The family name Bonvin has been present in Sion since 1450. The families arrived from a valley to the south of Domodossola to produce a number of dignitaries, lawyers, doctors, priests, officers, merchants and also a distinguished lineage of wine merchants who are of particular interest here.

The Maison Bonvin 1858 is the oldest wine producer in Valais. Although this first wine trader in Valais was officially founded in the middle of the 19th century (1858) before the railway had reached the Valais, its history reaches way back further. As early as 1806, the grandfather of the founder, Carolus Bonvin, travelled to the Bordeaux region to learn about the most recent existing cultivation methods and brought back some vines to introduce them to the Valais. In this way, Carolus and his descendants were pioneers in the business that nowadays represents the reputation of a whole Canton. At the international exhibitions in London in 1862 and Paris in 1867, the wines produced by Charles Bonvin won their first medals. The quest for highest quality remained the aim of the company: in 2014, Bonvin 1858 received the ultimate accolade “Cave Suisse de l’Année” (Swiss cave of the year) awarded by the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse.

The founder of the Maison, Charles Bonvin, was committed to the enhancement of the diversity of the terroirs and of the authenticity of its wines. Important construction work allowed the transformation of steep vineyards into superb domaines. A prestigious vineyard heritage of 25 hectares was gradually and patiently established around Sion on the most beautiful terrains overlooking the Rhone valley plain: Brûlefer, Clos du Château, Château Conthey or Plan Loggier are but some of these exceptional domaines that gave their name to wines that had became legendary.

Rooted in the Valais terroirs for over 150 years, Maison Bonvin is a symbol of heroic viticulture that developed vineyards wonderfully set in the clouds and has never stopped since. The Oenopark of the Cellier de Sion, opened in 2017 in cooperation with the Maison Philippe Varone Vins, the first of its kind in the Valais, offers the degustation of wines, visits to the vineyards or gourmand hikes to various guérites (small huts).