Bern driving instructor wins two awards with first wines

Swiss broadcaster SRF reports that Peter Herren, a driving instructor from Thörishaus in the canton of Bern, has won two awards with his first wines. His rosé and Sauvignac were recognised at this year’s Bern Wine of the Year awards.

Herren has been growing vines on around two hectares in Thörishaus since 2023. He describes his work as being split equally between driving instruction and winemaking.

He previously ran a vegetable farm in the village for more than 20 years. He gave it up after restructuring at a major retailer forced him to close the business, but said he had always looked back at his land with regret.

When his fields were added to the wine-growing register, Herren saw a new opportunity. He said planting, tending and harvesting crops was part of his nature. Thörishaus’s south-facing slope, with its mild conditions, is suitable for winegrowing, while historical sources show that vines were cultivated there more than 150 years ago.

Herren harvested his first grapes last autumn and took them to Lorenz Hämmerli, an experienced winemaker from the Bernese Seeland region. Herren said his role was to produce good grapes, while the other half of winemaking depended on the craft of vinification.

He entered two wines in the competition mainly to make them better known, rather than expecting to win. When he learned they had been recognised, he said he had to sit down first.

Herren said he had not expected such a strong result from his first vintage because his vines are still young and not yet fully rooted. Despite the surprise success, he said he would remain cautious and take care of his “pearl”. He also said wine remained a natural product and that the harvest was not complete until the grapes were in the cellar.

Herren said he does not want to encourage anyone to drink alcohol, which is why he also produces a non-alcoholic wine spritzer.