i. Biography
"High-altitude viticulture is still being invented," Caspar Eugster says, and the sentence carries the force of a working principle rather than a slogan. Since 2016, the Swiss winemaker has served as head winemaker of Château d'Allaman, Switzerland, where that belief gives his work its edge: the sense that vineyard practice, weather, and risk are still in negotiation.
The Idea
Eugster’s specialty is high-altitude viticulture, a field he describes through uncertainty as much as ambition. "We're still not sure if it will produce high-quality fruit. It's a calculated risk. But I think with good vineyard practices and technology, we'll get good wine up here. Maybe just a little." The line is plainspoken, almost spare, and it reveals a winemaker comfortable with partial answers. Rather than presenting altitude as a finished technique, he treats it as a living question: how fruit responds, how practice adapts, how technology can assist without replacing the patience of observation. Born in Kenya, Eugster is Swiss. That biographical fact sits quietly beside a career that has moved through demanding vineyard and cellar responsibilities, with altitude as one of its recurring pressures.
The Execution
At Altura Maxima, near Payogasta, Argentina, he worked as caretaker for the vineyard. He also worked at Colomé winery in Argentina, a chapter that placed him in direct contact with viticulture shaped by elevation and exposure. He served as general manager of Bodega Colomé. The role adds another register to the portrait: not only vineyard attention and winemaking, but responsibility for the operations of a bodega. At Bovard, Eugster was responsible for winegrowing and wine production. In 2013, at Domaine Louis Bovard SA, he was responsible for viticulture and vinification, a pairing of vineyard and cellar duties that mirrors the practical unity of his work. The current Swiss chapter centers on Château d'Allaman, where he has led the winemaking since 2016. Alongside that role, he works as winemaker of Domaine du Martheray in Féchy, Switzerland. He is a member of Clos, Domaines & Châteaux. The affiliation places his work within a named community of estates and domains, while his own language keeps returning to experiment, care, and risk.
On the Record
The most revealing thing about Eugster’s voice is its refusal to overclaim. His words hold open the possibility that altitude may not behave as desired, that fruit quality is not guaranteed, and that the path toward good wine depends on practice as much as belief. For a winemaker, that is a rigorous position. It makes room for climate, site, labor, and tools without pretending that any one of them can settle the question alone. In his telling, the vineyard is not a backdrop to the wine; it is the problem, the method, and the measure.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Caspar
How does Caspar Eugster describe their work?
He says, "High-altitude viticulture is still being invented," and calls the pursuit "a calculated risk."
What is Caspar Eugster known for?
He is known for high-altitude viticulture and for winemaking roles that include Château d'Allaman, Domaine du Martheray, and earlier work connected to Altura Maxima and Colomé winery in Argentina.
Where does Caspar Eugster work?
He has led winemaking at Château d'Allaman, Switzerland, since 2016, and also works as winemaker of Domaine du Martheray in Féchy, Switzerland.
