot Noir grape variety (today, 70% of the vineyard area in Salgesch is planted with Pinot Noir ) and the time-honored Cornalin were cultivated very early on in the best vineyards in Salgesch.
19th century
1929
1929
: The Stock Market Crash and Its Consequences
The stock market crash in New York, which went down in history as “Black Friday” on October 24, 1929, is considered the starting point of the Great Depression in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Mathier family also felt the effects almost immediately. From one day to the next, they were refused acceptance of the grapes—which had previously been sourced from Salgesch—at the collection point in Siders. Out of necessity, they decided on the spot to begin making their own wine.
1951
: Where the first 12,000 liters of wine were clarified
In the building that is now the Barrique “Wein & Raclette” restaurant—which belongs to the Adrian & Diego Mathier Nouveau Salquenen AG winery—Diego’s grandfather, Oskar Mathier, pressed his first 12,000 liters of wine that fall. His wife, Marie Mathier (née Pichel), was responsible for running the restaurant, which was then called “La Poste,” and with their combined income, they secured a modest livelihood. Incidentally, Marie brought a vineyard plot into the marriage, which is still known today as “Alte Sage” and where, in addition to the Chardonnay grape variety, saffron—the red gold of Salgesch—has recently been planted.
1951
1956
1956
, Oskar Mathier
Oskar Mathier, Diego Mathier’s grandfather, had by then taken over the winery from his father, Ferdinand, and moved in with his wife, Marie (née Oggier), at 48 Bahnhofstrasse—a winery that was elegant and modern by the standards of the time. The house still stands today and serves as the current winery’s facility for receiving the harvested grapes and, after thorough inspection by Diego Mathier himself, sending them to the press. From this point on, Oskar Mathier also began—as the first to do so—to build a steadily growing base of private and restaurant customers and to supply his clientele with his wines.
1975
, Rosmarie & Adrian Mathier
Adrian and Rosmarie Mathier, the parents of Switzerland’s best winemaker of the decade, decided to take the next step and had the winery’s visionary and modern building constructed at Bahnhofstrasse 50, right next to the home of Oskar and Marie Mathier. With their idea of not waiting for customers to come to the winery—but instead delivering the wine directly to customers’ doorsteps, so to speak, at numerous Swiss trade shows —they took on a truly pioneering role that quickly began to pay off. Thanks to a steadily growing base of private and restaurant customers, the winery experienced an unprecedented boom in a very short time, culminating in 1986 when Diego’s parents were awarded the world championship title for their Œil-de-Perdrix La Matze.
1975
2001
2001
Nadia and Diego Mathier
Shortly after the turn of the millennium, Nadia and Diego Mathier took the reins. Guided by the corporate philosophy “Tradition, Emotion, Innovation, and Enjoyment—for Generations,” they began to realign the family business while taking into account such important criteria as continuity and sustainability (→ the company name now includes “Nouveau Salquenen,” which translates to “New Salgesch”). In doing so, they, too, prioritize quality as the guiding principle in their pursuit of the perfect wine. As a result, the family now owns approximately 45 hectares of prime vineyard sites, including some of the best in Valais in the area known as “les Pyramides.” In addition, all grape varieties are gradually being assigned to their appropriate terroirs in close collaboration with their long-time chief oenologist, Cédric Leyat. The range of AOC wines is constantly expanding, as the cultivation of exclusively classic grape varieties is being shifted to include the production and aging of specialty wines—whether red or white. In 2007, after just six years of passionate and tireless work, the couple was honored with their first title as Switzerland’s Winemaker of the Year. By 2018, they had received two more awards for “Best Swiss Winemaker of the Year” (2011 and 2018) as well as the title of “Best Swiss Winemaker of the Decade.” Countless international and national prizes and awards, as well as more than 1,000 gold medals for their AOC white wines, rosé wines, red wines, sparkling wines, and dessert wines of the highest international caliber, impressively underscore that Adrian & Diego Mathier Nouveau Salquenen AG is now among the top Swiss wineries.
2020
, BnB Vino Veritas
Diego and Nadia had envisioned a holistic wine tourism concept from the very beginning. With the opening of the Barrique “Wein & Raclette” restaurant in the heart of the wine village of Salgesch—and at the original site where their great-grandfather Ferdinand once worked—they set out to bring this ambitious concept to life. In 2020, the newly built BnB Vino Veritas in the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park opened its doors with its De Luxe Studios, De Luxe Suites, and De Luxe Penthouse Suite, and has since formed the triad of the Mathier family’s wine tourism concept. This concept has quickly gained countless friends and enthusiasts and was recently honored with the title“Global Winner – Best of Wine Tourism,” recognizing it as the world’s best wine tourism offering.
2020
2024
2024
Fifth Generation Mathier
A look to the future also promises nothing but good news for all wine and fine-food lovers who enjoy the top-quality wines from Adrian & Diego Mathier Nouveau Salquenen: The world of wine will be increasingly shaped by female influences in the years to come. With their five daughters, Nadia and Diego Mathier have already demonstrated their keen instincts in this regard and, together with their daughters’ future families, have laid an important foundation for the continued success of the Mathier family’s long-standing business. Why not see for yourself by visiting the winery of the three-time Swiss Winemaker of the Year (2018, 2011, and 2007)?
Mathier Family Photo Gallery
Discover the rich history and tradition of the Mathier family.
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