Klus 177

Klus 177 is a biodynamic winery in the Klus, the historic valley at Aesch in Basel-Landschaft, that rents out its renovated event hall and courtyard for weddings, birthdays, family parties and company events. It is a working wine estate first and a venue second, and the wedding offer only makes sense if the couple likes that idea: vines outside, a cellar next door, and wine made on the premises at the center of the table.

The estate and the people behind it

According to the winery's homepage, Irene and Antoine Kaufmann took over the Domaine Nussbaumer in the Klus at the start of 2017, converted it to organic (Bio Suisse Knospe) and biodynamic (Demeter) farming, and renamed it KLUS 177 in 2019. The site describes it as "das erste und bisher einzige biodynamische Weingut in der Region" (the first and so far only biodynamic winery in the region). The estate also says sustainability is not used as a marketing phrase but applied daily in the vineyard, the cellar and even in how the staff are fed.

The vineyard principles on the homepage are specific. The estate grows traditional varieties alongside newer fungus-resistant ones (PIWIs), sows legume-rich cover crops instead of using fertilizer, and strengthens the vines with nettle and horsetail infusions. In the cellar, only grapes from the estate's own vineyards are pressed, there is a second sorting on the table, whole bunches are pressed slowly, fermentation is spontaneous, and the wines age long on the lees. The cellar motto reads "Soviel Freiheit wie möglich, so wenig Eingriffe wie nötig" (as much freedom as possible, as few interventions as necessary), and the page says no additives are used and the wines meant for keeping are bottled without filtration.

Antoine Kaufmann grew up in Biel-Benken, a short way from Aesch, and came home after 32 years in winegrowing. The about page lists apprenticeships in Neuchâtel and Sion, early work in the Veneto, Australia, the Napa Valley and the Haut-Médoc, and studies in enology and viticulture at Changins. He then spent over 20 years in Provence, the last 18 running Château Duvivier, an organic estate belonging to the Delinat group.

Irene Kaufmann grew up near Ipoh in Malaysia, flew for Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific for eight years, then traded securities in Hong Kong. In 1997 she took the sommelier course at the Université du Vin in Suze-la-Rousse, where she met Antoine.

The event hall and courtyard

The events page says Klus 177 hosts events for 25 to 80 people, either on the courtyard (Hofplatz) or in the newly renovated event hall, which the page calls klimapositiv (climate-positive). The published key figures are:

• a 260 m² hall including the foyer
• a 470 m² outdoor area
• a 45 m² kitchen
• parking for 35 cars
• WiFi, a cloakroom, and new tables and chairs for 80 people
• enough crockery, glasses and cutlery
• flowers and decoration by arrangement
• a professional kitchen and buffet free to use

The catering line matters most for a wedding: catering is by arrangement, either from Klus 177 itself or from an outside caterer. That gives couples real room to choose, including a caterer who cooks the food of their home country. The page adds that the estate tries to source seasonal products from regional organic and biodynamic producers, depending on availability, to keep its footprint small.

The site links a virtual 360° tour of the premises and a gallery that includes the event rooms, which is useful for a couple planning from abroad who cannot visit before booking.

Wine tours for guests

The same page offers individual vineyard and cellar tours with a wine tasting. From 10 people the price is CHF 35 per person including the tasting and salted snacks; groups under 8 pay a flat CHF 300. A winemaker's platter or a plate of apéro pastries can be added on request. For a wedding weekend, a tour the day before is an obvious way to give guests who have traveled in something to do, and it ties the celebration to the place.

Staying over

There is one guest room, directly beside the winery. The room page describes it as stylishly furnished, 36 m², with a view of the vineyard, good parquet flooring and a modern bathroom, at CHF 220 per night. One room will not house a wedding party, so it suits the couple themselves or a close family member; other guests will need accommodation elsewhere, which the site does not arrange.

The team and languages

This is the part that matters for couples from abroad. The homepage says, when inviting people to call for an appointment, "wir sprechen deutsch, englisch, französisch und chinesisch" (we speak German, English, French and Chinese). Irene's bio says she welcomes guests in her simple standard German as well as in fluent English, French and Cantonese.

The event team named on the about page is Lieu Stähelin, event manager, a freelance fashion and textile designer who says she loves planning events and shaping their atmosphere, and Olha Nikolaichuk, who looks after housekeeping and has helped at all of the estate's events since August 2022. Olha arrived from Ukraine in 2022, worked her way up in restaurant service, and the page notes she speaks passable English. The cellar master is Markus Weickert, trained as a wine technologist, with stints in Austria, Australia, Rheinhessen and the Markgräflerland.

Partners

The partner page lists the restaurants and wine shops that carry Klus 177 wine, from Basel addresses such as Cheval Blanc at the Trois Rois and the restaurant at the Fondation Beyeler to places in Savièse, Martigny, Rickenbach, Zurich and Hong Kong. It is a list of stockists, not a list of wedding partners, but it gives a fair idea of where the wines stand.

What the site does not settle

The event hall is heavily booked. A banner on every page says the hall is fully booked on all weekends until 3 October 2026, so a Saturday wedding needs planning well ahead. The site publishes no rental price for the hall and no wedding package; the tours and the guest room are the only priced items. It does not state an end time, noise rules, or how many guests fit on the courtyard for a ceremony. It does not describe a civil ceremony or name a registry office. Guests' travel is also left open: the site gives the address, Klusstrasse 177 in 4147 Aesch, and car parking, but says nothing about public transport. The site links general terms (AGB) but does not set out deposit or cancellation rules on its event page.

Booking

Inquiries go through a form on the events page, where you pick the occasion (wedding, birthday, company event or other) and the date, or by email to info@klus177.ch or phone on +41 61 751 45 45.

Who it suits

Klus 177 fits a couple of 25 to 80 guests who care about wine, want to choose their own caterer or use the estate's, and like the idea of a working vineyard rather than a styled wedding venue. The multilingual owners make it easier than most small Swiss venues for an international guest list. The caveats are the booked-out weekends, the lack of published rental prices, and the fact that almost all guests will sleep elsewhere.