Affentaler Wine

The striking design of the Monkey Bottle pays homage to the unusual name of its home region: "Affentaler Winery" (Valley of the Monkey). This name derives not from our furry simian friends, but rather from the Cistercian monks who first began cultivating Pinot Noir here over 700 years ago. They built a wayside chapel near the vineyards, and the pilgrims' cries of "Ave Maria" led the locals to refer to it as the "Ave Tal" (Ave Valley). Over time this mutated into "Affental.” The idea for the Monkey Bottle was born in 1949. In the intervening 60 years, the Monkey Bottle has progressed beyond just a unique design – it is a symbol for wines from the Affentaler wine vintners.